Amritsar: Vice President M Hamid Ansari today paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here, his first visit to the Sikh shrine. Ansari, 74, along with his wife Salma spent nearly 10 minutes in the sanctum sanctorum and was given Siropa (robe of honour) by a Sikh priest.
The couple also listened to religious hymns. "It was my long pending desire to visit the Golden Temple and today I felt satisfied after visiting this pious place. I felt peace of mind, as I felt some good vibrations during my visit here," Ansari told reporters. The Vice President was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SGPC Chief Avtar Singh Makkar and BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu.
In remarks in the visitors book, Ansari said "It is my good fortune to have this opportunity to visit this holiest of holy shrines of a great religion". The history of Golden Temple and Akal Takht was also narrated to the VVIP guests. Ansari arrived in the city amidst tight security to inaugurate the 14th National Youth Festival, being held for first time in Punjab from 12th-16th January at the Guru Nanak Dev University.
