tirupati travel guide - ...also known as tirumala and tirupati. being one of the most ancient and...

TirupatiSituated in the Chittoor district ofthe Rayalaseema region of Indialies the mythical city of Tirupati,also known as Tirumala andTirupati. Being one of the mostancient and holy cities of India, thecity bustles with pilgrims allthroughout the year. VenkateswaraTemple, Natural Arch, Tirumalahills, Sri Venkateswara ZoologicalPark, Sri Venkateswara DhyanaGnana Mandiram etc. are somemust-visit spots in Tirupati.

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Famous For : Places To VisitReligiousCity

Tirupati (Thirupathi) boasts of being thelocation of one of the most affluent templesof India, the Venkateswara Swamy Templededicated to Lord Venkateshwara. Locatedon Tirumala Hills seventh peak,Venkatachala, this magnificent temple ofLord Venkateshwara or 'the Lord of TheSeven Hills' is sheltered. This temple is amajor pilgrimage site of India. ForVaishnavites, there is no place in theuniverse equal to Tirumala in Tirupati(Thirupathi), the place Lord Vishnu chose asan alternative to Vaikuntha, his heavenlyhome. According to a Puranic legend, anangry Lakshmi once left Vishnu. Unable tofind her, the grief-struck lord withdrew to ananthill in this hill. He later married herincarnation but 'Lakshmi' having left him,had no money for the wedding and had toborrow from Kuber. Devotees makingofferings at Tirumala in this holy city ofTirupati believe that they are helping thelord repay it. This holy city of Tirupati ishome to many other temples andmonuments with architectural brilliance thatattracts tourists from in and around. Othertemples in Tirupati (Thirupathi) such as

Tirupati Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/tirupati page 1

Varahaswami Temple located on the banksof Swami Pushkarni and Anjaneyaswamitemple, which is a majestic temple built bythe Mahant dynasty are also a must visit.Other than the temples, the beautiful city ofTirupati has much more to offer. Do visit thefamous Sri Venkateswara National Park,which is a biosphere reserve and a nationalpark.

All the major Hindu festivals like Ugadi,Sankranti, Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepawali andKartik Purnima are celebrated with greatsplendour in this holy city of Tirupati. Ifvisiting this city during the months ofSeptember and October, do not forget totake part in the nine day festival - SriVenkateswara Brahmotsavams, which iscelebrated every year. Those with a sweettooth must try the mouth-watering TirupatiLaddu, which is the speciality of this region.

When To

VISIThttp://www.ixigo.com/weather-in-tirupati-lp-1199851

JanCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max:24.399999618530273°C

Min:14.100000381469727°C

Rain:17.600000381469727mm

FebPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.

Max: 26.5°C Min:15.699999809265137°C

Rain:5.099999904632568mm

MarPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.Max:29.799999237060547°C

Min:15.100000381469727°C

Rain:5.199999809265137mm

AprPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.Max:32.70000076293945°C

Min: 18.0°C Rain:15.899999618530273mm

MayPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max:34.20000076293945°C

Min:18.299999237060547°C

Rain: 58.5mm

JunPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max:32.599998474121094°C

Min:19.399999618530273°C

Rain: 77.0mm

JulPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 31.0°C Min: 18.5°C Rain:

117.30000305175781mm

AugPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max:30.399999618530273°C

Min: 16.0°C Rain:127.30000305175781mm

SepPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max:30.100000381469727°C

Min:15.300000190734863°C

Rain:131.6999969482422mm

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OctPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max:28.299999237060547°C

Min:15.300000190734863°C

Rain:205.1999969482422mm

NovCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen,umbrella.Max: 26.0°C Min:

15.199999809265137°C

Rain:249.10000610351562mm

DecCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen,umbrella.Max: 24.5°C Min:

13.100000381469727°C

Rain:116.19999694824219mm

What To

SEE5 Sights

http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-tirupati-lp-1199851

1 Tirumala VenkateswaraTemple

S Mada Street, Tirumala, Tirupati,Andhra Pradesh 517504, India

The Tirumala Venkateswara TempleTirupati is the most visited temple by Hindus, along withbeing the second richest temple in theworld. Located on the seventh hill of theTirupati hills, it lies on the southern banks ofSri Swami Pushkarini. The seven peaks ofthe Tirumala Hills represent the sevenheads of Adisesha.

Architecture

The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple Tirupatishowcases Dravidian styles of architecture,with exquisitely-carved doorways,mandapams and shrines. During the rule ofVijayanagar Kingdom, a lot of gold wasdonated to the temple which enabled theVimana (inner shrine) and the roofing to beplated with gold. The main door is called thePadi Kavali Maha Dwara, that features aquadrangular base. A number of gods likeHanuman, Vaishnava, KevaleNarasimha and Lakshmi Narasimha can alsobe seen here.

The Deity The inner temple or vimana houses themain deity, Lord Sri Venkateswara, whostands directly beneath a gilt dome calledthe Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana. Thisexquisitely made deity is believed to be self-manifested. Lord Venkateswara bears SriLakshmi Devi on his right chest and SriPadmavathi Devi on his left chest.

The Legend

For Vaishnavites, there is no place in theuniverse equal to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple Tirupati,the place Lord Vishnu chose as analternative to Vaikuntha, his heavenly home.According to a Puranic legend, an angryLakshmi once left Vishnu. Unable to findher, the grief-struck lord withdrew to ananthill located on this hill. He later marriedLaxmi's incarnation but, since ‘Lakshmi’ hadleft him, Lord Vishnu had no money for thewedding and had to borrow from Kuber.Devotees making offerings at Tirumalabelieve they are helping the lord repay hisdebt. According to Hindu Mythology, theSastras, Puranas, Sthala Mahatyams andAlwar hymns unequivocally declare that onecan only attain mukti in the Kali Yuga byworshipping Venkata Nayaka or SriVenkateswara.

Darshan and Facilities

Around 50,000 pilgrims visit the Tirumala Venkateswara temple everyday, soTirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) hasorganised efficient ways to ensure smoothmovement of the pilgrims by providingdifferent kinds of Darshan. The entry for theDarshan is through Vaikuntam QueueComplex which is a series of interconnectedhalls that leads to the main temple.

The Queue Complex halls are clean,spacious and airy and TTD provides a widerange of facilities in the complex. Thevarious activities of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple Tirupatiinclude prasadam, hair tonsuring, hundi,arjitha seva and thulabharam. Festivals likeVaikuntha Ekadasi, Rama Navami,Brahmotsavam and Janmashtami arecelebrated with great splendor, withthousands and thousands of pilgrims takingpart in the festivities every year.

Online Booking

You can opt for online booking for darshanat this famous temple at least 3 days priorto the date of visit and maximum 90 days inadvance, so if you are planning a visit to



here and want to avoid long queues, makesure you have advance e-darshan bookingsat the temple's official website.

2 Sri Govindaraja SwamyTemple

Near Railway Station, Tirupati,Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh517501, India

Sri Govindaraja Swamy is the elder brotherof Lord Balaji and his temple-- Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple makes for aprominent landmark in Tirupati town,

located very near to the railway station. Itwas sanctified by Saint Ramanujacharya in1130 AD. The distinct feature of Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple is theimposing Gopuram (elaborately carvedentrance gateway) which can be seen from adistance. Since it is the temple of LordBalaji’s brother, the festivals celebrated hereare similar to the ones celebrated in LordBalaji's temple. The principal deity is an impressiveSayanamurti (the Lord in a sleepingposture).

3 Sri Venkateswara ZoologicalPark

Alipiri Bypass Road, Thatithopu,Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh 517505,

India

Founded in September 1987 and spreadover an area of 506 sq km, Sri VenkateswaraZoological Park is unique, as it is a themepark based on the characters from HinduMythology and the ancient Indian epics.Maintained by the Andhra Pradesh ForestDevelopment Corporation (APFDC), SriVenkateswara Zoological Park is one of themost innovative zoos developed in the lastthree decades by India’s Central ZooAuthority, housing endemic and indigenousflora and fauna. The entrance reads thefamous quote, 'I am the eternal seed ofliving beings' from the Bhagavad Gita. Themost sought-after attractions of the zoo arepeafowls, elephants, parakeets and whitetigers among many others.

4 Gurramkonda Fort

Gurramkonda, Tirupati, AndhraPradesh 517501, India

One of the most intriguing heritage sites ofIndia,Gurramkonda Fort is a 500 year oldarchitectural wonder. Located at a distanceof 72 km from Tirupati, the place is wellconnected and can be reached by road andrail. Originally a mud and rock construction

under the control of the Vijayanagarakingdom, it passed through to the hands ofthe Golconda sultans, who strengthened thefortifications with rock walls. The fort waslater taken over by the Marathas, theCuddapah Nawabs, Hyder Ali and TipuSultan and then eventually by the British.

According to a legend, Gurramkonda Fortwas called 'Gurramkonda' as there was astatue of a horse on top of the hill, believedto be the guardian of the fort. The fort wasconsidered to be impregnable as long as thehorse remained there. When the Marathasattacked, they tried every trick in the book toconquer the fort but could not do so. So,when they learnt about the legend of thehorse statue, one of the Maratha chiefmanaged to scale the hill one night andcarry away the horse. Hence, the spell wasbroken and on the next attack, the fort fellto the Marathas. This place is famous forfort ramparts, the Rangin Mahal Palace andthe tomb of Mir Raza Ali Khan, Tipu Sultan'smaternal uncle.

5 Silathoranam



Near Chakra Theertham, 5 Kms FromTirumala, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh517504, India

A must see place for nature lovers,Silathoranam is a popular tourist attractionis at a distance of5 kilometers from Tirumalanear Chakra Tirtha. The place is famous forits natural rock arch and it is believed to bethe source of Lord Venkateswara’s, idol withthe rocks resembling hood of a serpent, aconch and a discus.

Silathoranam is one of the three naturalrock arches in the world, the other twobeing the Rainbow Arch at Utah in USA andthe Arch of ‘Cut Through’ in UK. With alength of 25 feet this natural wonder is ofgreat antiquity. The best time to visit thearch is between 6 am to 8 am during sunriseor during sunset when the Arch looks evenmore striking and mystifying in the light ofthe sun. If you get a chance, then do visit theArch on a full moon night as the beauty ofthe place is absolutely enchanting.

Where To

Eat5 Places

http://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-tirupati-lp-1199851

1 Hyderabad House

alamuri Complex, Tuda Road TirupatiRoad, Tetagunta, Tata Nagar Tirupati,Andhra Pradesh 517501,India

+91-877-2223324

A real treat for meat eaters, HyderabadHouse serves some of the best Mughlaidishes in the city. What can one say about aplace which is always bustling with peopleandis enveloped in an addictive aroma of herbsand spices? That it is oneof the best eating joints in the city! Yes,Hyderabad House represents the culinary delights that Tirupati is so famousfor. A must visit for all food lovers!

2 Maurya Restaurant

Maurya Restaurant, No. 209, T.P.Area, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh,517101, India

+91-877-2225925

Hotel Maurya takes pride in its in-houserestaurant that offers pure vegetarian NorthIndian and South Indian delicacies. Apartfrom that, the restaurant also hasscrumptious Chinese and Mughlai dishes. The flavor of the food is really goodand will leave even themost finicky foodie thoroughly pleased. Amulti-cuisine restaurant, HotelMaurya offers delicious meals.

3 Andhra Spice

Andhra Spice, Near Central BusStand, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh517501, India

Located very close to the Bus Stand,Andhra Spice serves a yummy vegetarianand non-vegetarian food. The restauranthas both Indian and Chinese dishes, withitems like chicken, fish and mutton in theforms of fry, roast, curry, sauce, etc alongwith noodles and rice. Do try their MughlaiChicken Biriyani and Chilli Chicken. Thisrestaurant is quite popular, which isreflected in the number of peoplewho come, making this place usuallycrowded. A multicuisine restaurant, AndhraSpice is a must visit place for food lovers.

4 Idli Factory

Idli Factory, G. Car Street, Tirupati,Andhra Pradesh, 517501, India

+91-93410-37000

For those looking for a tasty South Indian



fare,Idli Factory is just the perfect place for them.A real delight for South Indian lovers, thissmall restaurant lives up to its reputationquite well. With mouth watering southIndian delicacies as its specialty,Idli Factory will completely surprise you. Amust visit place for all food lovers, don'tmiss this place for anything else!From the good old masala dosa to the lavishSouth Indian thali, try anything that maycatch your eye and you can be rest assuredto make your tummy happy.

5 Carrots

Carrots, AIR Byepass Road, Tirupati,Andhra Pradesh, 517501, India

+91-97012-70017

A multi cuisine restaurant, Carrots is knownfor its yummy bakery items. With somelight-as-air pastry options this place is aheaven for cake lovers. Order freshly bakedcake or biscuits from here, to go with that

perfect cup of tea. Basically, step in here andlet loose the foodie in you! The decor andambience of the restaurant gives it thesignature zen look. You might have to pre-book a table on a weekend of holidays as itgets a bit too crowded.



Quick

LOCATEhttp://www.ixigo.com/hotels-in-tirupati-lp-1199851

SeeA: Tirumala Venkateswara TempleB: Sri Govindaraja Swamy TempleC: Sri Venkateswara Zoological ParkD: Gurramkonda FortE: Silathoranam

AccommodationF: Bhimas Deluxe HotelG: Hotel DwarakamayiH: Hotel MayuraI: Bhimas Deluxe HotelJ: Hotel DwarakamayiK: Hotel MayuraL: Bhimas Deluxe HotelM: Hotel DwarakamayiN: Hotel Mayura

FoodO: Hyderabad HouseP: Maurya RestaurantQ: Andhra SpiceR: Idli FactoryS: Carrots


tirupati travel guide - ...also known as tirumala and tirupati. being one of the most ancient and...

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