Chennai: Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami prayed to Lord Venkateswara at the Tirumala temple this morning.
According to reports, he was accompanied by his family.
The Chief Minister participated early in the morning in the Ashtadala Pada Padma Aaradhana Seva that happens every Tuesday at the Tirumala temple.
He then reached Akilandam that is in front of the temple and smashed a coconut before lighting camphor.
He concluded the holy trip by praying at the Anjaneya Swamy temple at Pedi.
AIADMK sources said it was thanksgiving ritual by the Chief Minister for the by-election results. With his government riding on a wafer thin majority, the by-polls brought in nine MLAs back to the AIADMK, making it 122-strong in the 234-member Assembly.
The government is for now on firm ground and that was the reason for the visit to Tirumala, they said.
Ashtadala Pada Padma Aaradhana seva
This seva is conducted after the second bell at Tirumala. This ritual was first introduced in Srivari temple in 1984 during the golden jubilee year of TTD, when a Muslim devotee offered Lord Srinivasa 108 golden lotuses, says the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams website.
The archaka commences the puja by offering dhupa (arti stick) and dipa (lamp) to the main deity. Then he recites the 108 divine names of the Lord.
While uttering each name of the Lord, one golden lotus is offered at the holy feet of the Lord. On completion of the archana to the main deity, archana is offered to Goddesses Lakshmi and Padmavati.
Later, ratha harati is offered first, followed by ordinary harati, says the website.