Modi pays obeisance at Golden Temple

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib here.

Modi reached here straight from Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district and spent around 40 minutes at Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple.

Modi, who was on a first visit to the Golden Temple after becoming Prime Minister last year, undertook Parikrama of the complex and paid obeisance inside the sanctum sanctorum, where he was offered a 'Siropa', robe of honour by the priest.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum, he spent around two minutes. He kneeled down and bowed before the holy Guru Granth Sahib.

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur was the first to enter the sanctom sanctorum followed by the PM, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and others.

The Prime Minister, who was wearing a scarf to cover his head and clad in a Kurta Pyjama, visited Golden Temple like a common devout, mingling and interacting with other devotees when he was inside.

As he took the first step inside the Golden Temple, he bowed with folded hands and then undertook Parikrama around the complex.

After coming out of the Golden Temple, he also drank the holy water from the Sarovar, even as he was accompanied by Punjab Governor, Kaptan Singh Solanki, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur besides the SGPC Task Force personnel forming a security cordon.

Officials said that common devotees were not put to inconvenience in view of the Prime Minister's visit to the Golden Temple complex.

Inside the Temple, he also went around the Baba Deep Singh Gurdwara even as other devotees took photos of the PM with their cellphones.

Tight security arrangements had been made in the holy city in view of the Prime Minister's visit.

Modi, after his arrival here in the afternoon, went straight to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district by a helicopter where he paid his tributes to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at the National Martyrs Memorial.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Vijay Sampla, and State BJP president Kamal Sharma.