Wednesday, September 21 2005 18:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tirupati: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here this evening (Sept 21, 2005).

Dr Singh, on his maiden visit to the temple after assuming office, was accorded an impressive traditional welcome with full temple honours by the Chief Priest.

Amidst chanting of Vedic hymns, he was escorted to the sanctum sanctorum.

Clad in white kurta and pyjama and sporting a blue turban, the 73-year old Singh stood for five minutes in front of the presiding deity with folded hands and offered prayers while the Chief Priest performed the 'aarti' with a ghee lamp, temple sources told sources.

Dr Singh was presented with a sacred silk cloth adorned by the presiding deity and prasadams while Vedic scholars invoked the blessings of the Lord on the VVIP.

A portrait of Lord Venkateswara was also presented to him, they said.

After a 30-minute stay in the temple, the Prime Minister left the hills for Tirupati enroute to Delhi by car.

Tight security arrangements had been made at Tirumala, along the Ghat road and here in view of the Prime Minister's visit.

Earlier, Dr Singh returned here after a visit to Sriharikota, about 100 km from the town, where he inaugurated a bust of Dr Satish Dhawan and presented awards to space scientists.

On his arrival at the airport here, he was received by Andhra Pradesh Governor Sushil Kumar Shinde, state Agriculture Minister Raghuveera Reddy, ISRO Chairman K Madhavan Nair, TTD Chairman Subbirami Reddy among others.