Tirupathi is one of the most famous temple towns in India. It is the abode of Lord Venkateshwara, (one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu), located atop Tirumala hills. It is well connected with Chennai and Bangalore via road and rail. In Hinduism, Venkateshwara (also spelled as Venkateswara, Venkateshwer or Venkatachalapathi) is a much-worshipped form of Vishnu. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Chennai (சென்னை in Tamil), formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is Indias fourth largest metropolitan city. ... Bangalore (Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) (pronounced // in Kannada and // in English) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. ...

The temple town of Tirupathi is located to the extreme south of Andhra Pradesh in Chittoor district, 740 km from Hyderabad. It is renowned for one of the most venerated shrines in India —that of the ancient temple of Lord Venkateswara on the Tirumala Hills.

Tirumala has seven hills, representing the seven heads of a huge serpent, called Sesha Saye, on which Lord Vishnu resides. The black idol of Balaji is covered in gold, jewellery and precious ornaments and is 2 metres high.

Tirupathi is believed to be the richest temple in the country, with picturesque surroundings. Some people also believe that the financial offerings and collections at this temple are second only to those of the Vatican City Church on a worldwide basis. The temple is also a fine example of Dravidian art and style. It is also a famous center for wood carving. Dravidian may refer to: A group of people who came through Arabia to settle on the Asian mainland at the Strait of Hormuz and on the Indus river in what is now Afghanistan. ...

Tirumala—The abode of Lord Venkateswara

Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam is one of the most popular Hindu shrines in the country. The temple dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara at Tirumala is perched at a height of 874 m above sea level and 15 km north-west of Tirupati, which is another temple town. Tirupathi is located at the foot of the seven hills of the Eastern Ghats in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

The 12th-century Vaishnavite shrine is one of the richest shrines of the world, the annual income of the temple being more than six billion rupees. Often referred as the ‘Vatican of the East’, the number of the visiting pilgrims and the wealth the temple town offers in terms of religious, cultural and natural splendour, make it an unsurpassed pilgrimage site.

History

The exact period in which the temple was founded is not known, and tradition has it that the temple is Swayambhustala, meaning that it came into existence on its own without anyone constructing it. According to folk legends, there was a huge anthill at Tirupati. A farmer heard a voice from the heavens asking him to feed the ants. By chance the local king heard the voice and began supplying milk for the ants himself. His compassion resulted in the liquid uncovering a magnificent idol of Lord Venkateshwara hidden beneath the anthill.

According to some evidence the history of the temple dates back almost 2,000 years. In ancient times, a queen called Samavai, belonging to the Pallava dynasty (614 AD), is said to have consecrated the first silver image here. The temple is also mentioned in Sangam poetry (500 BC – 2000 AD). Numerous temple inscriptions from the 9th century record details of the temple and contributions made by both Pallavas and Chola Kings. It is believed that originally there was only one shrine at Tirumala. When the Vaishnavite saint, Ramanuja, visited Andhra in the 12th century, the temple at Tirupathi was built. The Chola period saw the temple complex prosper and expand further. In 1517, Krishnadevaraya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. The Maratha general Raghoji Bhonsle visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. Among the later rulers who endowed large benefactions were the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal. In 1843, with the coming of the East India Company, the administration of the Shri Venkateshwara temple and a number of shrines was entrusted to Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala as Vicaranakarta for nearly a century until 1933, when the temple was under the administrative charge of the mahants. The Madras legislature passed a special act in 1933 whereby the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) committee was invested with powers of administration and control through a commissioner appointed by the Government of Madras. A Ryot Advisory Council was formed for the management of the estates of the TTD, and was assisted by a Religious Advisory Council with regard to religious matters. The Sangam is a collection of Tamil literature composed between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. ...

The Tirumala Temple

The Tirumala temples nestles amidst the peaks of the seven hills of Tirumala. The temple can be approached from Tirupati by a 15 km road. It is a pleasant drive for people who admire the tropical greenery on these hills. Many pilgrims even today take a path by foot making an 11 km trek to the temple. For the devotees, the deity Venkateshwara symbolizes goodness; with his conch he creates the cosmic sound that destroys ignorance and with his disc he destroys evil. Venkateshwara is considered to be the most powerful Hindu deity, he is believed to be the fulfiller of every wish made to him by the devotees.

There are never fewer then 50,000 pilgrims here at any time in a single day. The total number of pilgrims even goes up to 700,000 in a day. The temple staff alone amounts to a number of 18,000. The popularity of the temple can be judged by the annual income which is around six billion rupees. The devotees offer money, precious articles etc. in the hundi or collection box placed at various sites in the temple. Silver replicas of the feet or a silver coin are also put in the hundi: these replica models are available outside the temple. The entire sum is administered by a temple trust, who plough this bulk of money back into hundreds of choultries and charities such as schools, colleges, art academies, craft training centers and to the homes of the poor and orphans.

It is considered to be very auspicious to have your head shaven when visiting the temple. People donate their hair to the deity, as an act symbolic of renouncing the ego. This applies to men, women and children alike.

The temple is very large and has a huge courtyard. The main shrine, which contains the image of Sri Venkateswara, is a complex structure. It begins with the sanctum at the western end and ends with the Tirumamanimandapam at the eastern end. The main temple is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture. Its glittering gold Vimanam, rising protectively over the sanctum sanctorum, seems to be lit with a glow touched by some inner fire. It is called Ananda Vimanam. The innermost enclosure, ‘Vaikunda Pradakshinam’, is opened only once a year. Splendid gold covered gates guard the entrance of the main sanctum sanctorum.

The ‘Swayambhu’ or naturally formed two metre high idol of Sri Venkateswara depicts the Lord’s image standing on a lotus. It has four arms and on the chest are the images of the Goddesses Lakshmi and Padmavati. The majestic jet black idol is adorned by a mass of gold and precious stones. Most striking is the fabulous crown, which is said to be the costliest single ornament ever made in the world. The darshan of the deity is a heavenly experience. The aura created by the magnificent jewellery adorning the deity, the powerful vibrations of the prayers offered day in and day out is overwhelming: every devotee coming out of the sanctum sanctorum has the feeling of attaining an experience that is close to the divine bliss itself. Popular image of Lakshmi In India, Lakshmi or Laxmi (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी) is the goddess of wealth, light and fortune, as well as (secondarily) luck, beauty and fertility. ... The goddess Padmavati is a popular Jain goddess. ... Darshan is a Sanskrit and Hindu (also used to some extent in Urdu) term meaning sight (in the sense of an instance of seeing something or somebody), vision, apparition, or a glimpse. ...

The prasad cooked in the temple kitchens is also highly valued among the devotees. The prasad is first offered to the deity before distribution, it is not only of divine significance to the pilgrims but also a great delicacy. The pilgrims enjoy the bracing climate on the hill. Comfortable and reasonably priced accommodation facilities are available, along with delicious South Indian food and coffee. Prasad is a word originating from the Vedic (Hindu) religion. ...

The festivals

The Brahmotsavam festival is celebrated here in September and October. Sacred texts are recited each day. Every morning and evening images of the deities are taken in a colourful procession around the temple. The chariot of Lord Brahma, believed to be the initiator of the festival, leads the procession in the name of Adika-masam which comes in every third year.

A second Brahmotsava is held, which is known as Navratri Brahmotsavam. These festivals attract thousands of pilgrims from various parts of the country.

The world's largest solar cooker

Tirupathi has the world's largest solar cooker. [1]

External links

• omnamovenkatesaya.com This site contains Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams News and stories in Telugu & English