President Murmu Visits Jagannath Temple, Darshan Halted Till 10 AM

Puri: General darshan at the historic Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri was temporarily suspended until 10 am today in view of the official visit of President of India, Droupadi Murmu. The restriction will remain in place until the completion of the Gopal Ballav Bhog ceremony. 

President Murmu arrived at the temple at 7:40 am and was warmly welcomed by the Gajapati Maharaja at the Lion’s Gate. She then proceeded to the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) where she offered prayers to the sacred sibling deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra — and spent around 25 minutes inside the shrine.

Following her darshan, the President performed the traditional pinda daan ritual at Swetaganga, a revered site in Puri known for ancestral rites. She was accompanied by Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi during the morning ceremonies. 

In recognition of her visit, the temple administration honoured President Murmu with a khandua and a pattachitra, traditional tokens reflecting Odisha’s rich cultural heritage. 

Security in the pilgrim city has been strengthened under the Blue-Book protocol due to the high-profile visit. After concluding her temple engagements, the President is scheduled to depart from Lok Bhawan at 9:15 am for the Talabania Helipad, from where she will fly to Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district for further engagements as part of her ongoing official tour. 

President Murmu’s visit to Puri is part of a six-day tour of Odisha and Chhattisgarh, during which she is participating in religious, cultural and official programmes across several districts.