The President offered prayers at the Deoghar temple in Jharkhand

Ranchi (IANS) | President Draupadi Murmu has reached Jharkhand today on a three-day visit. He offered prayers at the famous Baba Vaidyanath temple in Deoghar and the temple of Maa Parvati located in the same premises. According to mythological beliefs, Baba Vaidyanath of Deoghar is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shankar. Its fame is in the form of Manokamna Jyotiling. Draupadi Murmu is the fourth President, who offered prayers at this temple. Before this, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pranab Mukherjee and Ramnath Kovind have worshiped as President. While being the Governor of Jharkhand, Draupadi Murmu has been coming here many times before for worship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at this temple in July last year.

The President anointed the Jyotirlinga with water, milk, panchamrit and then offered flowers, belpatra, madar, dhatura amidst chanting of mantras. After the puja, the President shared pictures on his Twitter handle and wrote that he prayed for the welfare of all the countrymen by performing the puja.

This very ancient temple of Deoghar has been the center of faith for hundreds of years. Manoj Kumar Mishra of Dharmarakshini Samaj in Panda Deoghar said that in mythological beliefs, Deoghar is called Hridayapeeth because the heart of Mother Sati had fallen here. Devotees believe that every wish is fulfilled by worshiping here with a true heart.

Great spiritual saints Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda also worshiped Baba Baidyanath at Deoghar. Swami Vivekananda first came to Deoghar in 1887. It is said that Swami Vivekananda was very unwell in those days. His colleagues had advised him to go to Deoghar for health benefits. Even after this he came here two or three times.

Sunil Jha, who researches the history of the temple, says that Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, had visited Deoghar twice. First time in 1925 and second time in 1934. In those days, a system of discrimination was made in this temple on the basis of character and caste. People from castes considered low were not allowed to enter inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. When Mahatma Gandhi came to know about this, he did Satyagraha and ensured the entry of people of all classes in the temple.

The first President of the country, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, reached here and worshiped a few months after taking the oath of the highest constitutional post.

–IANS