President Mukherjee conferred with honorary doctorate in Nepal

Visiting Indian President Pranab Mukherjee was on Thursday conferred with an honorary doctorate by Kathmandu University, a leading private university in Nepal.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also the University Chancellor, conferred the Honorary Degree of D. Litt. on Mukherjee at a function here.

Mukherjee is the third personality to be conferred with the degree, said the university.

Indian Congress leader, Karan Singh, and Satya Mohan Joshi, a prominent author and scholar in Nepalese culture, were the other recipients of the degree by the university in the past.

Earlier, President Mukherjee offered special puja at the famed Pashupati Nath temple in Kathmandu.

He also offered prayers at the Basuki Temple, the Surya (sun) God, Narayana, Bhairab, and other gods and goddesses, and deities on the premises of the temple.

He entered the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) of the holy shrine of Lord Shiva and offered special prayers to the Aghor Swarup (form) of the Pashupati Nath from the temple's south gate, and to the form of the Tatpurusha from the eastern gate.

The Indian President performed the special puja with the established rituals that included Panchamrit snan and the Rudri Path (chanting of Rudri scriptures).

--IANS

giri/in/rn