PM offers prayers at Sreekanteswara Temple

Kozhikode, Sep 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is here for the BJP national council meet, offered worship at the famed Sreekanteswara Temple in the city this morning.

Modi, before going to the party meeting being held at 'Swapna Nagari' here, went to the shrine, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and spent about half-an-hour there.

On arrival, the Prime Minister was received by the temple authorities, including its President P V Chandran, who is also the head of Indian Newspaper Society, and Secretary E Anirudhan, at 9.10 AM.

Modi entered the temple after washing his hands and feet at the entrance with water offered by a temple official.

According to temple authorities, Modi offered prayers and received 'prasadam' as part of 'archana', a ritual conducted in his name.

"The priest conducted archana saying his name and birth star, anizham (according to Malayalam calendar). Modi also spent around 10 minutes at the Guruvihar, dedicated to sage Sree Narayana Guru, when priests recited Daivadasakam, the famed prayer penned by Guru," Anirudhan told PTI.

The temple authorities later presented a portrait of Guru and a memento to the Prime Minister, he added.

BJP state President Kummanom Rajasekharan and former president V Muraleedharan were among those who accompanied Modi during the temple visit.

BJP President Amit Shah had offered worship at the Sreekateswara shrine two days ago.

Located in the heart of the city, Sreekanteswara Temple is one of the famed shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in Malabar (north Kerala) region.

The installation of 'shiva linga' at the shrine was conducted by Guru, a sage and social reformer, in 1910.

PTI