FM Nirmala Sitharaman offers prayers at Lord Venkateswara shrine

Tirupati, Oct 20: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday offered prayers at the ancient hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here.

Sitharaman arrived here on Wednesday with her family on a three-day visit and before reaching the sacred hills on Wednesday night, worshipped at the shrines of Goddess Sri Padmavathi here and Lord Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy at Kanipakam 70 km from here.

After a night halt on the hills, the Union Minister visited the temple and worshipped Lord Venkateswara this morning, a temple official told PTI. On arrival at the shrine, TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy and TTD Additional Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy accorded her a warm welcome, the official said.

On Friday, Sitaraman would worship at the ancient shrine of Lord Shiva called Sri Vaayulingeswara Swamy, one of the famous 'Panchbhutha shrines' in the country, at Sri Kalahasthi 40 km from here, the official said.