Modi offers prayers at Puri Jagannath temple

Modi, who was accompanied by priests and local BJP leaders, spent more than 30 minutes inside the temple and entered the sanctum sanctorum to seek blessings of the Lord. 

“This is the first visit of Modi to the temple after becoming Prime Minister. Earlier before the 2014 general elections, Modi had vowed to come here again if his desires are fulfilled. As he has become Prime Minister, Modi came to express his gratitude to the Lord,” said a priest accompanying him. 

The Prime Minister was welcomed by SJTA Chief Administrator SC Mohapatra, priests and others at the temple’s Lion Gate, while hundreds of people lined up behind barricades along the Grand Avenue and main roads to have a glimpse of the leader. 

While returning from the temple, Modi, who was attired in an off white kurta with yellow ‘Anga Vastram’ on his shoulder, waved at people lined all along the Grand Road in front of the temple. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Odisha’s sand sculptor Sudarshan Pattnaik to train the Gujarat youth in sand art. 

Pattnaik met the Prime Minister who visited the centuries old Jagannath temple here to pay obeisance to Lord Jagannath.