Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, early on Thursday morning, offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara at the famous hill shrine at Tirumala.
Chidambaram was accompanied by state Legislative Assembly speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy, in his first visit to the temple since assuming charge as the Union Home Minister. He had last visited the shrine in 2004.
He had arrived in the temple town late on Wednesday night, and participated in the morning ritual 'Suprabhatam' at the sanctum sanctorum. After the Suprabhatam, he offered prayers to the Lord. A special puja to invoke divine blessings for Chidambaram was performed by priests inside the Sriranga Mandapam.
The Home Minister was presented with the traditional silk cloth, prasadam and holy water, by the TTD chairman D K Adikesavulu.
Chidambaram left for Chennai shortly after the prayers.