Sri Lankan PM Rajapaksa offers prayers at Tirupati

Andhra Pradesh’s deputy chief minister Narayana Swamy was also present during the Lankan PM's Tirumala temple visit

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is on a two-day spiritual visit to India, on Friday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirumala along with his wife Shiranthi Rajapaksa.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa with his wife Shiranthi offer worship at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala in Tirupati (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Rajapaksa came to India on Thursday to pay his visit to the temple city of Tirupati.

Rajapaksa was accorded a warm welcome by the joint executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Veerabrahmam and chief vigilance and security officer Gopinath Jatti as he arrived at the temple gate.

After darshan, the priests performed a ritual associated with seeking blessings of Lord Shiva at the Ranganayakula Mandapam.

Andhra Pradesh’s deputy chief minister Narayana Swamy was also present during the Lankan PM's Tirumala temple visit.

While taking a tour of the temple, Rajapaksa also deposited money into the hundi and the couple was presented with a memento, New Year calendar and diaries by authorities.

Rajapaksa visited the temple in February 2020 when a special puja was performed at the Devasthanam on the first anniversary of his current term.