President Mukherjee to visit Varanasi on 'Ganga descent day'

Varanasi: President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Varanasi – the Prime Minister’s constituency – on the occasion of ‘Ganga descent day’, which is believed to be the day when the sacred river reached the city of temples according to the Hindu mythology. He is expected to reach the city on Thursday and stay here for two days.

“It is the first time ever that charna-amrit (holy water) will be offered to the sacred river instead of milk,” said the chief priest of the Vishwanath temple in Kashi.

The President will offer water instead of milk to the sacred river in a bid to save it from further pollution.

Highlights:

• The president will stay overnight at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) guesthouse, where PM Modi usually stays whenever he visits the city.
• He is scheduled to take a holy dip in the sacred river at 0600 hours on Friday.
• The security of the city has been beefed up ahead of President’s visit.