Situated in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is known for Lord Venkateshwara Temple, one of the most visited pilgrimage centres in the country. Tirumala is one of the seven hills in Tirupati, where the main temple is located. The temple is believed to be the place where Lord Venkateshwara took the form of an idol and is hence. Home to the diety also known as Balaji and Govinda, Tirupati is one of the oldest cities of India and finds mention in plenty of ancient Vedas and Puranas.
The non-stop chanting of ‘Om Namo Venkatesaya’, the mad pilgrim rush and the 8-feet tall idol of Lord Venkateshwara – everything about the Sri Venkateshwara Temple is majestic. Spread over an area of 26 kilometres and visited by nearly 50,000 pilgrims every day, the temple is also commonly referred to as the Temple of Seven Hills.
There are other temples in Tirupati too that you can visit, including the Sri Kalahasti temple, Sri Govindarajaswami Temple, the Kondandarama Temple, the Parashurameshwara Temple, and the ISKCON temple.
Tirupati is home to a unique geological wonder that you shouldn’t miss out on. The Silathoranam is a natural arch formed out of rocks and is located at the Tirumala Hills. This natural rock formation is one of the only three of its kind in the entire world and is an important archaeological landmark.
Places to Visit
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Sri Venkateswara Temple is the most revered and celebrated temple of the temple town of Tirupati having tourists and pilgrims flooding in all year long.
Comprising various complexes inside the premises, the temple is known for its Vishesh Puja, held from 5:30 am till 6:30 am everyday. With the most busy months being September-October due to the Brahmostava festival, this temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, and dates back to the 12th century. This is one of the holiest and the wealthiest temples in the world and millions of devotees flock here to pay their reverence.
Around 50,000 pilgrims visit the temple everyday, which is a massive number. Hence, a whole procedure has been planned and set up which effectively ends at the shrine for darshan. The entry for the Darshan is through Vaikuntam Queue Complex which is a series of interconnected halls that leads to the main temple. These halls are clean and comfortable with various facilities provided.
The various activities of the temple include prasadam, hair tonsuring, hundi, arjitha seva and thulabharam.
Akasaganga Teertham
Akasaganga Teertham is a waterfall in Tirupati, located at a distance of 3 km from the main temple. The waterfall has water flowing all throughout the year and holds immense religious significance.
Pilgrims can also pay homage to the Devi temple situated very close to the waterfall. During the monsoons, the waterfall is a beautiful sight to the eyes.
Silathoranam
One of the natural marvels that history left behind, the Silathoranam, now, finds itself an important landmark in archaeology and heritage. This is a natural rock formation, one of the only three of this kind in the world.
While geology and archaeology foster a number of theories, the rock formation is also tied to beliefs of its connection with the idol of Lord Venkateswara. The rock formation is a national monument and is protected by the State Government.
Swami Pushkarini Lake
Almost neighboring the Sri Venkateshwara Temple, is Swami Pushkarini Lake. According to the legends, the lake belonged to Lord Vishnu and was located in Vaikuntham.
It was brought to the earth by Garuda, for the sport of Sri Venkateshwara. Extremely holy, the pilgrims usually take a dip in the waters of this lake before proceeding to the main temple.
City Shopping
Tirupati may not be an ideal paradise for a shopaholic. However, it is one for a devout worshipper. The place evokes such a spiritual vibe among tourists that even the non-believers are compelled to take a few souvenirs back home. Outside the Venkateshwara Temple, one can find numerous shops and stalls lined with figurines of the deity and holy prasadam or laddoos. CDs filled with religious shlokas are also a standard product of interest.
Tirupati is home to some of the most skilled craftsmen and hence one can find beautiful handicrafts and paintings here. Especially wood carved toys, pottery items, traditional Tanjore style gold leaf paintings and Kalamkari fabric and artworks are proud assets of the holy city.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam also publishes religious catalogue books and periodicals. Vedas, Sankirtans and Pravachanams in audio and video cassettes are also produced by them. Gift items such as photo frames, jewellery and idols made of copper and brass are also available.
Vedari Narsimha Swamy Temple
This temple lies at a distance of 70 km from Tirupati and was constructed by Sir Krishna Deva Raya. It holds great mythological importance and is believed to be the site where Lord Vishnu battled with Rasksash Somakadu, won and took over the vedas from him.
Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple
At a little distance from the main city area, one finds the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple dedicated to Goddess Padmavathi. One of the many sacred structures of Tirupati, this one is home to many legends and stories about the Goddess.
The legend has it that while Akasha Raja of Thondamandalam was having a great yagna performed and had the earth ploughed, he found a little girl in a lotus flower, and hence the name. A voice from the skies asked him to love and bring up the child. As she grew up, she was married to Lord Venkateshwara. The temple is frequently visited by the devotees on their spiritual trail around the town.
TTD Gardens
Spreading over an area of 460 acres, the TTD gardens in Tirupati are known for their ornately decorated and manicured flower gardens. Alongside its lush green beauty, the garden also includes Alwar Tank, Mangalabhavi and Ananthapalligunta.
Flowers to all the temples in Tirupati are supplied from this garden. They have an annual horticulture show and Pushpa Yagnam wherein exotic flowers are displayed for the visitors.
Chittoor Tourism
Steeped in religion, devotion and architecture, Chittoor is a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
Also blessed with scenic beauty, cascading waterfalls and a beautiful hill station, Chittoor is not a disappointment to the traveller who seeks redemption from the busy metro life. Also known as the Mango City, Chittoor offers myriad varieties of heavenly mangoes to please its visitors.
Sri Venkateswara Dhyana Vignan Mandiram
Established in the year 1980, the Sri Venkateswara Dhyana Vignan Mandiram in Tirupati is a museum that houses some of the most traditional articles that are used to perform Puja.
Many stone and wood carved items can also be sighted here. The museum is extremely beautiful and fills into you a sense of religious faith not easy to describe. This is one of the experiences, one must not miss while in Tirupati.
Must Try Food in Tirupati
1. The Hangout Cafe
2. Tabun An Arabic Restaurant
3. Andhra Restaurant Chillies
4. Hotel Saravana Bhavan
5. Vrinda Restaurant
6. KFC
7. Jalpaan Vegetarian Restaurant
8. Hot Spot Restaurant
9. Di Table 9 Multicuisine Family Restaurant
10. Biryani at Blue Fox
How To Get Here
Tirupati is well connected to major cities of the country by road, rail and air. The Tirupati airport is just 15 km away from the main city while the railway station is closer. Tirupati is also linked to other cities via a network of well-connected roads.Chennai is the major nearest connecting railway junction. Luxury and standard buses connecting Tirupati to nearby hotspots are frequent and comfortable.
By Air
Tirupati airport is located in Renigunta, 15 km away from the main city. A number of regular flights are available to Tirupati from other cities in the country. The nearest international airport is in Chennai. It takes around 3-4 hours from Chennai to reach Tirupati.
Nearest Airport: Tirupati Airport (TIR)
By Road
Tirupati has regular buses and services from nearby cities of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
By Train
Tirupati has 3 railway stations- Renigunta, Tirupati Main and Anantarajupet. These stations are well connected to major cities of the country via several express and superfast trains.