Chennai, Feb 21 (UNI) AIADMK General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa offered prayers and performed a special 'homam' this morning at Thirukadaiyur temple in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu for longevity on the occasion of her star birthday.

Ms Jayalalithaa, who reached the temple last evening along with her close aide Sasikala, visited the Abirami Udanurai Amirta Kadesvarar Temple at Thirukadiyur, where people perform ''Ayush homam'' on the occasion of the Shastiardapoorthi (60th birthday) for longevity.

The AIADMK leader reached the temple last evening after some anxious moments in the morning, when her eight seater chartered flight developed a technical snag and returned minutes after it took off.

She travelled by road and reached the temple on time to offer special prayers, during the auspicious of her birth state (Maham Nakshatram), which rose at 1845 hrs on a full moon day yesterday.

After an overnight stay, Ms Jayalalithaa, accompanied by Ms Sasikala, visited the temple at the early hours of today and performed the Ayush homam for longevity.

While celebrating the 60th birthday, men ''remarry'' their wives as part of performing Shastiardapoorthi at this temple, and Ms Jayalalithaa kicked a controversy by exchanging garland with her close aide Sasikala at the temple.

Ms Jayalalithaa's English date birthday is on February 24 and she had asked her partymen to avoid extravaganza while celebrating her birthday. Instead they should celebrate the day in such a way that it benefitted the poor and downtrodden, she said.

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