Puri: BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Monday visited the Jagannath Temple and offered prayers before Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, seeking blessings for peace, prosperity and the welfare of Odisha and the nation.
Speaking after having darshan at the Srimandir, Nabin said visiting Mahaprabhu after the BJP’s electoral victories in West Bengal and several other states was a matter of great fortune. “I had come to see Mahaprabhu when I was young. After many years, due to the immense mercy of Mahaprabhu, I got the opportunity to once again seek His blessings,” he said.
Referring to the BJP’s recent electoral success in West Bengal, he said he had prayed for the welfare of Odisha and the country. “We have prayed for happiness, peace and prosperity for the people of Odisha and the entire nation. Just as the Prime Minister and the country have continuously received the blessings of Lord Jagannath, we shall continue to bow before Mahaprabhu and seek His divine grace,” Nabin added.
Later in the day, Nabin visited the temple along with his family and performed rituals and worship at the shrine. He also had darshan of Maa Vimala and Maa Mahalakshmi inside the temple premises. Following the visit, he went to the residence of Sambit Patra and partook of Mahaprasad.
The BJP leader received a grand welcome at the Singhadwar (Lion’s Gate) of the temple from his hereditary family priest Satyanarayana Guru, besides officials of the temple administration and district administration.
Several senior BJP leaders accompanied him during the visit, including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Puri MP Sambit Patra, Pipili MLA Ashrit Pattanayak, Satyabadi MLA Om Prakash Mishra, Brahmagiri MLA Upasna Mohapatra, and former MLA Jayanta Kumar Sarangi. District Magistrate Dibya Jyoti Parida, SP Prateek Singh, and senior officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) were also present during the visit.
