Mathura, March 21 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday performed the 21-kilometre Goverdhan Parvat Parikrama in a golf cart, becoming the first President to visit the sacred town.
Goverdhan Parvat has great religious significance as it is associated with Lord Krishna. The full circle of Goverdhan is 21 kilometres, and the major sites, which come during the Parikarma, include Danghati Temple, Radha Kund, Shyam Kund, Kusum Sarovar, and Jatipura.
President Murmu will also offer prayers at Danghati Temple in Goverdhan in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.
On March 20, President Murmu met revered saint Premanand Maharaj at his Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram in Vrindavan, where she engaged in a spiritual discourse and sought his blessings.
The meeting marked a key highlight of the President’s ongoing three-day visit to Uttar Pradesh, during which she has been participating in religious ceremonies and public engagements.
Arriving at the ashram early in the morning under tight security, President Murmu was welcomed by disciples and local leaders before beginning her interaction with Premanand Maharaj, a noted teacher of the Radha Vallabh tradition widely followed in the Braj region. According to sources, their discussion focussed on spiritual values and the role of faith in promoting harmony and societal well-being.
The visit to the ashram is part of the President’s broader itinerary across Ayodhya, Mathura, and Vrindavan, where she has been offering prayers at prominent temples and sacred sites since her arrival on March 19.
On Thursday evening, she reached Mathura and visited the ISKCON Temple, where she participated in the evening aarti. She also paid tribute at the samadhi of Swami Prabhupada and offered prayers at the Krishna Balaram and Shyam Sunder shrines.
Earlier during the visit, President Murmu installed the ‘Shri Ram Yantra’ at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The ceremony, conducted amid Vedic chants by scholars from southern India, Kashi, and Ayodhya, symbolised a significant milestone towards the completion of the temple.
The President also inaugurated the new Oncology Block of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashram, which is aimed at strengthening cancer care facilities in the region.
--IANS
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