KUNDAPUR: President Pranab Mukherjee arrived at Kollur on Sunday amidst tight security arrangements. Mukherjee who came here on his maiden visit to the historic 1,200-year-old temple was accorded a warm welcome by the president of the temple management committee, Harish Kumar M Shetty.
After landing by an Air Force helicopter at Udupi, he went to Sri Krishna Mutt. Later, he took rest at the Inspection Bungalow (IB).
The president then came straight to Kollur. He was inside the temple’s sanctum sanctorum from 3.45pm to 4.30pm.
Apart from personnel of central intelligence bureau, Udupi police had deployed about 600 cops for the President’s security.
Members of the management committee of the temple — V Jayaram Shetty, Rajesh Karanth, Ramesh Ganiga, Ambika Devadiga, Abhilash, Manjunath Adiga, Jayanthi Krishna, H Narasimha were present.
No Udupi cuisine for President Mukherjee
Udupi: How could you be in Udupi and miss its legendary veggie cuisine? Sadly, President Pranab Mukherjee did miss it. His lunch and evening tea did not have a single item from Udupi cuisine. There was no attempt from the protocol team who made a recce days before his arrival to include Udupi items. There were routine items on the menu for the President, catered by a Mangaluru-based hotel.
However, Pejavar Swamiji made sure that the President was given the ‘Pancharathna Prasadam' of the Krishna temple. Udupi culinary expert Vasudeva Bhat who had served former President R Venkatraman remembered that he was served a full 32-dish all-Udupi items lunch at Admaar Mutt on a plantain leaf.