New Delhi: Performing his duty as a swayamsevak (volunteer) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on August 6 participated in the annual ritual of gurudakshina (offering to the teacher) at a private ceremony in New Delhi.

Vajpayee, who was accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues associated with the RSS, including Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, performed the 'dhwaja pranam' (saluting the saffron flag) and offered the gurudakshina at the residence of Minister of State for Railways Bandaru Dattatraya on August 6 morning, highly placed sources said.

Vajpayee also presented an unspecified amount in a sealed envelope as donation, they said.

RSS general secretary Mohanrao Bhagwat gave a lecture (bauddhik) on the topic of 'guru-shisha parampa' (teacher-student tradition) on the occasion.

Several Ministers and MPs were also present at the ceremony, sources added.

PTI