All About Tirumala free essay sample

About the place and Geological location Tirumala Venkateswara Temple  is a magnificent temple  of Lord Venkateswara (also known as  Balaji, Vishnu,  Govinda  and  Srinivasa). Nested in the town Tirumala, near  Tirupati  in the  Chittoor district  of  Andhra Pradesh,   India. Venkatadri, one of the seven hills of Tirumala, holds the articulately carved temple and so it is also known as the  Temple of Seven Hills. The word â€Å"tirupati†, means the lord of â€Å"Lakshmi†. It is located 580  kilometers south of state capital,  Hyderabad  , about 200 kilometers from  Bangalore  and 157  kilometers (98 mi) North West of  Chennai. The temple is known to be the most riches places of worship in the world. About 3 to 4 crore people annually visit the temple, while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual  Brahmotsavam, the number of believers rises to a whopping 500,000 daily, making it the most visited holy place in the world. History According to legend, the temple has a  murti(deity) of Lord  Venkateswara, believed to have resided there for the entire  Kali Yuga. The  Vijayanagara  emperors loaded the temple with a huge amount of diamonds  and  gold. The  coronation  ceremonies of the emperors were also held at  Tirupati. In 1517,  Krishnadevaraya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated  gold  and  jewels, enabling the  Vimana  (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. The  Maratha general  Raghoji Bhonsle  visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. Among the later rulers who endowed large benefactions were the rulers of Mysore  and  Gadwal. In  1843, with the coming of the  East-India Company, the administration of the Sri Venkateswara Temple and a number of shrines was entrusted to Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at  Tirumala  as Vicaranakarta for nearly a century until  1932, when  Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams  (TTD) was established as a result of the TTD Act, 1932. Maintenance The tirupati temple has  possibly has the most immaculately designed queue system to sequence and guide the visiting devotees through the holy shrine. A virtual queue system has been set up by the local authorities of the temple, where the devotees are given a specific time, only after which they will be allowed into the queue complex. This has resulted in a steep drop (by a factor of five) in the time that devotees need to spend within the Queue Complex leading to the main temple. Also the comfort of the pilgrims has been kept in mind and several seats are built along the queue so that the devotees do not have to be standing all this while Festivals The town celebrates most Vaishnava festivals including  Vaikunta Ekadasi,  Rama Navami  and  Janmashtami  with great splendor, while the  Brahmotsavam  celebrated every year during September is the most important festivals in Tirumala, when it receives millions of devotees over a short span of a week. Other major festivals include Vasanthotsavam (spring festival) conducted during March-April and  Rathasapthami  (Magha Shuddha Saptami) is another festival, celebrated during February, when Lord Venkateswaras deity is taken on procession around the temple chariots. Seasons to visit The land of Tirupati has hot summers and pleasant winters. * Summers  (March to June) are hot with maximum temperature going up to 42 °C to 45  °C, sightseeing tourists typically avoid the hot summer months April and May. * Monsoons  (July to September) give relief to the hot climate with medium rainfalls, Tirupati looks good during the mild showers. * Post Monsoons (October to November) are associated with heavy rains, thunder storms and cyclones onset and it is advisable not to venture out for outings in unfavorable days. Winters  (December to February) are very pleasant with the minimum mercury level of above 15 °C, most of the travelers like this season. Temple is open all through the year, but the best season to visit Tirupati is June to March. * October to March is ideal for sight seeing in and around apart from the temple visit. Keep a watch on heavy rains and thunderstorms in October and November. * June to September offers pleasant climate with i ntermittent showers and is good for the temple visit as the chief festival Brahmotsavam falls in September. * April and May months are hot and not suitable for outings. Things to Pack: Tirupati, moreover, has a warm climate and so clothes should be kept accordingly. Equipments like umbrellas should be carried to avoid sunburn and Occasional rain pouring. For the folks who love to endorse lavish tans, sun tan can be kept safe for the tanning sessions on the nearby beaches. Light fabric like cotton should be preferred to avoid excessive sweating and irritation. However, it is advised to refrain from wearing revealing clothes keeping in mind the cultural atmosphere and the maintenance of the code of conduct set by the religious and orthodox minds of the city. How to reach: Though there are bus services to clear off the 16 kilometers uphill path, many devotees prefer walking since it offers aesthetic feelings and awesome vistas. The walk up the hill takes two to four hours of steady climbing that covers about 4,000 steps. Non-Hindus are not permitted to enter in to the inner most temple of this township. Foreigners are allowed to visit if they put in papers their belief in Hinduism. Nearby places that can be visited near Tirupati, are *Mahabalipuram, famous for its beaches, caves, temples, and also as a honeymoon destination. Nandi Hills also enthrall visitors by its scenic beauty. *Chittoor, where shopping can be done. *Kanchipuram, which is also a heritage spot. Places to visit Places of religious importance Sri Anjaneyaswami Temple The huge statue of Sri Anjaneyaswami is present in this temple. The most auspicious festival that is being celebrated in the temple is Hanuman Jayanthi. Sri Venugopalaswami Temple Venugopalaswami is none othe r than our beloved lord Sri Krishna. Sri Venugopalaswami temple is situated in Karvetinagaram, 48 km from Tirupati. Tirumala Balaji Temple (the Main Temple) This is the main temple of Tirumala. The lord Balaji is nestled among the peaks of seven hills of Tirumala which is around 10 km north-west of Tirupati. The abode of the lord Tirumala can be reached easily. Places of Scenic Beauty BR hills: At a distance of 435 kilometers from Tirupati, it’s a one of the best spots for trekking, rafting, fishing and for enjoying the wildlife. Nammakkal: At a distance of 371 kilometers from Tirupati, one can take pleasure in the waterfalls, the historic forts and the manifestations of the nature’s beauty here. Pulicat: At a distance of nearly 140 kilometers from the holy shrine, the exotic beaches and wildlife of this place is welcoming to all. Mahabalipuram: one of the most sought after destinations for the young honeymooners, Mahabalipuram offers the enchanting expanse of the sea, and the never-ending mystery of the time-worn caves, and is located at a distance of 180 km from the temple of lord venkateshwara. Yelagiri: Located approximately 179 kilometers from Tirumala Tirupati, the hill station of Yelagiri is pregnant with the serenity of natural beauty. It’s a home to several fresh lakes, waterfall and caves, and is a haunt for the inquisitive tourists. Places for shopping and entertainment The local markets here, like in most other temple towns of India, sell photos of the deity idol in frames of various sizes, statues and other items considered sacred symbolic of the deity. Many Tirupati related articles/souvenirs can also be purchased and a shopkeeper shall be only too happy to assist you with that. The SAPTHAGIRI magazine was started as a TTD bulletin in 1949. Currently, it is circulated all over the country as an illustrated, religious magazine It is a monthly edition and available in five languages Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and English. After seeking the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara, you get free meal coupons at the SriVari temple. The simple meal consists of rice, sambhar (heavily dal/lentil veg soup), chutney, rasam (light soup), and vegetable curry. Some of the areas famous for shopping in Tirupati are the Bazaar Street in Chandragiri where there are shops like the Mohan General Stores, Shri Lakshmi general Stores and Omkar Stores. For beautiful handicraft materials, you can visit the Lepakshi Emporium which has an outlet located near the TTD Central reception Office. Others are: Chennai: the cosmopolitan city of Chennai with its â€Å"Marina† beach, temples, churches and some great architectural monuments is one of the places to do cultural shopping In the country. It is located at 144 kms from Tirupati and is a drive of about 3 to 3. 5 hours. Chittoor: Situated in Andhra Pradesh, around 72 kms from the shrine, Chittoor is of the favorite shopping destinations for the visitors. Puttaparthi: At of a distance of merely 258 kms from the temple of Tirupati, it is a place favourite of the people with an eye for art and a love for history, because of its large number of museums with an archaic heritage. Sri Venkateshwara Zoological Park: In Tirupati catch the exquisitely carved gold gopuram of the Lord Venkateswara Temple, glinting in the sun. The Tirumala shrine is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture. This ancient temple has also found a mention in various Sastras and Puranas. Thats not all. There are other famous shrines in Tirupati town Govindarajaswamy, Kodanda Ramaswamy, Tiruchanur (Goddess Padmavathi), Kapila Theertham (Lord Shiva) and Srinivasa Managapuram (Sri Venkateswara). Night Life of Tirupati: Tirupati does not offer anything like a rich nightlife being a very sacred place.