President visits shrine in Tirumala

President Mahinda Rajapaksa offered prayers at the Lord Venkateswara shrine in Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, India yesterday.

The President, who was on a two-day visit to the holy shrine participated in the Suprabhata Seva - a pre-dawn ritual performed in the early hours.

He was accompanied by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and several other officials. Reports from India said he turned down VVIP entry to the Mahadwaram entry point and reached the temple complex through the Vaikuntam queue complex along with other pilgrims.

The temple high priests honoured the visiting Lankan President with the silk vastram of the presiding deity while the TTD's Joint Executive Officer K.S. Srinivasa Raju presented him with the Laddu Prasadam and memento of the presiding deity. The President returned to the island yesterday around 7.30 p.m.