Tirupati : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here.
On arrival, Singh was accorded a traditional reception by the high priests who, amid chanting of vedic hymns, escorted him to the sanctum sanctorum.
The Prime Minister spent about ten minutes praying before the idol of Lord Venkateswara when the chief priest performed the rituals, temple authorities told PTI.
Before leaving the sanctum sanctorum, Singh made an offering in the temple 'Hundi' (offering box), they said.
Singh was blessed by priests amid chanting of mantras and hymns at the Sri Ranganayaka Mandapam inside the shrine. Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister G Venkata
Reddy presented Singh with a sacred silk cloth, laddu 'prasadam' and holy water.
It was Singh's second visit to the 2000-year-old hill temple, the first being on September 25, 2005, they added.
Earlier, Singh flew into the temple town from New Delhi by an IAF aircraft. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah was indisposed and Governor ESL Narasimhan
received the Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Union Ministers, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Praful Patel, Veerappa Moily and Panabaka Lakshmi.
A thick security blanket was in place in view of the Prime Minister's visit. PTI
