Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, who visited Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri and offered prayers on Friday, assured the temple administration that she would take up the issue of musk (Kasturi) supply to the temple with her government.
Kasturi, the musk obtained from a stag’s navel, is used in some special rituals in the Jagannath temple. The temple administration had last received musk from the erstwhile King of Nepal in 2002, and the stock has almost got exhausted.
Talking to presspersons on the sidelines of her visit to the 12th century shrine, Ms. Bhandari said she would urge the Nepal government to resume the supply of musk to the temple.
The Odisha Chief Secretary had written to the Foreign Secretary in 2014 seeking assistance in procuring musk from Nepal.
Observing that India and Nepal enjoyed age-old friendly ties with strong cultural bonds, Ms. Bhandari expressed the hope that the bilateral relationship would continue in future.
She thanked the temple servitors and officials who escorted her on the temple premises. Elaborate security arrangements were made both outside and inside the shrine during her visit.
