Fascinating Temples & More in Tirupati, India

[Archana Permi]

Most people in India have visited the holy site of Tirupati at least once during their lifetime on a pilgrimage, to seek blessings or just to be in awe of the architecture. Located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is home to the Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Balaji. The town of Tirupati is also known for being the location of multiple educational institutions.

Ancient History

By the 5^th century AD, Tirupati was already an established center of Vaishnavism, which is the belief that Lord Vishnu is the Supreme God of the Holy Triad of Bramha, Vishnu, and Shiva. The mythological tale is of sage Brighu, who wanted to know the most powerful God amongst the triad. When he saw Vishnu lying in repose, he kicked him in the chest, which was the resting place of Goddess Lakshmi. Feeling insulted, she immediately left and was born into a royal family on Earth. Lord Vishnu was inconsolable with the absence of his favorite consort and followed her to Earth where he married her and became enshrined there.

Tirupati is mentioned in many ancient texts and was considered as a holy site that even rulers of large kingdoms visited to pay homage. The temple city's geography withstood the attacks of invaders and was used for safekeeping the Srirangam temple idol. Southern kingdoms of the Pallavas, Cholas, and Vijayanagaras have contributed to help expand this temple structure. Lower Tirupati did not exist until the 1500s when the popularity of the temple resulted in the establishment of a village. This was later shifted closer to the Govindarajaswamy temple.

Modern History

The TTD Act of 1932 saw the establishment of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in order to oversee the finance and operations of the temple. A seven-member committee was responsible for the temple, overseen by a paid commissioner appointed by the then Madras High Court. The committee also had two advisory councils – one, comprised of priests while the other of farmers from surrounding areas.

In the recent past, the TTD has organized several events including the “Tirupati Utsavam”, which was a platform to focus on the history of the temple and the various kings who had made donations and contributions over the years. The TTD is also responsible for the running and maintenance of multiple educational institutions.

Places to visit

Other than the temples in Tirupati, there are numerous places to visit nearby. Some of these include the SV Museum, a natural stone arch, a regional science home and the Chandragiri Fort. There is an availability of several cabs in Tirupati that will take you around to explore the entire region after darshan. 

Tirupati is extremely accessible once you book taxi in Tirupati. With its close proximity to many large sites in South India, you can explore the aesthetics of this temple town at your leisure. Hire a taxi to get to Tirupati as the hairpin turns on the road leading up to the temple is less easy to maneuver by bus. Several Bangalore to Tirupati cabs and car rental services are available for hire to cover the distance of 250 km between the two locations.