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Watch: Vice President Naidu, his wife offer prayers in Ayodhya
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and his wife offered prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya. They also offered prayers at the Hanumangarhi Temple and later performed 'pooja' at the Saryu river.
Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu along with his wife Usha Naidu on Friday arrived in Ayodhya wherein they offered prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi site.
Earlier in the day, the vice-president and his wife had reached Ayodhya from Lucknow on a special train. They were received at the Ayodhya railway station by governor Anandiben Patel, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Faizabad MP Lallu Singh and other public representatives, news agency PTI reported.
Amid the chanting of hymns by the priests, the vice-president and his wife offered prayers to Lord Ram at the Ram Janmabhoomi site. Naidu also worshipped the flag installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the proposed Ram temple. He was also given a detailed presentation on the construction of the temple.
In a note in the visitor's book of the Ram temple, Naidu said he felt "blessed" after the visit to the shrine. Lord Shri Ram and this temple, once built, will enhance India's pride, he said, adding that he considers himself lucky to be able to bow his head before Lord Ram in the sanctum sanctorum. The vice-president also met some seers. He posed for pictures with the team of engineers and construction workers of the Ram temple.
He also visited the famous Hanumangarhi temple and offered prayers there. Later, the vice-president and his wife offered prayers at the Saryu river in the temple town.
After Ayodhya, the vice-president will head to Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Special security arrangements have been put in place ahead of the visit. The vice-president will watch the Ganga Aarti at the Dashashvamedha Ghat today evening. On Saturday, he will visit the Kashi Vishwanath corridor and offer prayers at the temple. He will then go to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Smriti Upvan.
