Indian PM Modi offers prayers at Veerabhadra temple in Andhra Pradesh

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday offered prayers at the Veerabhadra temple in Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh. A place that holds important significance in Ramayana.

PM Modi chose a traditional attire on his visit to the temple.

He is on a two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh and Kerala on January 16 and 17.

The Prime Minister will also hear verses from the Ranganatha Ramayan which is in Telugu.

The significance of the place dates back to the Ramayana. It is believed that the bird Jatayu, wounded by the demon-king Ravan, fell here after a battle against him while he was abducting Goddess Sita.

The dying Jatayu who told Lord Ram that Goddess Sita was indeed taken south by Ravan was then granted Moksha by Lord Ram.

At around 3:30 PM, the Prime Minister will reach Palasamudram, Sri Sathya Sai District in Andhra Pradesh.

PM Modi will inaugurate the new campus of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics here today.

After that, the PM will hold a roadshow in Kerala's Kochi at 7:15 pm local time.

PM Modi will perform pooja and darshan at Guruvayur Temple in Kerala on the morning of January 17.

This will be the second visit of PM to Kerala in just a span of two weeks.

Earlier, he held a roadshow in Thrissur on January 3.

During his visit to Kochi, the Prime Minister will inaugurate three major infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 4,000 crore viz the New Dry Dock (NDD) at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL); the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of CSL; and LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited at Puthuvypeen, Kochi.

"The New Dry Dock, built at a cost of about Rs 1,800 crore at the existing premises of CSL, Kochi, is a flagship project reflecting New India's engineering prowess. This one-of-a-kind 310-meter-long stepped dry dock, with a width of 75/60 meters, depth of 13 meters and a draught of up to 9.5 metres, is one of the largest marine infrastructures in the region," PMO said.

(ANI)