Rairangpur: President Droupadi Murmu turned emotional Thursday as she garlanded the statue of her late husband Shyam Charan Murmu at her native village in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
The president, who is on a six-day trip to the state, visited her native village, Pahadpur, and went to the SLS Memorial built in memory of her late husband and her two sons, Laxman and Sipun.
Murmu has endured a series of personal tragedies, losing her son Laxman in 2009, her husband in 2014, and her son Sipun in 2012. She also lost her mother and a brother during that period.
The SLS Memorial houses a residential school that provides free education to tribal, underprivileged and orphaned children.
The president performed ‘pinda daan’ rituals in Jajpur and Puri for the salvation of the souls of members of her family who have passed away over the last few days.
Thursday, she organised a feast for Brahmins at a Jagannath temple in Rairangpur, in accordance with Hindu customs.
Murmu also visited a ‘Jahira’, the sacred grove and place of worship of the Santhal community, located in a forested area. She offered prayers to the Santhali deity Marang Buru.
Commandos accompanying her wore traditional tribal attire before entering the ‘Jahira’.
The president arrived here around 3.30 pm, with her helicopter landing at the temporary helipad set up at Anukulpur playground near Jashipur. She was received by Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, MP Naba Charan Majhi, and senior police and administration officials.
A large number of tribal women lined both sides of the road to welcome the president, while several tribal artistes performed traditional dances, such as Changu and Dantha, adding cultural vibrancy to the reception.
Students from various educational institutions waved the national flag to welcome the ‘daughter of the soil’.
She will spend the night at the Gurugudia Forest Bungalow in the Similipal National Park.
Friday, the president is scheduled to interact with local tribal women and youth groups in Similipal. She will also distribute blankets to poor and underprivileged forest dwellers before returning to Bhubaneswar, officials said.
