Former PM Deve Gowda offers prayers at Baba Baidyanath Temple in Jharkhand

PTI, Jan 6, 2025, 7:48 PM IST

Ranchi: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda prayed at the renowned Baba Baidyanath Temple in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district on Monday, officials said.

The temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India, holds great spiritual significance.

The JD(S) patriarch performed special rituals, including the ‘jalabhishek’ ceremony, under the guidance of priests who chanted Vedic mantras, according to a statement from Deoghar district administration.

Deoghar deputy commissioner Vishal Sagar presented a memento and an ‘anga vastra’ to the former PM as a gesture of respect.

In keeping with protocol for a former PM, strict security arrangements were in place during his visit.

Deve Gowda, who arrived at the temple in a wheelchair due to age-related health issues, said he prayed for the betterment of the country’s future.

Speaking to reporters, he also shared his thoughts about other ‘jyotirlingas’ across India.

Deve Gowda, who served as PM from June 1, 1996, to April 21, 1997, also visited the Basukinath Temple, another significant spiritual site in the region.

He is scheduled to return to Bengaluru on Tuesday.