Union Ministers Nirmala, Shekhawat worship Lord Balaji

Tirumala: Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitaraman and Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat offered prayers at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala on Saturday.

While Shekhawat along with his wife had darshan of the Lord on Saturday morning, NIrmala Sitaraman worshiped the presiding deity at Tirumala in the evening during the Maha Laghu darshan..

She was accorded warm reception by Special Officer AV Dharma Reddy. Earlier, she also took part in Sahasra Deepalankara Seva and also paid a visit to Swamy Pushkarini and Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy, temple. She offered prayers to the processional deities while they were being taken for Sahasra Deepalankara Seva, outside the temple.

Earlier in the morning, Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accompanied by spouse Naunand Kanwar offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala on Saturday morning.

On their arrival, the Union Minister was accorded a grand reception by TTD Special Officer A V Dharma Reddy and temple priests who escorted him to the sanctum sanctorum. Inside the sanctum sanctorum, priests of Tirumala temple explained to the Union Minister about the significance of the Lord and the jewels adorned to the presiding deity.

The Union Minister and his wife spent a few minutes praying before the presiding deity Lord Venkateswara and later reached Ranganayakula Mandapam where they were provided Vedasirvachanam by temple priests.

TTD SO offered the Minister, Lord's silk cloth, prasadams and a laminated photograph of Lord Venkateswara. Dy EOs Haridranath, reception official Balaji, temple peishkar I Lokanadham and others were resent.