About Tirupati Balaji
Tirupati is 67-km away from Chittoor in Chittoor district, the southern
portion of Andhra Pradesh. Tirupati is one of the most visited pilgrimage in
India. Sri Venkateshwara temple is one of the most important place of
interest here. Sri Venkateshwara is also known as the Lord of Seven Hills,
who is famous all over the country.
The shrine is situated on a hill at Tirumala, a cluster of seven hills
known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam with a height of 853m (2,800ft.) above
the sea level. This temple is considered as the richest temple in the world,
with a vibrant cultural and philanthropic institution and a grand history
spanning several centuries. It attracts pilgrims from all over the country
who wait for hours together to get a glimpse of the presiding deity.
The Lord of Tirumala is considered as the all-pervading Lord of the
Universe. Almost daily 30,000 devotees on an average, visit the sacred
shrine of Lord Venkateswara to pay their homage to him.
The Architecture
The ancient Tirupathi Balaji is a fine example of Dravidian temple
architecture.
The
dynasties like the Pallavas of Kanchipuram, the Cholas of Tanjore, the
Pandyas of Madurai and the Kings and chiefs of Vijayanagara have contributed
a lot to the development of this temple. They endowed the shrine, offering
worship to the presiding deity. The Tirupati temple also has beautiful
'gopuram' or tower. The 'Vimana' or Cupola over the sanctum sanctorum is
covered entirely with gold plate and is known as "the Ananda Nilayam".
The Shrine consists of three 'Prakarams' or enclosures. The outermost
enclosure contains the 'Dhvajastambha' or the banner post and, among others,
the statues of Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya and his consorts, and of
Todarmal, the minister of Akbar. The idol of the deity, the full figure of
Lord Venkateswara or 'Venkataramana' or 'Srinivasa' or 'Balaji' (as is
called in various parts of the country) has the attributes of both Vishnu
and Shiva, preserving and destroying aspects of the Hindu trinity.
Other Attractions near Tirupati Balaji
Swami Pushkarani
This tank is adjacent to the temple and is highly sacred. Pilgrims take a
bath here before entering the temple.
Akasa Ganga
This is a waterfall about 3 kms to the north of the temple.
Papavinasanam
This is about 5 kms to the north of the temple.
Vaikuntha Tirtham
It is at a distance of about 3 kms north-east of the temple.
Tumburu Tirtham
It is about 16 kms north of the temple.
Geological Arch
This rare geological formation is situated at 1 km north of the temple.
Lepakshi Emporium
A perfect place to purchase attractive handicrafts at reasonable prices.
This is situated near Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Central Reception
Office.
T.T.D Gardens
The Devasthanams has beautiful ornamental gardens with rare species of
plants and trees.
Asthana Mandapam (Sadas Hall)
This is the venue for the devotional programs like discourses, music
concerts, harikathas and bhajans conducted under the protection of Dharma
Prachara Parishat.
Getting There
Air : Indian Airlines connects Hyderabad and Tirupati.
Rail : Train facilities are available to various destinations like
Secunderabad / Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Howrah, Varanasi, Kochi, Mumbai,
Bellary, Madurai, etc.
Road : Tirupati is well connected to all the major cities of south
India.
Accommodation
Accommodation of all categories are available in Tirupati. You just need to
pick one of them according to your budget and requirement.
