Tirupati is the holiest Vaishnava temple-town of South India. It lies in the midst of the Seshachalam hills at a distance of seven miles from Tirupati East, a railway station on the Renigunta-Katpadi section.
The scenery of Tirupati is very picturesque. The temple is 2500 feet above sea level. The North Indians refer to Tirupati as Bala Jee.
The temple of Venkateswara is situated on one (Tirumalai) of the group of seven hills. There is a thousand pillared mantapa in the temple. The pilgrim making his way to the hill-temple at Tirumalai rests and refreshes himself in the Kapila Thirtham, named after the Sage Kapila, the founder of the Sankhya system of Hindu philosophy. The way up the hill is provided with electric lights.
The idol has four arms, two in the rear one carrying the Sankha (conch) and the other the Chakra (discus), and two in the front one pointing to the feet and the other by the side of the thigh. On both the front arms is to be seen the “Bhujanga Valaya” or the girdle of serpent. This is the only temple where His consort is absent fron His side.
There are morning darshans of God known as Shuddin, Tomala and Archana followed by a free darshan. This is repeated in the evening. There are Ekanta Seva, Poolangi darshan (flower-garment darshan), Abhiseka darshan, etc.
The principal annual festival is the Brahmotsavam which lasts for 10 days. The wedding of the deity with Padmavati Devi is celebrated in September-October. The most popular procession is the Garuda Utsavam on the fifth day. Ratha saptami (January-February), the floating festival (March-April) and the Mukkoti Ekadasi (December-January) and other minor festivals.
The temple Hundi or vessel in which pilgrims drop their offerings to the Lord is perhaps the largest of the kind. It is five feet high.
The Deity has great saving power. Many incurable diseases are cured by darshan and Sankalpa of offerings.
Sri Govinda Raja Sam’s temple at Tirupati and golden Padmavati’s temple at Tiruchanur, a village 3 miles from Tirupati are also sacred temples.
