Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is a Hindu temple in the hill town of Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. It is around 600 km (370 mi) from Hyderabad, 138 km (86 mi) from Chennai and 291 km (181 mi) from Bangalore.
The Tirumala Hill is 853m above sea level and is about 10.33 square miles (27 km) in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha,
thus earning the name Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri,
Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri, and
Venkatadri. The temple is on 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, a form of the Hindu god Vishnu. Venkateswara is known by other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.
The temple lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy
water tank. The temple complex comprises a traditional temple building,
with a number of modern queue and pilgrim lodging sites.
The temple is the richest pilgrimage center, after the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, of any faith (at more than
50,000 crore) 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.
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 Kali Yuga.
History :
Medieval history: Tirumala was under the rule of the Vijayanagara emperors, during which time the temple's assets were accumulated.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. It enabled the Vimana (inner shrine) and the roofing to be plated with gold. The Maratha general Raghoji Bhonsle set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. The rulers of Mysore and Gadwal endowed large gifts to the temple.
The Pallavas of Kanchipuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Tanjore (10th century), and Vijayanagara pradhans (14th and 15th centuries) were committed devotees of Lord Venkateswara. During the invasion of Srirangam by Malik Kafur in 1310-11 AD, the Ranga Mandapam of the temple served as the shelter for the presiding deity of Srirangam, Ranganatha Swamy. Later, under the rule of the Vijayanagara emperors, was when the temple gained most of its current wealth and size, with the donation of diamonds and gold. In 1517 Vijayanagara ruler Sri Krishna Deva Raya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels, enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. Statues of Sri Krishna Deva Raya and his spouse stand in the premises of the temple. After the decline of Vijayanagara Empire, kings from states such as Mysore and Gadwal worshiped as pilgrims and gave ornaments and valuables to the temple. Maratha general Raghoji I Bhonsle (died 1755) visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. There is an idol of Raja Todar Mal who was the revenue minister of Akbar, greeting pilgrims in the premises of the temple.
Festivals :
The town celebrates most Vaishnava festivals, including Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Rama Navami, and Janmashtami with great splendor, while the Brahmotsavam celebrated every year during September is the most important festival in Tirumala. The temple receives millions of devotees over the short span of a week. Other major festivals include Vasanthotsavam (spring festival), conducted in March–April, and Rathasapthami (Magha Shuddha Saptami), celebrated in February, when Lord Venkateswara's deity is taken on procession around the temple chariots.
The temple is the richest pilgrimage center, after the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, of any faith (at more than
50,000 crore) 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.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 Kali Yuga.
History :
Medieval history: Tirumala was under the rule of the Vijayanagara emperors, during which time the temple's assets were accumulated.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. It enabled the Vimana (inner shrine) and the roofing to be plated with gold. The Maratha general Raghoji Bhonsle set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. The rulers of Mysore and Gadwal endowed large gifts to the temple.
The Pallavas of Kanchipuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Tanjore (10th century), and Vijayanagara pradhans (14th and 15th centuries) were committed devotees of Lord Venkateswara. During the invasion of Srirangam by Malik Kafur in 1310-11 AD, the Ranga Mandapam of the temple served as the shelter for the presiding deity of Srirangam, Ranganatha Swamy. Later, under the rule of the Vijayanagara emperors, was when the temple gained most of its current wealth and size, with the donation of diamonds and gold. In 1517 Vijayanagara ruler Sri Krishna Deva Raya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels, enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. Statues of Sri Krishna Deva Raya and his spouse stand in the premises of the temple. After the decline of Vijayanagara Empire, kings from states such as Mysore and Gadwal worshiped as pilgrims and gave ornaments and valuables to the temple. Maratha general Raghoji I Bhonsle (died 1755) visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. There is an idol of Raja Todar Mal who was the revenue minister of Akbar, greeting pilgrims in the premises of the temple.
Festivals :
The town celebrates most Vaishnava festivals, including Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Rama Navami, and Janmashtami with great splendor, while the Brahmotsavam celebrated every year during September is the most important festival in Tirumala. The temple receives millions of devotees over the short span of a week. Other major festivals include Vasanthotsavam (spring festival), conducted in March–April, and Rathasapthami (Magha Shuddha Saptami), celebrated in February, when Lord Venkateswara's deity is taken on procession around the temple chariots.
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