President pays obeisance at three shrines

President Pranab Mukherjee today paid obeisance at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at nearby Tirumala and two other temples.
On his arrival, Mukherjee was accorded a ceremonious traditional reception by the priests and top officials of the Lord Venkateswara shrine and taken to the sanctum sanctorum.
He also paid obeisance at the sacred golden altar and 'Dwajasthambham' (holy flag mast) inside the shrine.
Later, he was honoured with a sacred silk cloth, laddu prasadam, celestial water in a tiny bottle, a framed holy photo of the Lord, new year calendars and diaries by the TTD management, while the priests showered blessings on him amid chanting of vedic hymns, TTD Chairman Chadalawada Krishnamurthy told PTI.

The President also made an offering in the 'hundi' (offering box) at the shrine where he spent over half-an-hour, he added.
He was accompanied by his daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan and state ministers P Narayana and B Gopala Krishna Reddy.

Mukherjee, currently on a 10-day visit to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, flew in here this forenoon on a five-hour spiritual trip to offer prayers at three different shrines in and around Tirupati and Tirumala, Krishnamurthy said.
Before his visit here, the President also offered prayers at Sri Adi Varahaswamy temple, close to Lord Venkateswara temple, and at Sri Padmavathi in nearby Tiruchanur, he added.

After taking a break at the TTD guest house on the hills, Mukherjee left the hills for Renigunta airport here to fly back to Hyderabad.