President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday laid the foundation stone of Rabindra Bhawan in memory of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and a Haj House in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that he was happy to be present in Ranchi on the occasion of laying of foundation stone for the Rabindra Bhavan and Haj House.

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"It was indeed a matter of pleasure that Gurudev and his family who left a long lasting impression in the state will be commemorated through the construction of Rabindra Bhavan."

The President said that his association with Jharkhand, as indeed the entire eastern region goes back many decades with the neighbouring West Bengal being his home state. Indeed Bihar, undivided Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa and Assam were part of the same Bengal Presidency for a long period in the earlier part of the last century.

The area has a shared past and heritage and its shaping in the post-Independence era has also been similar, he said.

The President said that for “our Muslim brethren a travel to Mecca for Haj is a life-time dream.” It was indeed commendable that the Government of Jharkhand has come up with the project of establishing a “Haj House” to facilitate Haj pilgrimage, he said.

He was sure that this will provide much needed relief to the pilgrims from the state and the area.