Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Oct 25 (PTI) The temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here was shut for 12 hours from Tuesday morning to late this evening for suryagrahanam (solar eclipse).

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Observing millennia-old convention, the priests and officials of the temple locked all its doors during the eclipse, an official told PTI

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After the eclipse, the priests cleaned the temple and did special rituals to the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara, the official said.

Later, the devotees waiting since morning were allowed into the shrine, the official said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)