Puri priests seek blessings for Pranab

With United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi naming Pranab Mukherjee as the Presidential candidate, priests at Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri sought the Lord's blessings for him.

"A special puja has been offered to the Lord seeking victory of Pranab Babu in the ensuing Presidential elections," said Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra alias Rajesh Daitapati, the family priest of the Mukherjee family.

Stating that Pranab Mukherjee and his other family members used to come Puri to offer puja at the 12th century shrine, Daitapati said they had been their priest since generations.

The people of Miriti area in Birbhum district of West Benegal offer their puja at Puri temple through Daitapatis.

 Mukherjee had last visited the temple seven years ago, Daitapati said adding that he used to visit the finance minister at Kolkata and Delhi.

Recalling his recent visit to Mukherjee, the priest said that he had offered a Lord's cloth to him three months ago. "The person worshiping the Lord's cloth gets prosperity. Pranab Babu will certainly get it," he said.

"It is our duty as the priest to wish prosperity of our "Jajamans" (clients). If one of our 'Jajamans' become President of India, it is certainly a pride for the preist," Daitapati said.