Tirupati Tourism

Location : 67-km From Chittoor, Chittoor District, andhra Pradesh
Area : 11 sq. kms.
Attractions : Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple
Ideal Time To Visit : October to Mrach

¤ Tirupati, The Divine Destination

The divine city of Tirupati is located in the southeastern part of Andhra Pradesh State. Located 152 Km northwest of Chennai in the Palkonda Hills, Tirupati is famous for a temple dedicated to Lord Venkateshvara, also known as the "Lord of Seven Hills".

The pious hill of Tirupati is located almost 10-kms northwest of Tirupati. Having a height of 750 m, it is regarded as one of the most holy temples of the city. The temple did not allow non-Hindus before the year 1870.


¤ The History of Tirupati

The credit of Tirupati's present glory goes to the contributions made by kings who ruled it. The various dynasties of the southern India bowed to the might of the Tirupati temple dedicated to Lord Sri Venkateswara in Tirupati. Dynasties like 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) competed with each other in offering donations to the temple.

During the period of Vijayanagar dynasty, the temple received a lot of wealth. One of the Vijayanagar kings Krishnadevaraya installed idols of himself and his spouse at the portals of the Tirupati temple. They are still present in Tirupati along with a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple.

Even after the fall of the Vijayanagar dynasty, the temple continued to receive contributions from the rulers and nobles of the rest of the country. A Marathi general, Raghoji Bhonsle, visited the temple and gifted many priceless jewels to the Lord, including a large emerald, which is still preserved in a box named after the general. Other rulers from Mysore and Gadwal have also gifted huge amount of wealth to the temple.

Later, this temple was controlled and supervised by the Muslim rulers of Karnataka and then by the British.


¤ Attractions In Tirupati

Tirupati pilgrimage tourism highlights the famous temples. But it is particularly known for the Tirupati Balaji Temple, which is one of the richest temples in the world.

Tirupati Balaji Temple
The Tiruipati Tirumala Balaji Temple at Tirupati is an ancient temple located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati hill. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Venkateshwara. Tirupati temple is also mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. It is a major attraction here, visited everyday by innumerable devotees.

Padmavati Devi Temple
The Padmavati Devi Temple is located in Tiruchanur, 5-km from Tirupati. The temple is dedicated to goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara or Venkateshwara (Balaji). Also referred to as "Alamelumangapuram", it is said that a visit to Tirumala is incomplete with visiting the Padmavati Devi temple.

Sri Govindarajaswami Temple
One of the famous temples of Tirupati , Sri Govindarajaswami Temple is situated in the heart of the town. It was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD.

Kodandaramaswami Temple
The Kodandaramaswami Temple is also located in the center of the Tirupati town. The deities worshiped here are Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. Built during the 10th century AD by the Cholas, the temple is a major attraction here. Just opposite of the temple is a sub-shrine of the temple dedicated to Anjaneyaswami.

Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple
This temple is situated about 3 km to the north of Tirupati, located in the base of Tirumala hills. This is an important temple as it is the only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Tirupati. Here you can also find a sacred waterfall known as "Kapila Teertham. This waterfall is called "Alwar Teertham and is also the venue of many festivals.

Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple
Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple is located 12 km to the west of Tirupati at Srinivasa Mangapuram. It is said that Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavati Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala.

¤ Excursions

Tirupati extends its charm and glory to its nearby areas also. There are many important excursion destinations nearby that are worth visiting.
Chandragiri - 11 km
Located 11 km southwest of Tirupati-Balaji, Chandragiri was once the capital of the Vijayanagar rulers in AD 1600. This town is famous for the Chandragiri Fort built on a 180-metre-high rock. Apart form these there are beautiful palaces and temples.

Sri Kalahasthi - 36 km
Sri Kalahsti is located amidst two steep hills on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi about 36 km from Tirupati-Balaji. This places has a temple dedicated to Vayu, the God of wind. A river flowing in the north washes the foot of the temple.

Agastyaswamy Temple - 12 kms
The Agastyaswamy Temple is situated on the merging point of three rivers namely, Swarnamukhi, Bhima and Kalyan, almost 12 kms from Tirupati - Balaji. There are three beautifully carved entrances adding to the glory of the hall inside. The temple consists of a shrine of Goddess Parvati.

Then, there is a mandap having three idols of Balaji, Ayyappa and Ganapati. This mandap is located just opposite of the temple of Parvati. Near the tank there is a small shrine dedicated to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Anjaneya.

Horsley Hills - 148 kms
The Horsley Hills is a beautiful hill station situated on the southwest border of Andhra Pradesh. It is located at an altitude of about 1,265 metres above sea level. This fabulous hill station is named after the former collector of Chittoor. Lovely valleys covered with teak, mango, sandalwood and eucalyptus plantations flank the place.

Nagalapuram - 65 km
The town of Nagalapuram is situated about 65 km south-east of Tirupati-Balaji. The highlight of this town is Sri Vedanarayana Swamy Temple, which is supposed to be built by the Vijayanagar emperor, Sri Krishna Devaraja. This temple displays the exotic Vijayanagar style of architecture. The sun worship of the temple is a vital attraction.

Kailasakona Waterfalls
The Kailasakona Waterfalls is situated in the Nagary Valley. It is a mesmerizing waterfall having water that is quite rich in minerals and is said to be therapeutic.

Narayanavanam - 22 km
At this place, there is s shrine dedicated to Kalyana Venkateswara. It is a major attraction of this small town, situated about 22 km south-east of Tirupati-Balaji. According to a legend, Lord Venkateswara married Padmavathi Devi, the daughter of Akasa Raja, at this place. The temple was built by Akasa Raja to celebrate this event.

¤ Shopping in Tirupati

Tirupati is not a popular shopping destination. But you can surely move around some of its market namely, Pasuparthy Super market and Suresh Super Bazar.

Audio and video Cassettes of Vedas, Sankirtanas, Pravachanam are produced and distributed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.


¤ Events and Festivals

Tirupati is a land of famous and sacred temples. Thus , this town celebrates many religious and state festivals throughout the year. Some of the religious festivals celebrated here are Diwali , Ganesh Charuthi, Dussehra and others. But the most important festival celebrated here is the Brahmotsavam, a temple festival. This festival is celebrated at Tirupati-Balaji temple. It is celebrated every year in the month of September. But, every third year it is celebrated in a an extravagant fashion and is called the Navratri Brahmotsavam.

Another festival called the Vijayanagar festival is celebrated for three days at the historic Chandragiri Fort near Tirupati-Balaji. It falls in the third week of October every year. This festival celebrates the valor of Vijayanagar kings. Artists from all over the state perform during this festival. The Rayalseema Food Festival is yet another festival celebrated here, coinciding with the Vijayanagar festival. One can taste delicious local cuisine presented during this festival.

Apart from these festivals, Tirupati also celebrates a festival called the Kalyanotsavam (marriage of the Lord), celebrated everyday at the Kalyanmandapam except during the Brahmotsavam and on certain other festive occasions.


¤ Reach Tirupati

By Air : The Tirupati airport is situated 14 kms east of the town. It is takes about 30 minutes by flight from Chennai and 1 hr from Hyderabad or Bangalore to reach Tirupati. Flights operate almost daily between Tirupati and Hyderabad/Chennai/Bangalore.
By Rail : Tirupati is well connected by train from most cities like Bombay, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Visakhapatnam, etc. There is a Saptagiri Express leaving Chennai everyday morning and returning in the evening. There are good overnight trains from Hyderabad & Visakhapatnam as well.
By Road : Buses run from all the important places in the state and between Tirupati and Tirumala. Buses also ply between Tirupati and Tirumala, free of cost. It is also connected by Highways to Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Local Transportation : Taxis, auto rickshaws and other smaller vehicles are available for local transportation.