President offers prayer in Somnath, terms it a ‘unique feeling’

Veraval (Gujarat)

President Pranab Mukherjee today offered prayers in Somnath temple in Gujarat along with his MP son Abhjijeet Mukherjee and wrote in the visitor’s book of the shrine, the first among the 12 jyotirlingas of lord Shiva, that his experience was unique.

The president. who during the second day of his maiden 3 day visit of Gujarat after assuming the highest office had earlier in the day participated in two functions in Sabarmati Ashram and Gujarat Vidyapeeth in Ahmedabad reached Somnath in the afternoon from Rajkot by a special helicopter and was received there by finance minister of the state Saurabh Patel.

Later in the temple he conducted the special puja amid the chants of vedic mantras by the priests of the shrine. He also did Ganga jal abhishek (offering holy Ganga water) on the jyotirlinga.

The temple trust also gave him a memento.

The president, who later moved to the adjoining union territory of Diu to participate in an international beach festival and night stay, remarked in the visitor book that Somnath temple was a historic heritage of the country. He also prayed for the welfare of the nation and whole of the world. He also offered flowers on the statute of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel situated inside the temple premises.

On the third and last day of his visit the president will also offer prayers in the Jagat temple in Dwarka town before returning to New Delhi.

– DeshGujarat