PRESIDENT OFFERS PRAYERS IN TIRUMALA

TIRUMALA, SEPT 9: The First Citizen of the Nation, H.E. President of India Sri Pranab Mukherjee offered prayers in the world renowned famous Hindu Shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala on Sunday, during his maiden visit after assuming the highest office.
 
On his arrival, the Hon’ble President and his entourage were accorded a grand reception by the temple priests with traditonal Isthikapal amidst the chanting of vedic hymns and the AP Governor H.E.Sri ESL Narasimhan and AP CM Sri N.Kiran Kumar Reddy escorted him to the sanctum sanctorum on Sunday.
 
Earlier, the President followed the temple tradition, by offering prayers first in the Swami Pushkarini and later in temple of Sri BhuVarahaswamy before heading to main shrine.
 
Inside the sanctum sanctorum, one of the chief priests of Tirumala temple Sri AV Ramana Dikshitulu explained to the Hon’ble President about the significance of Lord and the jewels adorned to the presiding deity. The President of the nation spent few minutes praying before the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara and later reached Ranganayakula Mandapam where he was accorded Vedasirvachanam by temple priests.
 
TTD Board Chairman Sri Kanumuru Bapiraju offered the President, Lord’s silk vastram, prasadams while TTD EO Sri LV Subramanyam presented a lamination of Lord Venakteswara and Goddess Padmavathi.
 
AP Minister for Endowments Sri C Ramachandraiah, MPs Sri Kavuri Sambasivarao, Dr.Chinta Mohan, Tirumala Joint EO Sri Srinivasa Raju, Tirupati Joint EO Sri P Venkatrami Reddy, TTD Board Members Mrs. P.Rajeswari, Sri Raji Reddy, Sri R.V.Deshpande,Sri G.V.Sreenath Reddy, Sri L.R.Sivaprasad, Sri C.Ravindra, Sri Ch. Lakshman Rao, DIG of Police Ms. Charu Sinha, CV&SO Sri GVG Ashok Kumar, Supdt Of Police Sri Prabhakar, Addl CV&SO, Sri Sivakumar Reddy, DyEOs Smt Varalakshmi, OSD Sri Damodar and others were present.
 
ISSUED BY TTDs PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TIRUPATI