Modi offers prayers at Tirupati shrine

Tirupati (AP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala here on Sunday.

Upon his arrival at the ancient temple, Modi was accorded a grand traditional reception amid chanting of Vedic hymns by the priests, who escorted him to the sanctum sanctorum along with temple officials.

Clad in a traditional attire, the Prime Minister also paid obeisance at the sub shrines of Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy and Sri Ramajujacharya besides the golden Vimana Venkateswara, the sacred golden altar, the golden holy mast (Dwajastambham) inside the shrine.

He spend about half an hour in the temple, a temple official told PTI.

After offering prayers, the Prime Minister was honoured with a sacred silk cloth besides a memento of Lord Venkateswara and 'laddu' prasadam at the sprawling Ranga Mandapam, while the priests invoked the celestial blessings on Modi, he said.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy and others received the prime minister at the Tirupati airport at Renigunta after he landed from Colombo.

This is Modi's first visit to the hill shrine after becoming the Prime Minister for the second consecutive term.

He had earlier visited the shrine in his capacity as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the saffron party in May 2014 and also as Prime Minister in October 2015 and January 2017.

After offering prayers at the hill shrine, Modi flew back to New Delhi.