Tirupati Balaji Temple - Also Known As Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple - Andhra Pradesh - India

Tirupati is popular due to the temple of Sri Venkateswara, the Lord of Seven hills. Believed to be the richest temple in the entire world, the Tirupati temple premises are filled with a vibrant culture having a glorious history to recall. The shrine located atop a hill in a place called Trirumala has a cluster of seven hills known as Seshachalam and is positioned at an elevated height of nearly 3000ft above the sea level.

Location : Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
Dedicated to: Lord Venkateswara or Venkatramana
Also Known as: Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple
Coordinates : 13°40′59.7″N 79°20′49.9″E
Famous as : World's Richest Temple
Significance : Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam
Architectural: Dravidian Architecture
Built In: Earliest records date to 300 BC
Temple Board: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Primary Deity: Venkateswara
Important Festivals: Brahmotsavam, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Ratha Saptami
Pincode: 517001
Language: Telugu
STD code: 0877
Weather: Summer 23 to 43°C and Winter 15 to 35°C

Tirumala Tirupati Temple is accredited for being the most visited temple of India and second most visited shrine in the world after Vetican. The main gate or Padi Kavali Maha Dwara has a quadrangular base. There are figures of Hanuman, Kevale Narasimha and Lakshmi Narasimha on the Dwara. The main temple has three prakarams or the path for circumnavigating the temple. There are many mandapams in the prakarama area. The Ranga mandapam built according to Vijayanagar style of architecture is the most beautiful. Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh is dedicated to Sri Venkateswara. Read more about the world's richest temple of Tirumala Tirupati of India. Tirumala-Tirupati is built around seven hills that are also known as Sapthagiri after the seven hoods of the cosmic serpent Sheshnag. The temple of Sri Venkateswara is situated on the seventh peak called Venkatadri. The selling of hair by the TTD is big business and tenders are floated globally for the sale of Indian human hair which are eventually sold as wigs that are much sought after in the western world. The popular belief is that the sacred temple exists from ancient period. There is mention of Sri Venkateswara in most of the ancient texts. All the great dynasties of southern India have habitually paid obeisance at the temple and contributed much for beautification of the temple. It includes the Pallavas of Kancheepuram, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas of Madurai and the chieftains of Vijayanagar. The Vijayanagar rulers had a few more statues installed in the temple. The annual festival, Brahmotsavam is celebrated with great pomp and festivity for nine days in the months of September. Every day, the program begins with 'Suprabhatam', which encompasses awakening of the Lord at 3'O clock in the morning. 'Ekanta Seva' is the last program, in which, the Lord is made to sleep at 1'O clock in the night.

Tirupati bala ji is the most popular place among the pilgrims therefore every year more than 20 million pilgrims from all over the world came here for the work ship of Lord Sree Venkateswara the Kaliyuga incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple complex comprises a traditional temple building, along with a number of modern queue and pilgrim lodging sites. The temple is the richest piligrimage center, and the most-visited place of worship in the world. 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. Another appealing feature is that even today Tirupati Mandir follows the rituals that have been mentioned by the revered saint Ramanujacharya in 11-12th century. The prayers start every morning with Suprabhatam which is primarily to awaken the Lord at 3 AM while it ends with Ekanta Seva at 1 in night, when Lord goes to sleep. The main entrance or the first entrance is the Mahadwara Gopuram with a brass door. The second gate is called Nadimipadi Kavali or the silver entrance. The last entrance that leads to the main sanctum is called the Bangaru Vakili or the golden door. The main idol of the Lord is in a standing position on a pedestal called the “Brahmasthana”. The idol has Goddess Lakshmi inscribed on the right and Goddess Padmavathi on the left. The temple is situated at 2,799 ft which only adds to the beatific appeal of the second richest temple in the world, first being Padamanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

Entry Fee And Other Charges For Visit Tirupati Balaji Temple

There are no entry fee for any person Free Darshan to All, But you can pay charges for attend some special puja and events held by Tirupati Balaji Temple.

Timing For Tirupati Balaji Temple

The Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple opens at 3:00 AM in the morning and closes at 1:30 AM the next day although General Darshan or Sarvadarshan is stopped after 1:00 AM. The pilgrims are to stand in a queue at the Vaikuntham Queue Complex II. The Darshan starts from 7:30 AM till 7:00 PM in the evening and again from 8:00 PM till 1:00 AM next morning on Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Sarvadarshanam begins at 9:00 AM till 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM next morning on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Thursdays, the Darshan starts early at 8:00 AM till 7:00 PM and then again from 8 PM till 1:00 AM next morning.

Best Time To Visit Tirupati Balaji Temple

From weather wise Best Time To Visit Tirupati Balaji Temple is during the winter months between November and March. The summer months of May and June get very hot with the mercury touching 45 degree Celsius and monsoons arrive end June early July.In the month of September, the temple celebrates a nine-day long festival called as 'Brahmotsavam'. Important rituals such as Garudostavam and Rathotavam is said to be carried out during this time and draws millions of tourist form different parts of the globe.

Tourist Attractions Near Tirupati Balaji Temple

There are many temple must visit is closed from Tirupati Balaji Temple are Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Sri Bedi Anjaneya Swamy Temple, Sri Padmavathi Devi Temple, Sri Prasanna Venkateshwara Swamy Temple, Sri Govindarajaswami Temple , Sri Kapileswara Swamy Temple, Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple.

Shopping Near Tirupati Balaji Temple

In Tirupati, visitors can shop for locally made unique handicrafts which include woodcarvings, whitewood toys, Tanjore gold leaf paintings and kalamkari art, among other things. Another speciality of the place is the Chandana Dolls which are black carved wooden idols of Lord Venkateshwara and his consort Padmavati.

Restaurants Near Tirupati Balaji Temple

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (Temple administration) provides full meals to all devotees under the Nitya Annadanam Scheme. Free tiffin, coffee, tea and milk are provided to pilgrims in the queue complex. A large number of private hotels have been established to assist the pilgrims. The cuisine is mainly vegetarian.Food in Tirupati typically consists of the standard South Indian vegetarian fare of rice, sambhar, rasam, vegetables etc. Food is available at the temple too where it is served on banana leaves with sweet rice being the speciality. Here is the list of some famous and popular Restaurants which are very closed from Tirupati Balaji Temple.

Idli Factory
G. Car Street Tirupati
0.5 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Zodiac
Tiruchanoor Road Hotel Fortune Select Grand Ridge
12.6 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Minerva Coffee Shop
Near Railway Station Flyover, Renigunta Road
9.9 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Hotel Mayura
No. 209, T.P. Area
11.1 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Rainbow - Pure Vegitarian
Shilparamam Tiruchanoor Road
12.7 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

VANAM RESTAURANT
Opp. S.V. Zoo Park
6.9 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Annamaya Restaurant
8.3 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Bhimas Paradise
33-37, Renigunta Road
9.9 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Hotels Near Tirupati Balaji Temple

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has constructed several cottages and guest houses for the benefit of the pilgrims. The list is as below

• Sri Padmavathi Guest House Area
• Sri Venkateshwara Guest House Area
• Sri Varahaswami Guest House Area

Here is the list of some famous and popular Private Hotels which are very closed from Tirupati Balaji Temple.

Hotel Raj Park Tirupati 3.0 Star Hotel
18-1-5/4, T.T.D By-Pass Road , near Nandhi Circle, Tirupati
0.4 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Woodside Hotel
20, G.Car Street, Tirupati, India
0.4 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Vihas Hotels 4.0 Star Hotel
Tirumala Bypass Road , #18-8-40/B, Leela Mahal Center, Tirupati
0.7 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Hotel Sindhuri Park 3.0 Star Hotel
14-2-118, 119 T.P. Area, Tirupati
8.3 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

Pai Viceroy Hotel 3.0 Star Hotel
Tirumala Bypass Road, 18th Ward, Ramachandra Nagar, Tirupati
9.3 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

PSR Hometel
Tirumala Byepass Road, opp T.T.D. Srinivasam Complex, Tirupati
9.3 km from Tirumala Temple (Tirupati Balaji Temple)

How to Reach Tirupati Balaji Temple

By Air:

The airport of Tirupati is in Renigunta about 15 kms away from the main city, where flights can be found regularly from Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

By Rail:

The Railway station to reach Tirupati is in Tirupati itself and connects by trains to Chennai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and Madurai which is a common balaji temple route. Another railway station can be found 15 kms away at Renigunta.

By Road:

The buses under the APSRTC travel from almost all regions of Andhra Pradesh to Tirupati for the balaji temple route. Even the KSRTC buses are available from towns in Karnataka to reach tirupati. Many of the Tamil Nadu public transport corporation buses also connect plenty of cities to Tirupati. One can easily reach Tirupati Temple by taking local Buses or by hiring taxis from Andhra Pradesh.

Google Map For Tirupati Balaji Temple