Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu on February 10 reiterated that VIPs should limit their visit to the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara to once in a year and enable common devotees have a comfortable darshan of the presiding deity.
Mr. Naidu who offered prayers at the hill temple along with his wife Smt. Ushamma and other family members extolled various pilgrim initiatives taken up by TTD for the benefit of ordinary pilgrims and also underlined the need for protection of tradition and sanatana dharma. “The essence of spirituality lies in rendering service to the mankind and treading the path shown by the Almighty,” he said.
Mr. Naidu who preferred to reach the temple from Vaikuntam queue complex like any other commoner, despite being eligible for Mahadwaram entry, was traditionally received by TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba reddy, Executive officer K. S. Jawahar reddy, Additional EO A.V. Dharma Reddy and other officials led into the sanctum sanctorum where he paid his obeisances.
Later, the priests showered vedasirvachanams on the Vice-President and his family while the authorities presented him with Theertha prasadams, calendar, diary, coffee table book, panchagavyya products and a laminated photo of the deity made employing dry flower technology.
After a brief rest at the guest house where he was housed the previous night, Mr. Naidu also took part in the marriage celebrations of his grand daughter Sushma at a private mutt which was attended by Union Minister G. Kishen Reddy and other dignitaries.
