Meditation, prayers and puja at Rairangpur as voting begins to elect president

Rairangpur: Meditation, prayers and puja were held in this small north Odisha town, home to presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, as voting began on Monday across the country to elect the 15th president of the country.

There was a festive air in the town and its residents were glued to the television as the various news channels showed VVIPS of the country like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of various states casting their votes to elect the new president.

The voting would have gone largely unnoticed in the small town but for Murmu, who is the NDA nominee in the presidential poll. This time public enthusiasm was on display, particularly by tribals as a woman from among them appeared set to occupy Raisina Hills and etch her name in the country's history.

Members of 'Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Iswariya Vishwa Vidyalaya' center here held a special meditation programme coinciding with the voting for the presidential poll.

Murmu has been an active member of the Center since 2009.

“Madam will achieve a grand victory by the grace of the Almighty. Our meditation sessions are held from 3.30 AM till 7 AM daily. But today we have extended the timing and made it a day-long event till the completion of the voting," said Brahmakumari Supriya.

Murmu, she said, has invited a delegation of Brahma Kumaris from Rairangpur to attend her oath-taking ceremony in Delhi if she wins.

A similar scene was seen at Shri Aurobindo Integral School in the town, where Murmu had worked as a teacher for three years from 1994. Its students, ex students, their parents, teachers of the school both serving and retired, some of them her former colleagues, attended a special prayer during the day.

The students of the school, most of whom belong to tribal and Dalit communities, are highly motivated over Murmu’s elevation, said a teacher.

"Her achievements have filled the dreams of the poor children in Mayurbhanj district," she said.

A special puja was held by the Santhal community, to which the 64-year-old presidential candidate belongs, near her home in the town.

A 'Maha Puja' was also organized by the residents of Upperbeda village, Murmu's birthplace. Residents of nearby villages participated and prayed for the success of the 'daughter of the soil' in the election, the result for which will be declared on July 21.

The next president will take oath on July 25.