Gujarat chief minister Mr. Narendra Modi in Puri

Prays for country’s progress and those killed in Uttarakhand

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today visited the famous Lord Jagannath temple at the historical city of Puri in the Odisha. Mr. Modi visited the temple and offered his special prayers before the Lord Jagdish on Tuesday.

Mr. Modi arrived here today morning for a day long visit and met with Govardhanpeeth-Puri head Jagadguru Sankaracharya Nishchalanand Saraswati Maharaj.    

Modi said, “From the land of Somnath (Lord Shiv), he has landed in the land of Lord Jagannath and was quite overwhelmed with feeing of gratitude.” He sought blessings of Lord Jagannath for countrymen and the country so as to make progress in different fields. Also Mr. Modi offered special prayer for pace to those who lost their lives in recent deluge in Uttarakhand and those missing returns their homes and relatives soon.

Drawing parallels between Gujarat and Odisha, Mr. Modi while recognizing the contributions made by Odisha people to Gujarat’s growth, said the relations of Odisha situated on east coast and Gujarat on the west have longed shared bonding and people from almost each district of Odisha have come to Gujarat and has became the participants of progress with their hard work.

Mr. Modi, who was greeted by the presence of large crowd in Puri temple verandah, was overwhelmed during his address. Gujarat chief minister said Orissa is home to the Sun Temple in Konark that catches the first sun-ray of country while another Sun Temple in Modhera in Gujarat gets illuminated during sundown.

Mr. Modi while on his way to Puri also offered his prayers at Panchasakha idols and Gundicha Mata temple, aunt of Lord Jagannath where the annual Rath Yatra chariot too halts for a while.ile

Gajapati Maharaj, the erstwhile king of Puri Divyasingh Dev, considered to be servitor and other trustees of Jagannath Temple Trust welcomed Mr. Modi. Later on, Modi visited the palace and offered a shawl to Divyasingh Dev hailing the latter’s contribution made for Jagannath temple.

Earlier in the day Odisha BJP president, party members and large crowd greeted Mr. Modi at the Bhubaneswar airport.

Also those extended warm welcome for Mr. Modi were leaders from the Gujarati Samaj.