The iconic Venkateswara Temple Tirumala is probably one of the most well known Hindu temples in the world. It attracts thousands of pilgrims from India and around the world.
This temple in Tirumala Tirupati is a Vishnu temple, where he is worshipped as Sri Venkateswara. It is located in Tirupati city, in Andhra Pradesh.
Venkateswara Temple Tirumala History
The temple is first mentioned in formal historical records of the 10th Century CE. Samavai, a Pallava Queen, donated tracts of land and jewellery to the temple. Later, the Chola and Pallava Dynasties also made many contributions. The Vijayanagara Kings, especially Krishnadevaraya, were devotees of this deity, and the temple flourished under their patronage.
Later, other Royal families and wealthy merchants continued to contribute to this temple. During the British Rule, the Hathiramji Mutt took over the temple administration. Now, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams trust board manages this temple.
Some Interesting Facts About Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vaari Temple
Major Festival: In Tirumala, every day is a festival. But the temple’s special festivals are the Brahmotsavam and Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple Darshan Timings: This deity receives devotees round the clock. The temple is open between 2:30 am and 1:30 am the next day. Only on Friday, the temple closes at 10:30 pm.
Special Facts About Tirumala Tirupati: Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vaari Temple Tirupati Andhra Pradesh is a sprawling complex. The temple has a gilded Vimana over the main shrine called Ananda Nilayam, which can be seen from many vantage points on the Venkatadri Hill.
Tonsuring of hair is a special practice in Venkateswara Temple Tirumala, as it signifies the renouncement of pride. Further, the Laddu prasad is so famous that, it has received a Geographical Indication tag.
Lord Venkateswara Temple Tirumala Dress Code: Men have to wear Dhoti and
Venkateswara Temple Tirumala Architecture
This is a Dravidian style temple. It has three consecutive entrances leading to the main shrine. The Mahadwaram is the first. Above this is a five-tier gopura that is 50-feet tall. Further, this temple has two pradakshina paths, to go around the shrine as a form of respect. The beautiful gold-covered Ananda Nilayam is the location on the main shrine. Two huge Dwarapalakas statues guard the sanctum entrance.
The Deities At Venkateswara Temple Tirumala
The main deity is Lord Venkateswara. There are other shrines for Varadaraja, Yoga Narasimha, Bhuvaraha, Bedi Anjaneya, Kubera, Garuda, and the Vaishnavite Acharya Sri Ramanuja. There are also five forms of the main deity, Venkateswara.
The first is the huge idol of Lord Venkateswara in the main shrine, with four arms. He is standing on a padma peeda, the two upper hands holding the Shanka and Sudarshana Chakra. One lower hand is in the kati pose, the other is Varada Hasta, granting the wishes of the devotees. This is the Dhruva Beram or the Moola Virat. Then there are the smaller idols of Bhoga Srinivasa, Ugra Srinivasa, Malayappa Swamy, and Koluvu Srinivasa.
Malayappa Swamy is the primary processional deity, always accompanied by Sridevi and Bhudevi. Koluvu Srinivasa is the guardian murti, and the custodian of the temple’s posessions.
The Unforgettable Legends Of Venkateswara Temple Tirumala
This is an ancient temple. Sangam Tamil literature refers to this region as Thiruvengadam. Legend has it, once, Mahalakshmi came down to Earth and Mahavishnu came down as Srinivasa, in search of her. While on earth, Srinivasa married Padmavathi, the daughter of a local king. Padmavati is another form of Lakshmi.
Lord Srinivasa then became the Mulavirat in the temple. Sri Bhuvaraha Swamy made way for him. So, even now, all the offerings in Venkateswara Temple Tirumala are first presented to Varaha Swamy and then to Srinivasa. It is believed that Srinivasa will remain here until the end of Kali Yuga. Padmavati, his consort is in a separate temple, called Alamelumangapuram.
Travel Route
Tirupati is well connected by bus and train routes from many cities like Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bangalore, and Chennai. From Tirupati town, Tirumala is 22 km. You have to climb a ghat road to reach the temple. You can also climb up the ,3550 steps up the Tirumala Hills to reach the temple. In fact, many pilgrims prefer to do so.
There are also flights from many cities to Renigunta Airport, which is about 12 km from Tirupati. While Tirupati is in Andhra Pradesh, Chennai is the nearest major city , which is140 km away.
Must-visit Places
In Tirupati, there are the Alamelumangapuram Padmavathi Temple and the Govindaraja Swamy Temple, to name just two.
On the hill itself, there is the huge sacred pond named Swami Pushkarini, the Bhuvaraha shrine, the Akasha Ganga Waterfall, and the amazing Sila Thoranam. The last one is a natural rock formation and the name means a
Best Venkateswara Temple Tirumala Hotels To Stay At
Tirupati is a tourist destination, so you can find numerous hotels in this city. You can stay there and climb the Tirumala to visit the temple. There are numerous choultries around the temple that also provide accommodations for devotees.
Sri Venkateswara Temple Tirumala is one of the prime pilgrimage destinations for Hindus. However, you have to make preparations in advance to visit this temple. The Tirupati Devasthanam has arranged numerous facilities for the convenience of pilgrims, including e-bookings.
