Konark, Jan 18: On his second day of two-day visit to Odisha, visit Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has visited the Konark Sun Temple Saturday.

He was accompanied by his wife Jane Yumiko Ittogi as well as Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida.

Tharman was given a warm reception by the state government after he arrived in Konark at around 11 am.

The President of Singapore first visted the IOCL state-of-the-art Interpretation Centre in Konark, where he watched a short film on Konark Sun Temple's rich heritage. The short film was specially prepared for Shanmugaratnam.

Later, he visited the Sun Temple and explored the beauty of the hisoric monument, including the crafty works on and around it.

The temple was closed for four hours for the general public owing to the Singapore President's visit. Tharman is on a two-day visit to Odisha, starting Friday.

On his way to Konark, he made a visit to Raghurajpur, heritage crafts village in Puri district. He was presented a traditional Pattachitra memento by DY CM Parida.

Raghurajpur is known for its master Pattachitra painters, an art form, and Gotipua dance troupes, the precursor to the Indian classical dance form of Odissi.

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