President of India Pranab Mukherjee performed puja for the Bhagavathpada’s Padugai at Kanchi Sankara Mutt here on Tuesday.
Mr. Mukherjee arrived at Kancheepuram at around 2-30 p.m. by road from Arakkonam, after he reached the Rajali Naval Air Base by air from New Delhi by 1.20 p.m.
At the Kanchi Kamakshi Amman temple, where he offered his prayers to the presiding deity Goddess Kamakshi, the junior seer, Vijayendra Saraswathi, briefed him about the temple’s history and the renovation works that were carried out within its precincts recently.
When the President reached Kanchi Sankara Mutt at around 3.45 p.m., Vijayendra Saraswathi received him at the entrance amidst chanting of mantras as the Mutt staff presented poornakumbam honours to Mr. Mukherjee.
Accompanied by the junior seer, the President offered his prayers at the athishtanam of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi and also performed puja to the padugai (metal covered wooden footwear) of Sri Adi Sankara.
Subsequently, he had a brief interaction with the senior seer, Jayendra Saraswathi, and the junior seer, according to Mutt sources.
