Puri: Chief of Army staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri along with his wife and offered prayers to the deities. During his visit, he also offered prayers at the shrines of goddess Bimala, goddess Lakshmi and other deities inside the temple complex. Collector (Puri) Dibyajyoti Parida and SP Prateek Singh were present during the visit.After arriving in Puri, General Dwivedi was accorded a warm welcome by officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), along with district authorities. He later entered the temple and had darshan during the ‘Mangala Alati’ ritual. The Army chief also visited Koili Vaikuntha and the temple’s Rosaghara (sacred kitchen), and expressed happiness after witnessing the traditional arrangements there.Following the darshan, he was presented with the Lord’s ‘khandua pata’, temple flag and Mahaprasad. General Dwivedi said he felt fortunate to have received the opportunity to offer prayers at the Jagannath Temple. He said he prayed for Lord Jagannath’s blessings for the Indian Army so that it continues to successfully face future challenges under all circumstances.
