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Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh |
Famous as |
World's Richest Temple |
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The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini.It is by the Lord's presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills.
The temple of Sri Venkateswara has acquired unique sanctity in Indian religious lore. The Sastras, Puranas, Sthala Mahatyams and Alwar hymns unequivocally declare that, in the Kali Yuga, one can attain mukti, only by worshipping Venkata Nayaka or Sri Venkateswara. |
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| The benefits acquired by a pilgrimage to Venkatachala are mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas. In these epics, Sri Venkateswara is described as the great bestowed of boons. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord at Tirumala. |
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History
There is ample literary and epigraphic testimony to the antiquity of the temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara. All the great dynasties of rulers of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century AD) were devotees of the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple with rich offerings and contributions.
It was during the rule of the Vijayanagar dynasty that the contributions to the temple increased. Sri Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the temple, and these statues can be seen to this day. There is also a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple.
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| When to go |
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Virtually any time of the year is a good time to visit Tirupati, as the weather’s generally quite equable. The time around New Year- usually between December 31 and January 2- is when Tirupati gets very crowded, with thousands of pilgrims thronging the temple. Festival time is a good time to be in Tirupati, as you’ll get a chance to see all the ceremonies, the festivities and the fanfare. Dasara, in particular, is really spectacular at Tirupati.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is considered an extremely auspicious day to visit Tirupati, as it is believed that this is the day when the `Vaikunta Dwaram’- the door to heaven- is open, and any pilgrim who comes to Tirupati on this day will achieve salvation. The Vaikunta Ekadasi changes from year to year, but usually occurs in early January.
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| Getting There |
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There is a small airport at Tirupati which receives flights from Hyderabad, Tuesdays and Saturdays. There are train connections from many places in the region and even twice weekly connections to Mumbai. There are a lot of bus connections from within Andhra Pradesh and from Tamil Nadu, including Bangalore, which is 265 km from Tirupati. Express buses are much faster than the ordinary buses. Cabs are a comfortable road travel option though somewhat expensive.
The few kilometres between Tirupati and Tirumala are easily traversed by bus, auto rickshaw or taxi, all readily available at Tirupati. Many devotees, however, prefer to cover the journey on foot. The path leading from Tirupati up to the temple begins at the Alipiri toll gate, about 4 km from the local railway station. A 16 km long route, the path takes 3 or 4 hours to traverse. All along the way are small `mandapams', where the weary can rest. The steps leading up to the temple are steep in places, but that hardly deters the pious- and nor does the long queue snaking its way into the shrine. People invariably stand for hours in line to be favoured with a `darshan' of the Lord Venkateswara, and a regular ‘darshan’ takes longer to come by than a ‘special’ one. But everybody has to line up and wait as the queue winds its way up through a series of enclosures. |
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| Accommodation |
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In Tirumala most people stay for free in the huge dormitories around the temple. There are rooms in guesthouses and cottages available on rent too at various rates offering various degrees of comfort and luxury. All bookings have to be made with the Central Reception Office of the TTD. Off-season you can reserve up to a month in advance by sending them a letter and a draft for Rs. 100. Tirupati has a whole range of hotels, air-conditioned or otherwise, pricey and inexpensive. |
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