Tirupati History

Tirupati :

Tirupati is famous for Venkateswara Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, located about 20 kms north west of Tirupati in the Tirumala Hills at an elevation of 853 mts ( 2,799 ft ). Tirupati is a major pilgrimage and culture city in the Chittoor District, State of Andhra Pradesh, India. Tirupati is a largest city in the Rayalaseema region and also the 4 th largest growing city of the Indian state Andhra Pradesh next to Hyderbad, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. Tirupati is the most important pilgrimage centers in the World.

Tirumala Tirupati Decasthanams also referred as TTD is an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, India. Tirumala means Tiru means ” Holy ” or ” Sacred ” and Mala means Hills / Mountains in the Tamil Language. Therefore, it translates as Holy Mountains.

Tirupati town celebrates all major Hindu Festivals including Deepavali, Pongal, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Sri Rama Navami and Sri Krishna Janmashtami with great splendor, while the Brahmotsavam celebrated every year during September is the most important festival in Tirumala when it receives millions of devotees over a short span of a week. Rathasapthami is another festival , celebrated during February, when Lord Venkateswara’s idol is taken in a procession around the temple chariots.

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is a famous Vedic temple in the Hill Town of Tirumala near Tirupati in Chitoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The Tirumala Hill is 853 mtrs above sea level and is about 10.33 square miles in area. It comprises seven peaka, representing the seven heads of Adisesha, thus earning the name Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshdri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri. The temple is in Venkatadri ( also known as Venkatachala or Venkata Hill ), the seventh peak, and is also known as the ” Temple of Seven Hills “.The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Venkateswara is known by several names called Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord in Tirumala. According to one legend, the temple has a murti (deity) of Lord Venkateswara, which it is believed shall remain here for the entire duration of the present Kaliyuga.

In 1843, with the coming of the Madras Presidency, the administration of the Sri Venkateswara Temple and a nimbre of shrines was entrusted to Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala as Vicaranakarta for nearly a century until the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was established as result of the TTD Act in 1932. After independence Andhra State was cerated in linguistic grounds, where in Tirupati whch had and still has a majority of Telugu speaking population was assigned by Govt. of India, integrating it as part of Andhra.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams  is operated by a Board of Trustees that has incrreased in size from five to fifteen through the adoption of Acts. Daily opwration and management of TTD is the responsibilty of an executive officer who is appointed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams  attracts approximately 75,000 pilgrims every day. The famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara near here netted a whopping Rs: 1,700 crore income in 2011 during which 22 million devotees, incluuding a galaxy of vvips offered their worship.

Every year a head of every mission Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman visited the tirupati temple to have blessings of Lord Venkateswara. There are many temples in Tirupati and Tirumala. Tirumala Venkateswar Temple, Padmavati Ammavari Temple, Tiruchanoor Gangamma Temple, Tirupati Varadharaja Swamy Temple, Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple, ect.

Besides, devotees also offered Diamond, Gold, and Silver jewellery worth several crores of rupees to the presiding deity of the cash rich shrine during the year. Monsoon remains moderate and summer experiences temperatures ranging from 35 to 40 degrees Celsius. In winter the minimum temperatures will be between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. Usually summer lasts from March to June, with the advent of rainy season in July, followed by winter which lasts till the end of February.

Tirupati Main is a major railway station and has five platforms and presently undergoing modernization. Tirupat is well connected to major cities across India especially Chennai, Bengalor and Hyderbad. It is also connected by Chennai sub urban railways in North western line. Renigunta junction which lies in the busy Chennai Mumbai rail corridor, is 15 km away from Tirupati city.

Tirupati Air Port is located 15 km from the city center and has flights to Hyderbad, Vizag, New Delhi via Hyderbad. The closest International air port is located in Chennai, it is 130 km from Tirupati. The Tirupati air port is not yet upgraded to an International Airport. Tirupati is most attractive spot in the World.