Tirupati: Historical Background | Religious Importance | Places To Visit | Travel Tips

Tirupati is a city present in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is well-known for being a popular religious center. This is due to the shrine of Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple among other notable ones. The Venkateshwara Temple is one of the eight Svayam vyakta kshetras. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Being associated with many legends and having a rich cultural history has made Tirupati one of the top pilgrimage sites in India.

Historical Background:

The development of the Tirupati area started at the hands of the Pallava Kings back in the 6th century. It soon became the center of Vaishnavism by the end of the 11th century and led to the growth of the religious sect. Tirupati has seen the passage of time through the pages of history. It has developed under the patronage of notable rulers like Krishna Deva Raya, Achyuta Deva Raya, Sadasiva Raya, and Tirumala Deva Raya.

It was also regarded as the "Best Heritage City" from 2012-2013. Currently, Tirupati is under the Indian Government. The plan is to develop it as a smart city under the Smart Cities Mission.

Religious Importance:

Tirupati is widely regarded as the abode of Lord Venkateshvara, Lord of Seven Hills. He is the presiding deity of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The legend behind the religious significance of the city is a very interesting one.

Once a group of sages wanted to perform a ritual but they did not have a deity for the purpose. Sage Bhrigu got the responsibility of selecting a new deity for this purpose. He decided to put the gods to a kind of test before he made a selection.

First, he visited Indra who ignored him since he was busy enjoying the dance of the Apsaras. Bhrigu cursed Indra by saying that the world will only remember him as an egoistic soul. Following this, he visited the four-headed god Brahma who was also busy. He was chanting the Vedas, performing meditation, creating the world, and spending his time with his wife.

Next, he visited Shiva who was deep in meditation with his wife. Bhrigu cursed him to be worshipped only in the formless lingam. At last, he visited Lord Vishnu who was sleeping. Bhrigu got angry when he first saw Vishnu's feet, a sign of disrespect. Thus, Bhrigu kicked Vishnu in his rage and after Vishnu woke up, he treated the sage with great reverence. Lakshmi was very angry at the disrespect that Bhrigu has shown to the great lord and left Vaikuntha. In search of his consort, Lord Vishnu came down to Earth. Being unable to find her, settled on the Seshachalam hills. This also happened to be the place now known as Tirupati.

Places To Visit:

Tirupati is currently dotted with several beautiful temples. The temples warrant a visit from traveling pilgrims. Here are a few that should be present in your must-visit list.

1. Vakura Matha Temple: The temple is for Vakula Devi, the foster mother of Lord Venkateswara. The legend follows the story of Yashoda Devi who was reborn as Vakula Devi. This was to fulfill her wish of witnessing Lord Krishna’s marriage. Lord Krishna was also reincarnated as Lord Venkateswara.

2. Govindarajaswamy Temple: This temple is one of the oldest and biggest temples in Tirupati. It was constructed by Saint Ramanujacharya in the year 1130 AD.

3. Kapileswara Swamy Temple: The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. He is referred to as Kapileswara due to the fact that the temple idol was installed by Kapila Muni.

4. Mukkoti Agastheeshwara Temple: This is once again a famous Shiva temple. The lingam was established by Agathyamuni, giving it the name of Agastheeswara Lingam

5. Kalyana Venkateswara Temple: The temple was created to commemorate a marriage. The marriage of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy and Sri Padmavathi Ammavaru. The temple features Dravidian-style architecture.

6. Papavinasanam: This is considered to be a holy bathing site by the pilgrims. It is a waterfall and the water is believed to be flowing directly from the feet of Lord Venkateswara.

Travel Tips:

1. Tirupati is a popular tourist place and pilgrims flock to the temples every year. Here are some travel tips that can come in handy if you are planning to pay the holy city a visit soon.

2. It is easy to travel from Bangalore. But, make sure to book your mode of transport one month in advance as there is always a high demand for the services.

3. It takes a long time to wait in queues to enter the main temples. It is advised to carry water and other necessities for the wait.

4. Families with small children and senior citizens can get a faster darshan. Make sure to ask the authorities present there.

5. Go and shop at the local shops to get a taste of the city. Tirupati houses many skilled craftsmen. They engage in several forms of artwork creation. It includes items like wood-carved toys, pottery items, and Kalamkari fabric.

6. Do not forget to check out the traditional Tanjore-style gold leaf painting. It is practiced in Mandanapalli and is an authentic form of South Indian art. It is also known as the Thanjavur style of painting.