Puri, Dec 4 (FN Representative) President Droupadi Murmu, on the second day of her five-day visit to Odisha, visited the Sri Jaganath temple in Puri on Wednesday. She had darshan of the deities and performed puja at the temple. Murmu prayed to Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and sister Devi Subhadra from BhitarKath (from a distance) and then offered prayers to goddesses Vimala and Mahalaxmi for the well-being and prosperity of all. “I prayed for the well-being and prosperity of all citizens across the state and the country before Lord Jagannath,” the President told the media.
She paid respects to the pundits at the Muktimandop (seat of religious scholars) and signed in the diary. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, accompanied the President who walked along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) to the Srimandir. Murmu’s family members, Jagannath Temple Chief Administrator Arabind Padhi, and Défence officers also accompanied the President to the temple. The Chhatisha Nijog President (Chief of all sections of servitor’s bodies of the temple) Janardan Pattajoshi Mahapatra, the temple officials, and the District Magistrate welcomed her at the temple. A large crowd had gathered along the road to have a glimpse of the President. After offering puja at the temple, the President inaugurated the diamond jubilee celebration of the Gopabandhu Ayurved Mahavidyalay. Addressing the function, the President urged the students to research the untouched aspects of Ayurveda. She said that research would increase recognition of this ancient medical system across the world. Murmu urged students to focus on research to unravel the deep knowledge stored in ancient palm-leaf manuscripts.
The President said many elder people in her tribe knew herbs and medicinal plants and treated patients. Over time, these became extinct. It is necessary to document it. She urged Ayurved doctors, students, and alumni to research ancient scripts and develop cures for many diseases. She lauded the college as it has more girls students than boys and more female teachers. Recounting the glorious past of India in the fields of astronomy, astrology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, and surgery by scholars like Charaka, Susruta, Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Bhaskracharya, Murmu advised the students to study hard and find out medical solutions to many unanswered diseases in the world. The entire world looks on us she said. Our Yoga and Ayurveda are gaining popularity in the West and in America as people love to practice yoga for a healthy life and prefer Ayurvedic medicines for the cure of chronic diseases without side effects. The world is observing June 21 as an International Yoga Day, the President said and gave a call for Yoga-Yukta and Roga-Mukta Bharat. She said it is important to move with time and keep updated with the needs of the time. Now Artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, 3D printing, and machine learning have been the focus of modern study. Odisha Governor Raghubar Das and Chief Minister also spoke on the occasion.