President Droupadi Murmu worships at Lord Balaji shrine

TIRUPATI: President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara at the sacred hill temple in Tirumala on Monday. This was her maiden visit to Tirumala in her official capacity.

Following the temple tradition, the President initially offered prayers in Swamy Pushkarini and later had darshan at the Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy temple. She reached the Mahadwaram of the Srivari temple, where a reception was accorded to her by TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy and EO Dharma Reddy. Temple archakas welcomed the President with the traditional Istikaphal honours amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras.

The President and her entourage later went for darshan and offered prayers to the presiding deity inside the sanctum sanctorum. The priest explained about the significance of the Mula Virat, the jewels adorned to the principal deity and the kshetra mahatyam.

After darshan, the president was offered vedasree vachanam, while the TTD chairman and EO together presented theertha prasadam and a photo of Lord Venkateswara to her along with the 2023 TTD diaries and calendars.

After a brief stay at the Sri Padmavathi Rest House in Tirumala, President Murmu reached the Saptha Gau Pradakshina Mandiram at Alipiri downhill and worshiped a set of cows there. She was accorded a ceremonial reception at the entrance by TTD chairman, EO and others.

She prayed at the shrine of Sri Venugopala Swamy, perambulated the seven cows, offered them fodder and draped clothes around them. Later, she donated Rs. 6000, equal to the weight of a cow weighing around 435 kilos, in a Gau Thulabharam.

In the afternoon, the President offered prayers at the Sri Padmavathi Ammavaru temple in Tiruchanoor. TTD officials and the archakas welcomed her with traditional poornakumbham. Later she had darshan of the goddess. She was presented with Sesha Vastrams inside the sanctum sanctorum.

Both the senior and junior pontiffs of Tirumala and one of the chief priests of Tirumala temple Venugopala Deekshitulu, Union Minister Kishan Reddy, AP deputy CMs K Narayana Swamy, K Satyanarayana, Minister RK Roja, principal secretary AK Singhal and other senior officials were present.