Tirupathi

Tirupati is one of the most famous pilgrimage centers for Hindus. It is visited by thousands of pilgrims each day throughout the year. It is located on the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh on a range called the Seven Hills. The deity in Tirupati is also known as Balaji, Srinivasa, or the Lord of Seven hills. He has a dark complexion with four hands. He holds a discus (a symbol of power) and a conch s hell (a symbol of existence) in the upper hands. The lower hand is extended for blessing his devotees who surrender to him in faith. The image of Lord Venkateswara has the attributes of both Vishnu and Shiva.You can have darshan of the icon the Balaji in its original form without any alankaram (decorations) on Friday. The day starts with the suprabhatam and ends with the ekanta seva.The devotees offer cash, jewelry and gold in fulfillment of their vows. Many devotees who visit Tirupati offer their hair to the lord as a symbolic sacrifice of their ego.


Tirupati town is 67 km from Chittoor in Andra Pradesh. Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams an autonomous body have dedicated themselves to serve the devotees who visit the temple

History of the temple

As per the legends from puranas, Sage Bighu went to Kailasa to find who was the most powerful god among the Trimurthi's. During the course Trimurthi's did not acknowledge the presence the sage Bighu in heaven. This made the sage angry and he kicked Lord Vishnu in the chest. Though Lord Vishnu pacified the sage, Goddess Lakshmi could not tolerate the insult and left heaven. Unable to bear the solitude, Lord Vishnu came down to earth in search of Goddess Lakshmi. He wandered across hills and woods until he came across the beautiful Seshachala hills, now called the Tirumala hills. Finding the place peaceful and serene, he settled down in an anthill and has been worshiped there, ever since as Lord Venkateswara.


The white spot on the chin of the Lord Balaji is "Pacha Karpuram"(camphor balming), the legend behind this is that a disciple of Sri Ramanuja, Sri Ananthazhwar was incharge of garden maintenance. Once the disciple was digging the earth, assisted by his pregnant wife. She got tired and was taking rest. The Lord Balaji took disguise of a child and to help the disciple in place of his wife. But this irritated the disciple and he hit him with a spade on the childs chin. Later when Ananthazhwar went to the Temple to worship, he found the Lord bleeding on his chin. Suddenly he realised his mistake and apologised to the Lord and applied Pacha Karpuram with love.



Brahmotsavam

The Brahmotsavam or annual festival is celebrated for nine days during the month of September -October when the sun enters Kanya Rasi from Aswayuja Shuddha Padyami to. Aswayuja Shuddha Dasami. This utsavam is said to have first celebrated by Brahma himself; hence the name. This is one of the important festivals of the temple and the entire hill is decorated magnificently with colourful lights. The grand festival begins with a Dwajarohanam (a flag with a picture of Garuda) by the highest priest of the temple opposite to the sanctum sanctorum.



Every morning and evening the icon of Balaji is taken round the temple in colourful procession on different Chariots (Vahanams) decorated with flowers and glittering ornaments. The important sevas are the Garudotsavam (Garuda seva) on the fifth day which is popular among his devotees. On that day, the lord is decorated with precious ornaments of his choice and other important seva is the Rathotsavam or Car Festival on the eighth day where the deities would be seated in an exquisitely carved huge wooden chariot and taken round the temple in procession by ardent devotees.



Other places of visit near Tirupathi are Kalahasti an ancient temple of Lord Shiva situated on the banks of river Swarnamukhi, Sri Padmavathi Devalayam, Sri Kalyana Venkateshwara temple and many more.


http://www.tirumala.org/maintemple_main.htm