President offers prayers at Pushkar Lake, Ajmer Dargah

President Ram Nath Kovind offered prayers at Pushkar Lake and visited Dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer on Monday. Though he was scheduled to offer prayers at the Brahma Temple too but had to offered puja at the stairs of the temple due too his wife’s ill health. President Kovind was on a two-day visit to Rajasthan. Later, in the day he left for New Delhi.

President Kovind with his wife Savita and daughter Swati, arrived at Ajmer in a helicopter from Jaipur and directly went to Pushkar. At 11 am he with his family offered prayers at Brahm Ghat of Pushkar Lake. After that, went to Brahma temple but due to pain in his wife’s leg, the President’s family could not reach the Brahma temple and offered puja at the temple’s stairs.

Meanwhile due to tight security arrangements, entry of any visitor at all the 52 Ghats that surrounded the lake was prohibited in Pushkar. Due to President’s visit, the main market from Brahma Ghat to Brahma Temple was kept closed since 9 am for security reasons. This was the second time when President Kovind had visited Pushkar, before this he had visited Pushkar on July 3, 2004, 14 years ago, when he was Rajya Sabha MP. 

After Pushkar, President went to Dargah. At Buland Darwaja, Najim IB Peerazada from the Anjuman Committee of Khadims welcomed him, from where he reached Astana Sharif. President offered flowers and a 42 feet long chadar at the Mazar of Garib Nawaj. At the Nizam Gate of the Dargah, he was welcomed by Dargah Diwan Syed Zainul Abedin who presented Shrimad Bhagwat Gita to the President. 

In view of the President’s visit, the administration had evacuated Dargah premises since 8 o’clock in the morning with the support of the Dargah Committee. There was no Zayrin in the Dargah, till the President stayed there. During his visit markets at the Dargah and surrounding areas too remained closed.