Vinesh Phogat prays at Golden Temple

Amritsar: Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the 50-kg final bout at the Paris Games, visited the Golden Temple on Friday. 

After offering prayers, she told the media that she felt energised after the visit. “I am feeling a positive energy...I prayed to Waheguru (God) to give me strength and courage,” she said.

“May all our loved ones be healthy, our country remain safe, and continue to progress. I have sought blessings from Waheguru to guide us and help us work in the right direction for humanity.”

Donning saffron headgear and wearing a white salwar with green patterns, the wrestler along with her husband, Somvir Rathee, offered prayers at the holy shrine.

With her head covered, the wrestler bowed before the holy book of the Sikhs.

Functionalities of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the mini-parliament of Sikh religious affairs that controls gurdwara, including the Golden Temple, accompanied Vinesh.

Standing in solidarity, she was honoured by Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh with a replica of the Golden Temple, gold-plated kirpan and a set of books. He described the wrestler as the daughter who brought laurels to the nation.

The Phogat family performed 'parikrama' (a walk around the marbled periphery) before entering the sun-soaked and glittering all-gold sanctum sanctorum.

They bowed before the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book considered a living guru.

Vinesh was disqualified from the women’s 50 kg category due to being overweight by 100 grams. Later her quest to win the medal came to an end when the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed her plea for a joint silver.