President Ram Nath Kovind offered prayers at the famous Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath in Uttarakhand on Sunday. (PTI)

President Ram Nath Kovind offered prayers at the famous Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath in Uttarakhand on Sunday. The president along with his wife Savita and other family members arrived at Kedarnath in IAF choppers at around 8 AM yesterday. They were accompanied by Governor K K Paul and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. They spent about half an hour at the shrine and were attended to by priest Bhagwat Prasad Bagwadi. After offering prayers at the temple, when President Kovind moved forward to offer a donation to the priest, he (priest) respectfully refused to accept it saying that he is so fortunate to assist the first citizen of India in the ceremony, reported Amar Ujala.

The priest rather insisted the president to honour Col Kothiyal who helped in rebuilding and restoring the Kedarnath yatra in three years which was destroyed after flash floods killed thousands of people in Uttarakhand and left a trail of devastation in its wake. President was impressed with his Bagwadi’s reverence and devoutness. The president assured Bagwadi that he will definitely try to make things possible according to the wish made by him.

Kovind later also went to Badrinath. He spent only around twenty minutes there to offer prayers before leaving for the Jollygrant airport to fly back to Delhi by an IAF plane. The president and his family began their two-day visit to the state yesterday by visiting the Ganga at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar. It was the president’s first visit to Uttarakhand after assuming office.