Tirupati

FACTS & FIGURES Area 10.33 sq. miles Language Telegu and English Best time to visit September to February STD Code 08574

INTRODUCTION

The town of Tirupati is one of the most ancient and sacred pilgrimage spots in India. The name 'Tirupati' means the "Lord of Lakshmi," and should have been applied to the village on the Venkat hill, the dwelling of Lord Venkateswara. However, Tirupati is the town and transport hub at the bottom of the hill. The hill near the temple is called 'Tirumala' or the "sacred hill." The temple here is said to be the busiest in the world, eclipsing even Rome, Jerusalem and Mecca in the number of pilgrims visiting it.

LOCATION

Tirumala is in the extreme southeast of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. It is situated in the Chittoor district of the state. 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 Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri. Tirupati is 137 km from Chennai, 258 km from Bangalore, and 562 km from Hyderabad (via Kurnool and Cuddapah).

HISTORY

All the great dynasties of rulers of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijaynagar (14th-15th century AD) were devotees of this shrine.

It was during the rule of the Vijaynagar dynasty that the contributions to the temple increased. Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the temple, and these statues can be seen to this day. There is also a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple. The Maratha general, Raghoji Bhonsle visited the temple and set up a permanent endowment for the conduct of worship in the temple. He also presented valuable jewels to the Lord, including a large emerald that is still preserved in a box named after the general. Among the later rulers who have endowed large amounts are the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.

In AD 1843, the administration of the shrine of Sri Venkateswara and a number of estates were entrusted to Sri Seva Dossji of the Hatiramji Mutt at Tirumala, and the temple remained under the administration of the Mahants for nearly a century, until AD 1933.

In 1933, the Madras Legislature passed a special act, which empowered the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Committee to control and administer a fixed group of temples in the Tirumala-Tirupati area, through a Commissioner appointed by the Government of Madras. In 1951, the Act of 1933 was replaced by an enactment whereby the administration of TTD was entrusted to a Board of Trustees, and the Government appointed an Executive Officer.