India News | President Kovind Worships at Tirupati Balaji Temple
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at nearby Tirumala.
Tirupati, Nov 24 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at nearby Tirumala.
An ardent devotee of the ancient hill shrine, the President, accompanied by his family members, was accorded a ceremonial traditional reception, upon his arrival at the main entrance by the priests, amid chanting Vedic hymns.
He was conducted to the sanctum sanctorum of the over 2000-year old temple by the priests along with TTD Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy and Executive Officer K S Jawahar Reddy, a temple official told PTI.
Kovind was honoured by offering a sacred silk cloth, a holy portrait along with "laddu prasadam", the official said.
Also Read | Avalanche Warning Issued for Higher Reaches in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh UTs.
The president spent about half-an-hour in the shrine and before leaving he was bestowed with blessings by a band of senior priests amid chanting spiritual mantras.
The official also said that before visiting the Lord Venkateswara temple, Kovind paid his obeisances at Sri Lakshmi Varaha Swamy temple situated on the banks of the massive holy tank at Tirumala.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan accompanied the President during his visit to the temple.
Earlier, Kovind arrived here on a six-hour spiritual visit.
Governor Harichandan, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and others accorded a warm reception to the President and the First Lady as they landed in the Tirupati airport at Renigunta from Chennai.
After receiving the President, Jaganmohan Reddy left for Tadepalli near Vijayawada to take part in the Prime Minister's virtual conference with Chief Ministers on COVID-19 related matters, a government official said.
Later, the President and the First Lady drove to the temple of Goddess Sri Padmavati at Tiruchanoor here and offered special prayers.
After the darshan of the Goddess, the first couple was presented 'Veda Aasirvachanam' at the temple.
Tight security arrangements had been made and considering the COVID-19 situation, all top officials who took part in the President's programme were subjected to coronavirus tests earlier, he added.
The president later returned to Chennai by an IAF plane.
Earlier in the day, on his arrival from Delhi by Air India One-B777, on its first flight, Kovind was received at the Chennai airport by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. PTICORR DBV VGN
(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)