President Droupadi Murmu performed historic Pind Daan at the Vishnupad temple during the Pitru Paksha fair.

Patna, September 20, 2025: The world-famous Pitru Paksha Fair in Gayaji witnessed a historic and spiritually significant moment on Saturday as President Droupadi Murmu performed the sacred Pind Daan and Shraddha rituals at the Vishnupad Temple and the Phalgu Akshayavat.

Arriving in Gaya around 11 a.m. on a special Indian Air Force Plane, the President travelled by road via the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane route to reach the Vishnupad Temple.

Security arrangements heightened during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit:

Elaborate security arrangements were put in place, with police deployment at every key junction and heightened surveillance along the route to ensure smooth movement and public safety.

This marks the first time in Indian history that a sitting President has performed the Pind Daan and Shraddha rituals for their ancestors, adding extraordinary sanctity to this year’s Pitru Paksha observances.

Eyewitnesses reported that President Droupadi Murmu performed the rituals with complete adherence to Vedic traditions and customs, under the guidance of Rajesh Lal Katiyar, the priest who maintains the ancestral records of her native village, Upar Beda, in Odisha’s Mayurganj region.

According to Shambhu Lal Vithal, the President of the Vishnupad Management Committee, President Droupadi Murmu is the first head of state to perform the Pind Daan Tarpan at Gayaji. Before her, two Presidents had visited Vishnupad Temple but only offered prayers, not the full Pind Daan rituals. This is a truly historic occasion for Gayaji Dham.”

During the Pitru Paksha, thousands of devotees from across the country and the world flock to Gayaji to offer Pind Daan for the peace and salvation of their forefathers’ souls.

President Droupadi Murmu’s participation has not only elevated the spiritual significance of the fair but also set a precedent of reverence for ancestral traditions at the highest level of the India Republic.

The Bihar governor was present during the event:

Religious leaders and administrative officers, including Bihar governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar Minister Prem Kumar, Gayaji MD Shashank Subhankar, SSP Anand Kumar and many other senior officers present at the ceremony, hailed the President’s visit as a moment of pride for Bihar and the nation.

Devotees and locals described the occasion as both a spiritual milestone and a message of respect for India’s cultural heritage.

This year’s Pitru Paksha fair, already a magnet for pilgrims, is now etched in history for hosting a President of India who personally performed the sacred rites of Pind Daan and Tarpan, reinforcing Gaya’s reputation as the land of salvation.

Also Read: Mukesh Ambani performs Pind Daan at the world-famous Pitru Paksha fair in Gayaji.

EOM.