Prez Draupadi Murmu walks 2 km while visiting Jagannath temple

Bhubaneswar: In a rare gesture, like an ordinary devotee, President Draupadi Murmu, on Thursday, walked about 2 km on Puri Grand Road while visiting the Jagannath temple.

This is her first visit to Odisha after assuming charge of the top constitutional post of the country in July. She started her tour by paying obeisance at the Jagannath temple.

While moving towards the temple, the President stopped her convoy near Balagandi Chhak on the Grand Road and walked about 2 km to reach the temple. After reaching the Badadanda, Murmu offered her prayers to Lord Jagannath.

Her daughter, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP leader Sambit Patra and senior officers also joined the President.

Devotees greeted Murmu, the daughter of Odisha, on her way to the temple. Murmu met

schoolchildren, who were standing near a barricade on the road and also posed for a photograph with them. She entered the shrine after touching the Aruna Stambha. Through the Baisipahacha, she entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and prayed before Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.