Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (
TeluguTelugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, one of the largest states of India. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India and was conferred the status of a Classical language by the Government...
: తిరుమల వెంకటేశ్వరస్వామి మందిరము ,
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
: திருமலை வேங்கடாசலபதி திருகோவில்), is a famous
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
Temple of Lord Venkateswara located in the hill town Tirumala of
Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , abbreviated A.P., is a state situated on the south-eastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Hyderabad...
. The temple is built on the Venkatadri hill, one of the seven hills of Tirumala, and hence is also known as the
Temple of Seven Hills (
Saptagiri in
SanskritSanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
,
Edukondalu in
TeluguTelugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, one of the largest states of India. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India and was conferred the status of a Classical language by the Government...
,
Ezhumalai in
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
). The presiding
deityA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of the temple, Lord Venkateswara, is also known by other names -
Balaji or
Srinivasa or
Perumal.
The temple is the richest and the most visited place of worship in the world. The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily, while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it one of the most visited holy place in the world.
According to the legend, the temple has a self-manifested idol
murtiMurtiFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to:navigation, searchA clay Ganesha murti, worshipped during Ganesh Chaturthi festival.In Hinduism, a murti typically refers to an image, a deity, in which a Divine Spirit is expressed . Hindus consider a murti worthy of worship after the divine is...
of Lord
VishnuVishnu , , is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God...
, with the Lord believed to have resided here for the entire
Kali YugaKali Yuga , is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga...
. In Sri Vaishnava tradition, the temple is considered one of the 108 Divya Desam sites.
The Temple and the Hill
The Tirumala Hill is 3200 ft above sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the name, Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called
SeshadriSeshadri is one of the Indian names. Seshadri is one of the seven hills of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.* C.S.Seshadri is an eminent Indian mathematician.* Meenakshi Seshadri, is an Indian film actress....
, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri. The sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatadri (Venkata Hill), and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini. The temple complex comprises a smaller traditional temple building along with a number of modern queue and pilgrim lodging sites. There are several
legendsSri Venkatachala Mahatyam is the most accepted legend with respect to Tirumala, which provides the history of the temple across the various yugas.-Varaha shetra:...
associated with the manifestation of the Lord in Tirumala.
The varied names ascribed to the main deity are
Balaji,
Srinivasa,
Perumal,
Venkateswara and
Venkatachalapathy. The goddess
SriSri is a Sanskrit word, with a primary meaning of radiance, or diffusing light It is often used as a title of veneration....
or
LakshmiLakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm...
(Vishnu's consort) resides on the chest of Venkateswara, and thus he is also known by the epithet Srinivasa (the one in whom Sri resides). Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Padmavathi reside on his either chests. The
deityA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
is considered the
Kali yugaKali Yuga , is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga...
varada, that is 'the boon-granting Lord of
Kali yugaKali Yuga , is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga...
' (the fourth and final age of the Hindu
cycle of agesThe wheel of time or wheel of history is a concept in several religions and philosophies, notably religions of Indian origin such as Buddhism and Hinduism, which regard time as cyclical and consisting of repeating ages...
). The temple is held in particular reverence by the Vaishnava sect of southern India, known as the Sri Vaishnava.
For worshippers, the deity Venkateswara symbolises
goodnessIn Hindu philosophy, sattva is the most rarefied of the three gunas in Samkhya, sāttvika "pure", rājasika "dim", and tāmasika "dark"...
. When people travel to Tirupati, they chant "Yedu Kondala Vada Venkataramana
Govinda' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd.Both names translate to "cowherd". Sanskrit go means "cow"; pāla and vinda form tatpurusha compounds, literally translating to "finder of cows" and "protector of cows", respectively.The story of how Krishna was given...
Govindaa" (in
TeluguTelugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, one of the largest states of India. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India and was conferred the status of a Classical language by the Government...
)or "Yezhu Malai Vaasa Venkataramana
Govinda' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd.Both names translate to "cowherd". Sanskrit go means "cow"; pāla and vinda form tatpurusha compounds, literally translating to "finder of cows" and "protector of cows", respectively.The story of how Krishna was given...
Govindaa" (in
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
) or "Tirupati Thimmappana Padakke Govinda" (in Kannada).
With his
conchA conch is one of a number of different species of medium-sized to large saltwater snails or their shells.The true conchs are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Strombidae, and the genus Strombus and other closely related genera.The name "conch" comes, via French, from the Greek word meaning...
he creates the cosmic sound from which the creation has manifested.And with his
discSudarshana Chakra is a spinning disc like weapon with very sharp edge, which serves as an attribute of the Hindu God Vishnu. Lord Vishnu, also called Narayana, is portrayed with four hands, holding a Shankha , the Sudarshana, a Gada and a Padma...
he destroys
ignoranceTamas may refer to:* Tamas , the philosophical concept of darkness and death, the lowest of the three gunas.* Tamas , a highly acclaimed 1987 TV series/movie about Partition of India directed by Govind Nihalani....
and ego in the beings,thus liberating them. Lord Venkateswara is believed by followers to be a very merciful deity form of Vishnu, being the fulfiller of every wish made to him by the devotees.
The Holy mantra chanted is Om Namo Venkateshaya. "The Venkateswara Suprabhatam", the morning recital of prayers and songs of awakening, is written by Prativadi Bhayankaram Annan of Kanchipuram. Several composers composed beautiful kirtanas about Lord Venkateswara, the most notable amongst them being
TyagarajaTyāgarāja was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. His full name is Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam.He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
and
AnnamacharyaSri Tallapaka Annamacharya or Annamayya was a Telugu song-writer and Carnatic composer. He is the earliest known musician in South India to compose sankeertanas. He composed numerous songs in praise of Lord Venkateswara, the deity of the Seven Hills in Tirumala...
, who composed mostly in Telugu.
Annamacharya or AnnamayyaSri Tallapaka Annamacharya or Annamayya was a Telugu song-writer and Carnatic composer. He is the earliest known musician in South India to compose sankeertanas. He composed numerous songs in praise of Lord Venkateswara, the deity of the Seven Hills in Tirumala...
is a legendary devotee of Lord Venkateswara and composed songs almost exclusively about the deity.
Legend
Sri Venkatachala Mahatyam is the most accepted legend with respect to Tirumala and provides the history of the temple across the various
yugaYuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga , the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years , which is...
s. Of the other legends, the following are most known:
- Ranganathaswamy at Srirangam
Srirangam , also known as Thiruvarangam, is an island and a zone in the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India. Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side, and the Kaveri distributary Kollidam on the other side...
(the main deity) is believed to have manifested on its own without any human endeavour (SwayambhuSwayambhu means Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.-Vaishnavism:Based on details in Bhagavata Purana and Matsya Purana, Narayana or Krishna is said to be the Self-manifested Swayambhu form of Brahman as the first cause of creation. .Swyambhu means that is Self-Existent,...
)
- Discovery of the Venkateswara deity is described as an act of divine providence: there was a huge anthill at Tirupati, and one day a local farmer heard a voice from the heavens asking him to feed the ants. By chance the local king heard the voice and began supplying milk for the ants himself. His compassion resulted in the liquid uncovering the magnificent deity form of Venkateswara hidden beneath the anthill.
Ancient history
The origins of the site are legendary . Its beginnings are shrouded in great antiquity and its origins are still a matter of scholarly debate. Srivaishnavite experts opine that the Rig Veda verse X.155.1 makes an indirect reference to the temple . One such translation goes as : Thondaiman, ruler of the ancient Thondaimandalam (present day Kanchipuram) (capital: Kanchipuram, just south of modern day Chennai), is believed to have first built the temple after visualizing Lord Vishnu in his dream. He built the Gopuram and the Prakhara, and arranged for regular prayers to be conducted in the temple. Later on the Chola dynasty vastly improved the temple and gave rich endowments. To date, you will find the various Tamil Grantha script within the Temple prakara walls. The
Sangam literatureSangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
of
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
such as that of
SilapadikaramSilappadikaram , is one of the five epics of ancient Tamil Literature. The poet prince Ilango Adigal, a Jaina monk, is credited with this work. He is reputed to be the brother of Senguttuvan from Chera. As a literary work, it is held in high regard by the Tamils. The nature of the book is...
and Satanar
ManimekalaiManimekalai , written by Seethalai Saathanar, is one of the masterpieces of Tamil literature and is considered as one of the five great epics of Tamil literature...
, dated between 500BC and 300AD, mentions Thiruvengadam (now named Tirupati) by the appellation "Nediyon Kunram" as the northernmost frontier of the Tamil kingdoms . In fact, a fairly detailed description of the deity is given in lines 41 to 51 of book 11 of the Silapadikaram . Again, appellation "Nediyon" for the deity occurs in these verses:
Puranic literature which was composed roughly around the post-Mauryan and early-Gupta era also mentions of Tirupati as the Aadhi Varaha Kshetra. The Puranas associate the site with Lord Varaha one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The Varaha shrine holds great importance in Tirupati and is said to be older than the main sanctum of Venkateswara. The region of Andhra in which Tirupati is located in was already known for the existence of ancient Buddhist sites of the Satavahana era , namely Nagarjunakonda and Amravati, thus scholars suggest that the ancient site of Tirupati was probably a buddhist site prior to its transformation into a Hindu one after Buddhism saw its decline in the face of Guptan Hindu Rennaissance . Even up to the time of Ramanuja, the famous Vaishnava scholar of the 12th century, the identity of the deity was still disputed until Ramanuja confirmed it to be Vishnu.
Medieval history
It was under the regime of the Vijayanagara emperors that the temple attained the majority of its current opulence and size with the donation of expensive jewellery made of
diamondIn mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is the second most stable form of carbon, after graphite; however, the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is...
s and
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
. The
coronationA coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a monarch or their consort with regal power, specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head, and the presentation of other items of regalia...
ceremonies of the emperors were also held at Tirupati. In 1517,
KrishnadevarayaTuluva Sri Krishna Deva Raya a.k.a. Krishna Raya was the famed Emperor of Vijayanagara empire. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by all Indians and especially the Tuluvas, Kannadigas and Telugus, one of the great emperors of India...
, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. The Maratha general Raghoji Bhonsle visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. Among the later rulers who endowed large benefactions were the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.
In 1843, with the coming of the East India Company, the administration of the Sri Venkateswara temple and a number of shrines was entrusted to Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala as Vicaranakarta for nearly a century until 1932, when
Tirumala Tirupati DevasthanamsTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also referred as TTD is an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh...
(TTD) was established as a result of TTD Act, 1932.
Modern history
See TTD's Mandate for more details
TTD is operated by a Board of Trustees has increased in size through adoption of various Acts from five (1951) to fifteen (1987). The daily operation and management of TTD is the responsibility of Executive Officer (EO) who is appointed by the AP government.
Traditionally Kurubas build temples on top of the mountains and worshiped the Almighty. Lord Venkateswara has strong following from the Backward Castes, who are traditionally
ShivaShiva , also known as Rudra is a major Hindu god and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God...
worshipers in south India. Lord Venkateswara has a significant Dalit following also. In 2009 the Andhra Pradesh Government planned to cover off all the Tamil culverts with Golden sheets because of the scripts are in Tamil also they've tried some Telugu scripts over the Tamil scripts but it has failed due to massive scripts which they can't do it practically.
The temple brings around 60,000 pilgrims every day. The popularity of the temple can be judged by the annual budget which was estimated at Rs 10 billion in 2008 with almost everything coming directly from donations.
Devotees give donations which runs into millions. TTD, the organisation running the welfare of the temple, runs various charitable trusts whose funds are derived from the budget and donations from the devotees..
Prasadam
Laddu is the world famous prasadam given at Tirumala Temple. recently the Trust has taken copy right of Laddu prasaddam, hence, no one can prepare the same Laddu. Many other delicious prasadams are also available including curd rice, pulihora (tamarind rice), vada and sweet pongal (chakkera-pongali in Telugu). Free meals are given daily to the pilgrims, and on Thursdays, the Tirupavadai seva occurs, where food items are kept for naivedyam to Lord Srinivasa.
Hair Tonsuring
Many devotees also have their head tonsured as an offer. The daily amount of hair collected is over a ton. The hair thus gathered is sold by the
temple organizationTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also referred as TTD is an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh...
a few times a year by public auction to international buyers for use as hair extensions and in
cosmeticsCosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, [hair sprays] and gels,...
, bringing over $6 mln to the temple's treasury.As per puranas hair given by devotees is to coverup the lost hair(it is a very small portion) of lord venkateshwara swamy
Darshan and Queue System
.
Tirumala possibly has the most elaborate arrangement in India to sequence and guide the visiting devotees through the holy shrine. Because of the ever increasing daily rush of devotees, the temple authorities have set up a virtual queue system, where the devotees are given a specific time, only after which they will be allowed into the queue complex. This has resulted in a steep drop (by a factor of five) in the time that devotees need to spend within the Queue Complex leading to the main temple.
There are two major kinds of Darshan (meaning "a glimpse of the Lord") at the temple. The first one being Dharma Darshanam - free darshan, which on average takes about 10 hours from the time you enter the Queue Complex. It is worth noting that during a high season (festivals, holidays, weekends and special occasions) Dharma darshanam can take as long as a whole day, while sometimes during low seasons it might take only an hour and can be quicker than any paid darshan. The second major type is Sudarshanam - costs Rs. 50, and on average takes about 3 hours. There are also more expensive options where the darshan time is lower, such as the Nija Pada Darshanam costing Rs. 100, or the darshanam line for kalyanam (costing Rs. 1000).
There are also special queues for senior citizens (above 60 years old) and for people with kids (below 3 years). One other person is usually allowed to accompany the senior or the kid to assist them in the darshan line. Devotees who fall in this category should be sure to inquire with temple officials about the special queue, as it can significantly reduce the time and effort needed for darshan.
Individual devotees for Sudarshanam, as well as free darshanam are required to register (get a ticket/token) at any of the many queue offices situated near the main shrine, or at the local rail and bus stations in Tirumala and Tirupati, or at TTD offices in other key cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad,
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001...
,
DelhiDelhi, known locally as Dilli , and also by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India...
,
BhubaneswarBhubaneswar is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Orissa. Once the capital of ancient Kalinga, the city has a long history of 3000 years and is today a center of economic and religious importance...
and many more. At registration, devotees can choose the expected date and time of entry into the
Vaikuntam Queue ComplexVaikuntam Queue Complex is a facility used in Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams for queue management. The complex serves as the entry point for all darshans and there are very few exceptions.-History:...
. At the time of registration,
biometricsBiometrics refers to methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. In information technology, in particular, biometrics is used as a form of identity access management and access control...
(finger printing and photo) are taken to eliminate the involvement of middlemen. Devotees contributing for Special Darshan or Puja Darshan tickets are moved up the queue virtually as well as physically inside the temple complex, though all devotees are treated equally from the point of entry into the sanctum sanctorum. During high season (festival periods, holidays, weekends and special temple puja periods) the queues at the ticket offices itself can be quite overwhelming. Hence it is recommended that the devotee get his ticket (if possible) in advance from TTD offices nearest to their hometown and not in Tirupati.
The queue does not literally mean standing - these are huge halls in the queue complex each accommodating about 300 persons, where you can sit (and watch religious programs on a TV which also telecasts rituals from inside the temple). There are toilets, and for those seeking the free Dharma Darsanam, free food (sambar rice / curd rice) and coffee/tea served every couple of hours. Once the gates exiting the halls are opened, the devotee joins the actual queue, and from this point in the queue it might take about 60–90 minutes (standing/walking) to reach the sanctum sanctorum and have Darshan. Typically, one gets to see the idol of the Lord for about 10-15 seconds during high season to about sixty seconds during low season, and there's hustling by the volunteers to ensure that the queue progresses quickly.
Despite the endless queues and the long waiting times,it is the faith that gives devotees the patience to keep moving step by step, hours together, for that ultimate glimpse of the Lord, before they are urged to move on forward and out so as to allow others behind them to have a darshan. That momentary glimpse alone, which defying all logic, is worth all the queues, the heat and the crush of the crowds as they surge towards the inner sanctum.
Arjitha Seva (Paid Services)
Pilgrims can view and participate (in a limited fashion) in the various sevas performed to
Dhruva beraTirumala Dhruva Bera is the name given to the idol of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh. Dhruva Bera is the official terminology used for the main deity of a temple with the exact translation being The Immobile image and as the name suggests, the idol is stationary...
(main idol),
Bhoga SrinivasaBhoga Srinivasa is a silver deity that is a near replica of the main deity of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. The lord is also known as Manavalapperumal or Kautuka Bera. The deity is utilized for performing daily Abhishekam ceremony and daily Ekanta Seva...
,
Sri Malayappa swamiMalayappa swami is the current utsava murti in Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala. Malayappa swami is worshipped during religious ceremonies and processions wherein it would be innapropriate to use the main deity...
and other idols in the temple.
When pilgrims purchase arjitha seva tickets, they get the opportunity to see a seva performed to the Lord, obtain prasadam in the form of
vastram (clothes),
akshantalu (sacred and blessed rice) and food articles (laddus, vadas, dosas, pongal, rice items) and a darshan of the utsava murti.
Festivals
The town celebrates most Vaishnava festivals including Vaikunta Ekadasi,
Rama NavamiRam Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating of the birth of Lord Rama, son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya, and a divine figure in Hinduism believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu...
and Janmashtami with great splendor, while the
BrahmotsavamTirumala Brahmotsavam is an annual Hindu festival celebrated for nine days in the months of September and October at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The celebration attracts pilgrims and tourists from all parts of the country.- Brahmotsavam :...
celebrated every year during September is the most important festivals in Tirumala, when it receives millions of devotees over a short span of a week. Other major festivals include
VasanthotsavamVasanthotsavam is an annual Seva celebrated in Tirumala to celebrate the arrival of spring season.Vasantotsavam is the combination of 2 words - "Vasantha" and "Utsavam"...
(spring festival) conducted during March-April and Rathasapthami (Magha Shuddha Saptami) is another festival, celebrated during February, when Lord Venkateswara's deity is taken on procession around the temple chariots.
Related Temples
Tirupati is one of the 108 holy temples in Vaishnavite system and is related to a number of other temples, including the ones in
Uppiliappan templeThe Uppiliappan Temple which is also called ThiruVinnagar is a Vishnu temple located near the village of Thirunaageshwaram, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. The deity in this temple is Lord Uppiliappan Perumal with his consort Bhumi Devi and her father Sage Markandeya...
, near
KumbakonamKumbakonam Kumbakonam Kumbakonam ( (kumpakōṇam), also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India, is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 273 kilometres from Chennai...
and Varagur temple, near Trichi are considered to be the "divine brothers" of Lord Venkateswara.
This temple was built by ancient Tamil King"Thondaman". Ancient Hindu kings were extremely devout and patronised the arts. This temple at Thirupathi was part of a big plan. The ancient vaishnavaites did not want their religion to fade out with time. They built many temples across south India, mostly in ancient Tamil kingdoms. These temples collectively became known as the Divyadesams. These temples are acclaimed for their historical and architectural significance. Encouraged by the Vaishnavaite saints and scholars, ancient kings built, maintained and donated large sums of money for the upkeep of these temples.
Traditionally Kurubas build temples on top of the mountains and worshiped the Almighty. Lord Venkateswara has strong following from the Backward Castes, who are traditionally Shiva worshipers in south India. Lord Venkateswara has a significant Dalit following also.is a Govindaraya
VishnuVishnu , , is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God...
temple in the Tirupati town down below the hills with
VishnuVishnu , , is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God...
in
Yoga NidraYoga Nidra, may be rendered in English as "yogic sleep" or "sleep of the yogis". There are numerous traditions of Yoga Nidra sadhana that have been transmitted through parampara within the Indian religions. These aspects may include disciplines and traditions of dream, sleep and yoga...
with Sridevi and Bhumidevi next to him.
Most of these temples that are related to Tirupathi are found in and around the post-independence state of Tamil Nadu (and a few in Kerala, Karanataka and North India/Nepal as well). If you are in Chennai, the related temples that you can visit in a matter of two - three days would be:
- Veera Raghava Swamy temple - Thiruvallur - About 30 minutes from Chennai.
- Lakshmi Narasimhar Temple
Temple historyAccording to the sources connected with the history of this temple, it was originally constructed during the tome of the pallava ruler, narasimhavarman II in the 8th century AD. However, the pillars of the temple, especially those in the mandapa, point to this being a creation of the...
, Ramapuram, Chennai
- Bhakta Vatsala Perumal Temple - Thiruninravur
Thirunindravur is a Town Panchayat in Thiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu. It is situated at around 32KM from Chennai.Thirunindravur comes under Chennai Metropolitan Area.-Famous Place:...
- About 30 Minutes from Chennai.
- ThirupputKuzhi - Midway from Chennai to Vellore, this temple can be seen by the side of the highway. It is the site where Lord Rama finds dying Jetaayu, after its battle with Ravana to rescue Sita.
- Neervanna Perumal temple - Thiruneermalai
Thiruneermalai is a panchayat town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a hill, and a temple on that hill.It is situated outside the Indian city of Chennai. It is chiefly known for its extensive use in filming.- Demographics :...
village, near PallavaramPallavaram is a suburban town within the city of Chennai.It is a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Pallavaram is located just next to Chennai Airport and it's a hub for suburban local trains as well as long distance trains bound south...
, in Chennai.
- Nithya Kalyana Perumal Temple - Thiru-ida-venthai (Thiruvidandai
"Thiruvidandai" is one of 108 Divya desam. It is near Chennai around 40 km. It is Varaha Kshetram. It is famous for marriages.- The temple :...
) - KovalamKovalam is a beach town on the Arabian Sea in Kerala, a state in south India. It is located around 13 km from downtown Thiruvananthapuram .-History:...
, 10 minutes from Chennai.
- Thiruvallikeni
Triplicane , situated about a half km from the Bay of Bengal coast and Fort St George, is one of the oldest central business districts of Chennai, South India. Triplicane owes its name to its Puranic existence as Tiruvallikeni or Tiru-Alli-Keni denoting the pond in front of the famous...
(Parthasarathy Temple) - "Triplicane" - located in the city of Chennai.
- Thirukadalmallai
The Sthalasayana Perumal Temple is at Mahabalipuram. The Temple resides as the first and foremost of Mahabalipuram sculptures. It is one of the 108 Divya desam.-The temple:...
- Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, Mahabalipuram, about 25 minutes from Chennai.
- Thirukkadigai
Thirukkadigai or Sholingapuram is a Hindu place of pilgrimage in Sholinghur in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. As one of the 108 Divya Desams, places of worship sung about by the early-medieval Alvars in their "Mangalasasanam" , it is a holy site of particular importance to Vaishnavism.There...
- Sholingur, near Arakkonam, about an hour and a half from both Chennai and Tirupati.
In the Divyadesams page is a detailed list of these 108 temples.
See also
- Dvaita
Dvaita , a school of Vedanta founded by Shri Madhvacharya, stresses a strict distinction between God and the individual souls...
- Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, principally as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God. This worship in different perspectives or historical traditions addresses God under the names of Narayana,...
- Madhwa
- Vyasatirtha
Vyasatirtha , also called Vyasaraja or Vyasaraya or Vyasacharya, was acclaimed as one on the three spiritual lights of Vedanta, i.e, Sri Madhvacharya, Sri Jayatirtha and Sri Vyasatirtha. He was a scholar of very high order with a judicious defence of the Dvaita Vedanta against all rival schools...
- Sri Vaishnavism
- Ramanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar, Emperumannar, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
- Vishishtadvaita
VishishtAdvaita Vedanta ) is a sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy, the other major sub-schools of Vedānta being Advaita and Dvaita. VishishtAdvaita is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy...
- Vaikhanasas
Vaikhānasa is one of the principal traditions of Hinduism and primarily worships Vishnu as the Supreme God. The name Vaikhānasa stands for both the followers as well as the fundamental philosophy itself with the name derived from founder, Sage Vaikhanasa...
- KonetiRayala Swamy Temple
Koneti Rayala Swamy Temple also known as Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu Temple of Lord Venkateswara located inKeelapatla Village, Andhra Pradesh, 47 km from Chittoor, 55 km from Madanapalle, 7 km from Palamaner. Keelapatla is in forest area with fertile lands,full of bamboo bushes and honey...
External links