Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi on Friday offered a Rs 1.5 crore golden crown, studded with precious stones, to Lord Venkateswara of the hill shrine of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.

The crown is studded with 180 carats of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones.

Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy received the crown from the Kanchi seer at the hill temple. Temple sources told PTI that the 11.5 kg crown was placed before the Lord after priests performed abhishekam.