Tirupati, the holy city is located in the southeastern part of Andhra Pradesh, Known as the abode of the ‘Kaliyuga’ deity Lord Venkateswara popularly known as Balaji, Tirupati is famous for the Venkateswara temple in the sacred Tirumala hills at an elevation of 860m. One of the most important pilgrimage centers in India, the temple draws millions of pilgrims and is believed to be the busiest pilgrimage centre in the world. In fact, the government has proposed to give special status to the town on the lines of the Vatican. Lying at the southern tip of the Eastern ghats in Andhra Pradesh, the district has a number of perennial water falls and vast forest cover. Tirupati town itself, has several temples and is famous for its red wooden toys, copper and brass idols. Tirupati has for centuries remained a destination divine and this feeling grows on one as one goes round the various temples and spots of natural beauty surrounding this major town. Around 700 kms from Hyderabad, Tirupati is situated amidst the lush green Eastern Ghats in Chittoor district.

Tirupati Temple Darshan Timings

• Sarva Darshan: 8:30 am to 12:00 am.
• Divya Darshan ( Footpath Darshan): 8:30 am to 12:00 am
• Senior Citizen Darshan: 10:00 am and 3:00 pm
• Under 1-year baby Darshan: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• NRI Darshan: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Special Entry Darshan ( Rs.300 ticket): 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Donors Darshan: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Srivari Sevaks Darshan: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Under 5 years baby Darshan (Only on Lean Wed): 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
• Kalyanotsavam Ticket: After 12:00 pm Kalyanam
• Sahasra Deepalankar Seva: After 6:30 pm Seva.

How To Go

• Air: Tirupati airport is 15 km from the city. Flights to Tirupati are available from Hyderabad, New Delhi and Mumbai.
• Rail: Tirupati railway station is the centre of the town. It has good rail links with Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad etc.
• Road: APSRTC buses run from all the important places in the south & between Tirupati-Tirumala. There are two bus stations, Sri Venkateshwara & Sri Padmavathy.

Places To Visit In Tirupati

• Sri Venkateswara Temple: Sri Venkateshwara Temple is the most revered and celebrated temple of Tirupati having tourists and pilgrims flooding in all year long. This is one of the holiest and the wealthiest temples in the world and millions of devotees flock here to pay their reverence. Around 50,000 pilgrims visit the temple every day, which is a massive number. Hence, a whole procedure has been planned and set up which effectively ends at the shrine for darshan. The entry for the Darshan is through Vaikuntam Queue Complex which is a series of interconnected halls that leads to the main temple. These halls are clean and comfortable with the various facilities provided.
• Akasaganga Teertham: Akasaganga Teertham is a waterfall in Tirupati, located at a distance of 3 km from the main temple. The waterfall has water flowing all throughout the year and holds immense religious significance. Pilgrims can also pay homage to the Devi temple situated very close to the waterfall. During the monsoons, the waterfall is a beautiful sight to the eyes.
• Vedadri Narasimha Swamy Temple: This temple lies at a distance of 70 km from Tirupati and was constructed by Sir Krishna Deva Raya. It holds great mythological importance and is believed to be the site where Lord Vishnu battled with Rasksash Somakadu, won and took over the vedas from him.
• Silathoranam: One of the natural marvels that history left behind, the Silathoranam, now, finds itself being an important landmark in archaeology and heritage. This is a natural rock formation, one of the only three of this kind in the world. While geology and archaeology foster a number of theories, the rock formation is also tied to beliefs of its connection with the idol of Lord Venkateswara. The rock formation is a national monument and is protected by the State Government.
• Padmavati Temple: In Tiruchanur, about 3 km south of Tirupati is the temple of goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara (Balaji). The large temple is also known as ‘Alamelumangapuram’ and it is said that a visit to Tirumala is fruitful only after visiting the Sri Padmavati Devi temple.
• Sri Govindaraja Swami Temple: One of the most important temples in the heart of Tirupati is Sri Govindaraja Swami Temple, which was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD. It is built by the Nayakas, the successors to the Vijayanagar empire. The temple has an impressive outer gopuram.