PURI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited Sri Jagannath temple and offered prayers to the holy Trinity in the sanctum sanctorum. He also offered prayers to Mahalaxmi and Goddess Vimala in their respective temples located inside the complex.
The Prime Minister arrived by helicopter at Puri helipad at about 10.20 am. He reached the temple gate at 10.30 am where he was received by Janardan Pattajoshi Mahapatra, head of Chhatisha Nijog (confederation of servitor bodies of the temple), temple Chief Administrator SC Mahapatra and the traditional family priest of the Prime Minister Raghunath Gochhikar.
Modi spent around 30 minutes inside the temple. The temple administration presented an art work of the deities made of thermocol to the Prime Minister while priests gifted Khanduas (cloths of the deities).
In view of the Prime Minister’s visit, the temple administration had rescheduled rituals of the deities and the ongoing repair work of the Jagamohan of the temple was suspended for the day. The daily chores including offering of bhog was completed before the Prime Minister’s visit. The temple was closed for devotees prior to one hour of the Prime Minister’s arrival. None was allowed to enter the temple during Modi’s stay inside.
About 40 platoons of police personnel were deployed in and around the temple and along the road from helipad to temple. A five-layer security cover was put in place for the Prime Minister.