Prayers held for SP Balu’s fast recovery

Hyderabad: Special prayers were offered by priests at Chilkur Balaji temple on Wednesday for the speedy recovery of playback singer SP Balahsubramanyam. The day, being a shravan amavasya, was considered auspicious for prayers. The singer is in critical condition after contracting Covid-19 and has been on ventilator support since August 5 at private hospital in Chennai.“We sang the Aditya Hrudayam, a hymn to the sun god, and also chanted Narasimha Mantram at the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Balaji,” chief priest MV Soundararajan told TOI. Recalling memories of SP Balu, the priest said he had visited the temple many times, sang many songs, and also played an important role in a film on Chilkur Balaji. Sunil Mungara