Bhubaneswar/Baripada: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to offer prayers at ‘Gosani’, a sacred site of the Santali community, in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district June 20, officials said Wednesday.
The PM will visit Pahadpur village, the native place of Murmu’s in-laws, and participate in traditional Santali rituals on the president’s 68th birthday.
Modi is expected to land at a helipad in Pahadpur around noon that day and proceed to Gosani, where he and Murmu will offer prayers. The president is scheduled to reach nearby Rairangpur June 19, a day ahead of the PM’s visit, officials said.
According to Padma Shri awardee and Santali language researcher Damayanti Beshra, Gosani represents a revered village deity and the seat of ancestral spirits and spiritual guardians of community leaders.
“The Santali people begin new ventures and mark their safe return from long journeys by paying obeisance at Gosani,” she said.
As per Santali customs, visitors entering the Gosani premises wear traditional Santali attire. Even uniformed defence personnel visiting the site drape Santali cloth before offering prayers.
Beshra said Gosani sites are generally located either at the centre of a village or at the entrance of Santali habitations and hold deep religious significance for the tribal community.
After the visit to Gosani, Modi is also expected to pay floral tributes at a memorial dedicated to Murmu’s husband and two sons and interact with villagers.
Meanwhile, the government has restricted media access to the village during the visit of the two leaders.
In a communication to journalists, the District Information and Public Relations Officer (DI&PRO) asked media personnel not to proceed to or enter the village during the visit.
The restriction was imposed following recommendations from the District Intelligence Bureau, it said.
“All representatives of Print and Electronic Media are requested to take note of the restriction and extend their cooperation in ensuring the smooth conduct of the VVIP visit and maintenance of security protocol,” it added.
The district administration has declared key areas as no-drone and no-fly zones and put in place extensive security measures ahead of the visit, officials said.
Around 5,000 security personnel will be deployed for the president’s and the PM’s programmes, they said.
Murmu and Modi are also scheduled to attend an event in Rairangpur marking the second anniversary of the BJP government in Odisha.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Tuesday reviewed preparations for the visit and directed officials to ensure foolproof security arrangements and prevent any lapses.
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