Puri: A grand event was organised in the Holy City here to mark the unveiling of Adi Shankaracharya’s statue by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kedarnath in Uttarkhand, Friday.
The unveiling of the statue and the Prime Minister’s address to the nation were livestreamed during the special event here.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Sambit Patra, party’s national vice president Baijayant Panda, Brahmagiri MLA Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and Puri MLA Jayanta Sarangi among others participated in the event at the Sadashiv Sanskrit University in the Pilgrim city.
The pontiffs of various mutts of the Holy city were also present in the programme. The dignitaries initially offered prayers to the Sea God on the beach and took part in a grand procession to the meeting venue at the Sanskrit University.
The pontiffs were felicitated at the event. Several cultural troupes also performed on the occasion.
The Union minister also met Puri Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati at Gobardhan Peeth here. Saraswati advised the minister to undertake reforms in the education sector and take steps for the development of Banaras University.
The minster also visited Srimandir and paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath.
“Steps would be taken to develop the Holy city and its mutts,” Pradhan said.