Tirupati Balaji temple

Venkateswara Temple is the famous landmark of the Vaishnavite temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at the Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to the Lord Sri Venkateswara, this is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from the various trials and troubles of Kali Yuga.

Hence the place has also got a name as Kaliyuga – Vaikuntham and the Lord here is referred to as the Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam. The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, and Tirupati Balaji Temple. Lord Venkateswara is known by many other names such as Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.

It is the very richest temple in the world in terms of donations received and wealth. The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people annually on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the most-visited holy place in the world.

This Temple bears on its walls several inscriptions which are of historical, cultural, and linguistic importance. The number of inscriptions on the Hill Temple and in the temples of Lower Tirupati and Tiruchanur exceeds one thousand. There is evidence to suggest that many early inscriptions on the walls of the temples have disappeared beyond recovery.

Architecture

As many as 640 inscriptions are found engraved on the walls of the temple. They are published by a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams along with the inscriptions found in other related temples in and around Tirupati. All the various inscriptions are in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

There are a total of three Dwarams (entrances) that lead to the Garbhagriha from outside. The Mahadwaram also known as padikavali is the first entrance which is provided through Mahaprakaram (which is the outer compound wall). The 50-foot, five-storied Gopuram (Temple Tower) is constructed over this Mahadwaram with seven Kalasams at its apex. Vendivakili (Silver Entrance) also known as Nadimipadikavali is the second entrance and is provided through Sampangi-Prakaram (Inner compound wall).

The three-storied Gopuram is constructed over Vendivakili with seven Kalasams at its apex. Bangaruvakili (Golden Entrance) is the third entrance that will lead to Garbhagriha. There are two tall copper images of the Dvarapalakas Jaya-Vijaya on either side of this door. There is the thick wooden door is covered with gold gilt plates depicting the Dasavathaaram of Vishnu.

The temple is considered one of the eight Swayambhu Kshetras of Vishnu where the presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Are different Seven other temples in the line are Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, Bhu Varaha Swamy temple, and Vanamamalai Perumal Temple in South India.

Booking of Tirupati darshan online

Connecting with the Lord has been made a whole lot easier with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) making tickets for the coveted darshan available online. This special Tirupati darshan online ticket, which costs INR 300, is aimed at reducing the waiting time which is by far the biggest hurdle that a devotee faces here. TTD online darshan booking can be made a minimum of 1 day in advance and a maximum of 14 days. For all information about online booking Click Here.

Best time to visit Tirupati

Approximately 50,000 devotees visit the Tirupati Temple every day. Since you can’t escape the crowds, it would be a good idea to plan your visit in good weather. It all depends on your religious fervor though – Tirupati is best visited during the cool and comfortable months between November and March. Summer months are unbearably hot with temperatures pushing 45 degrees.

Is Special darshan for the physically challenged or senior citizens Available?

Yes, The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams or TTD has very thoughtfully arranged for a Tirupati special darshan option for physically challenged devotees as well as for senior citizens who want to pay obeisance. This facility offers entry into the temple from a separate gate from Dakshina Mada Gate. There are two time slots for special darshan; 10 AM and 3 PM. Devotees who wish to avail of this option must carry the required paperwork – relevant medical certificates or age proof – and report at the entrance 2 hours before the given time slot. Wheelchairs are not allowed but the TTD has arranged for battery-operated cars to ferry devotees free of cost.

Tirupati Balaji temple (Tirumala) Darshan Timings:

7:30 AM To 7:00 PM

The Temple is open on all days

Official Website of Tirumala Temple: www.tirumala.org

Temple Video