Tirupathi: Encyclopedia II - Tirupathi - The Tirumala Temple

Tirupathi - The Tirumala Temple

The Tirumala temples nestles amidst the peaks of the seven hills of Tirumala. The temple can be approached from Tirupati by a 15 km road. It is a pleasant drive for people who admire the tropical greenery on these hills. Many pilgrims even today take a path by foot making an 11 km trek to the temple. For the devotees, the deity Venkateshwara symbolizes goodness; with his conch he creates the cosmic sound that destroys ignorance and with his disc he destroys evil. Venkateshwara is considered to be the most powerful Hindu deity, he is believed to be the fulfiller of every wish made to him by the devotees.

There are never fewer then 50,000 pilgrims here at any time in a single day. The total number of pilgrims even goes up to 700,000 in a day. The temple staff alone amounts to a number of 18,000. The popularity of the temple can be judged by the annual income which is around six billion rupees. The devotees offer money, precious articles etc. in the hundi or collection box placed at various sites in the temple. Silver replicas of the feet or a silver coin are also put in the hundi: these replica models are available outside the temple. The entire sum is administered by a temple trust, who plough this bulk of money back into hundreds of choultries and charities such as schools, colleges, art academies, craft training centers and to the homes of the poor and orphans.

It is considered to be very auspicious to have your head shaven when visiting the temple. People donate their hair to the deity, as an act symbolic of renouncing the ego. This applies to men, women and children alike.

The temple is very large and has a huge courtyard. The main shrine, which contains the image of Sri Venkateswara, is a complex structure. It begins with the sanctum at the western end and ends with the Tirumamanimandapam at the eastern end. The main temple is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture. Its glittering gold Vimanam, rising protectively over the sanctum sanctorum, seems to be lit with a glow touched by some inner fire. It is called Ananda Vimanam. The innermost enclosure, ‘Vaikunda Pradakshinam’, is opened only once a year. Splendid gold covered gates guard the entrance of the main sanctum sanctorum.

The ‘Swayambhu’ or naturally formed two metre high idol of Sri Venkateswara depicts the Lord’s image standing on a lotus. It has four arms and on the chest are the images of the Goddesses Lakshmi and Padmavati. The majestic jet black idol is adorned by a mass of gold and precious stones. Most striking is the fabulous crown, which is said to be the costliest single ornament ever made in the world. The darshan of the deity is a heavenly experience. The aura created by the magnificent jewellery adorning the deity, the powerful vibrations of the prayers offered day in and day out is overwhelming: every devotee coming out of the sanctum sanctorum has the feeling of attaining an experience that is close to the divine bliss itself.

The prasad cooked in the temple kitchens is also highly valued among the devotees. The prasad is first offered to the deity before distribution, it is not only of divine significance to the pilgrims but also a great delicacy. The pilgrims enjoy the bracing climate on the hill. Comfortable and reasonably priced accommodation facilities are available, along with delicious South Indian food and coffee.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The Tirumala Temple", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki