TIRUMALA Sri Lankan Prime Minister (PM) Mahinda Rajapaksa today took part in the Astadala Padapadmaradhana seva - a weekly ritual observed only on Tuesday - inside the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara along with his son Yoshita Rajapaksa and other dignitaries.
Ceremonial honours
A team of TTD officials led by Executive officer (EO) Anil Kumar Singhal and Additional EO A.V. Dharma Reddy accorded Mr. Rajapaksa a traditional reception on his arrival at the main temple complex and led him into the sanctum sanctorum where he paid obeisance to the presiding deity soon after completion of the seva.
As is customary, he was also presented with the memento and laddu prasadam of the Lord along with the sacred theertham ( holy water ) by the authorities.
State guest
Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy accompanied the PM in the darshan of the deity on behalf of the State government.
Soon after returning to the guest house where he was housed the previous night, Mr. Rajapaksa had his breakfast and motored down to Tirupati to fly back to Colombo.
