New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu on Friday met revered saint Premanand Maharaj at his Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, engaging in spiritual discourse and seeking his blessings.

The meeting marked a key highlight of the President’s ongoing three‑day visit to Uttar Pradesh, where she is participating in religious ceremonies and public engagements.

Arriving at the ashram early in the morning under tight security arrangements, President Murmu was welcomed by disciples and local leaders before beginning her spiritual interaction with Premanand Maharaj, a noted teacher in the Radha Vallabh tradition widely followed in Braj. The exchange focused on spiritual values and the role of faith in fostering harmony and societal well‑being, sources said.

The visit to the ashram comes as part of the President’s larger programme across Ayodhya, Mathura and Vrindavan, where she has been offering prayers at significant temples and sacred sites since her arrival on March 19.

On Thursday evening, she reached Mathura and visited the ISKCON Temple, participating in the evening aarti and paying tribute at the samadhi of Swami Prabhupada, as well as offering prayers at the Krishna Balaram and Shyam Sunder shrines.

Earlier in the tour, President Murmu installed the ‘Shri Ram Yantra’ at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, a ceremonial milestone that symbolises the near completion of construction at the sacred site. The installation was conducted amid Vedic chants led by scholars from southern India, Kashi and Ayodhya, underscoring the cultural and spiritual significance of the visit.

Following her interaction with Premanand Maharaj, the President is scheduled to visit the memorial of Neem Karoli Baba later in the day. In the evening, she will inaugurate a new Oncology Block at the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashram in Vrindavan — an initiative expected to enhance cancer care facilities in the region, and will also stop at Vatsalya Gram, a centre founded by Sadhvi Ritambhara that provides care for the elderly and orphaned children.

Her visit will conclude on March 21 with prayers at the Danghati Temple in Govardhan, followed by the traditional Govardhan Parikrama, a seven‑mile religious circuit deeply rooted in local devotion, before she departs for New Delhi.

–IANS

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