Location: 67-km From Chittoor, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh Famous For Having: World's Richest Temple Famous As: A Pilgrimage Centre
Nearby Attractions:Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple, Sri Venugopalaswami Temple, Srikalahasti. Tirupati City is located in the southeastern part of Andhra Pradesh State. It lies about 152-km northwest of Chennai in the Palkonda Hills. Tirupati is known as the abode of the Hindu god Venkateshvara (also spelt as 'Venkatesvara'), "Lord of Seven Hills". About 10-km northwest of Tirupati, at an elevation of 750m, is the sacred hill of Tirumala, which was considered so holy that before 1870 non-Hindus were not permitted to ascend it.
Food: Vegetarian & non-vegetarian dishes are available in hotels ofTirupati. Hotel Bhimas is reasonably reputed for lodging and veg dishes. Peacock restaurant is reputed for non-veg plates. Opp APSRTC Bus Stand Dwaraka & Laksluni Narayan are always crowded by vegetarian dish lovers.
Konai Waterfalls: On Chennai-Uthukottai- Tirupati Rd, if one goes 90 km to the S-West of Chennai, immediately after Nagalpuram one reaches Narayanawanam. Getting down then moving about 2 ken, he will find this waterfall at a deserted place. It can be seen while on the move. Between October to February flow increases in view of rain, whereas during winter visitor increases. According to local legend, Lord Venkateswar a married Padmavati here only. A temple was built to commemorate the event.
Pushpagiri : Pushpagiri, i.e, mountain offlowers. There are 8 well decorated temples on the hill and about a dozen down the hill. Episodes of Gita, Ramayana & Mahabharata are depicted in these temples. Carving is unique. II km to the south of Tirupati is Renigunta & 131 km to the east of Renigunta is Kudappa, 16 km to N-East of Kudappa is Pushpagiri.
Temples in Terupati:
There are 31 temples and 7 kundas in Seven hills. Interested persons can ride a bus from Thirumalai and visit Pap Vinasham Tirtha and can attain emancipation by taking a holy dip in the stream. Akashganga fountain is located on top of this place about 3 km to the south of the temple. Climbing the steps one can see that Ganga flows from Lord Vishnu's feet. Besides this Go-Garbha is 1 km away from the temple where there are hills all around and springs run through them. Small idols of 5 Pandab brothers and impression of Lord Vishnu's foot prints are also found here.
There are numerous temples in Lower Tirupati, i.e, the industrial township ofTirupati- Thirumala. It is said that without the darshan of wife of Lord Balaji Sree Padmavati Devi, i.e, Alamelumangapuram, the visit to Tirupati remains incomplete. There is a golden Vimana on top of it as well as4 lions at 4 corners. Devi Lakshmi made of black stone is in the Garbhagriha, only the two eyes are made of silver. After the wedding Lord along-with the wife lived in theSrinivash Mangapuram, the village 12km to the west of Tirupati. Hence it is a holy place.There is also a temple here.ThetempleofSree Govindarajswami, the brother of Lord Venkatesh was built in 16th century by Nayak Kings.This temple is also attractive looking. There is a museum in the temple-yard Gopuram of the temple is also beautiful. Lower Tirupati also has Kapileswar Temple, holy Kapila Tirtham Pushkarini. The legend is that Lord Shiva himself came down to see Kapil Muni here, in this holy tankcreatedby streamsof hills. Agasthya Swami Templeis 1Okm away & KalyaniDamis 18km away. Interested tourists may visit these places
Transports:
Air: Indian Airlines IC aircraft on 46day leaves Tirupati at 9-20 and arrives Hyderabad at 10-15. It arrives Tirupati at 17-45 from Hyderabad. Jet Aitways 9W aircraft leaves Tirupati at 14-Flemingo dance at Plllikllt Lake a Ph-Tourism Dept. 45 and arrives Hyderabad at 16-05. It arrives at Tirupati from Hyderabad at 12-55.
Train: Tirupati is directly connected by bus and train from hyderabad and Secundarabad. Tirupati is connected by railway with rest of lndia via Renigunta on Bangalore-Chennai railway line. 7406 Krishna Exp leaves Hyderabad at5- 30 and arrives Tirupati (532 km) at 21-30 via Secundrabad (6-05), Vijayawada (13-15), Gudur(19-10); 7429 Royla seema Exp leaves Hyderabad at 17-25 and reaches Tirupati at 9-00 Next day via Raichur(23-17), Guntakol (2-25 nextday), Raniglinta (8-37). 7424 Narayanadri Exp leaves Secundrabad at 18-00 & arrives at Tirupati at 7-30 (next day) via Guntur (23-25), Gudur (5-00, next day), Renigunta (7-05); 7497 Vennkatadri Exp leaves Kacheguda at 20-00 and reaches Tirupati at 8-30 (next day) via Kurnool-Guntakol. 2764 Padmavati Exp leaves Secunderabad (2 4 5 6 7 day) at 19-00 and reaches Tirupati at7-40 (next day). Krishna at 5-30, Padmavati Exp. (13 5 67) at 17-05; Venkatadri at 17-40; Narayanadri Exp at 19-15. Royalseema Exp (18-50) return from. In 6351 Nagerkoel Exp leaves Tirupati at 13-00 (37 days) and reaches Nagerkoel at 6-00 (next day) via Trichi, Madurai- Tirunelveli on 47 day; it returns to Tirupati from Nagerkoel at 4-50. 1081 Mumbai-Kannyakumari Exp leaves Tirupati 16-30 and reches at 12-40. 6354 Mumbai Exp leaves Tirupati at 21-40 (15 day). From Mumbai Tirupati Exp returns to Tirupati at 12-1O (26day).
6057 Saptagiri Exp leaves Chennai at 6-25 and reaches Tirupati at 9-30 at a distance of 147 km. 6053 Tirupati Exp reaches at 17-00 from Chennai at 13-50, 6203 Intercity Exp reaches Tirupati at 20-00 from Chennai Central at 16-30. Saptagiri Chennai Exp Intercity Exp leaves Tirupati at 17-20,9-55 &6-45. 6359 Ernakulam- Tirupati- Varanasi-Patna-Rajendranagar Exp leave Emakulam on Saturday & Rajendranagaron Tuesday and travel via Guntakol & Tirupati. 214 Tirupati-Mysore Fast Pass leaves Tirupati at 22-30 and reaches Mysore (514 km) next day at I I-10 via Reniguntal Katpudil Bangalore. From Howrah 7479 Tirupati Exp leaves at 23-40 reaches Tirupati (1650 km) at 16-00 on the day following the next day via Gudur (1525 km) at 13-55. It returns Howrah at 9-45 (7480 Howrah Exp). From Gudur on Howrah-Chennai rly line Tirupati can be reached by bus! train. Gudur In is 294 km from Vijayawadaand 138 km ahead of Chennai. From Gudur at 0-15, 3-00, 5-00, 5-38, 9-17,14-00, 17-30, 19-10,22-45 the train leaves for Tirupati, 8439 Puri- Tirupati leaves Puri every Friday at 8-45 & reaches Tirupati at 8-10 (next day) via Khurda Rd, Brahmapur- Vijayawada-Gudur. It returns to Puri leaving Tirupati on Saturday 14-50.7487 Tirumala Exp leaves Tirupati I9-30 and reaches Visakhapatm at 10-30 via Vijayawada- Kakinada, it returns Tirupati from leaving Vlshakhapatnarn at 14-10.7315 Haripriya Exp leaves T.irupati at .18-50 and reaches Kohlapurat I6-20 (next day) Via Bellan (3-43), Hospet (5-13), Gadag (6-41), Hubli (8-30), Londa (10-30), Mirage (15-00). Haripriyaretums Tirupati from Kohlapur at 13-05. Moreover Guntakol-Tirupati VenkatadriExp& Pass, Bellari-Tirupati Pass, Bhillupurarn- Tirupati Pass, Katpadi- Tirupati Pass, Pondichery- Tirupati Pass also reach Tirupati & return respective places as usual.
Buses: From Gowliguda bus terminus Hyderabad Govt. buses and from railway station private buses travel to Tirupati in 9 hr's. However it is convenient to board the APSRTC buses from TIC bus stand in Chennai for Tirupati. First starts at 4-30 and last service at 20-00. Bus leaves at an interval of 1 hr. The distance by road from Chennai to Tirupati is 170 km via Renigunta. Fare Rs 70 to 175 depending on the quality of service. From Chennai, one can return on the sameday after visiting Tirupati. The distance by road from Tirupati. Gudur (94 km), Bangalore (260), Hyderabad (617), Vijayawada (385 km).
From Nellore one can reach Nayudupet by bus along NH-5. The distance is 65 km. Tirupati is another 65 km from here. Regularbus services are available on this route. Srikalhasti is 28 km away from Nayadupet.
TIDC, ITDC, APTDC, organise conducted tour by bus from Chennai everyday by Deluxe and AC buses. The cost is Rs 540 (deluxe) and Rs 675 (AC bus) including Darshan. They return Chennai in the same evening. Time of return to Chennai varies depending on the time taken for Darshan. TIDC arranges night package at Rs 350, APTDC offers 2 days package. From Hyderabad, every Friday APTDC offers 4days package to Tirupati at a cost of Rs 1000. APTDC also offers package to Tirupati from Bangalore, Coimbatore etc. But since the distances of all these places from Tirupati are more, it is better to go for the package from Chennai, APSRTC buses ply between lower Tirupati and hills very frequently from early in the morning to night. APSRTC/TTC/PAT offer frequent services to Chennai available between 5-30-20-30; to Bangalore 6-00, 7-00,10-00, 11-OO, 13-00, 18-30; to Pondichery 9-30 & 13-00; to Kannyakumari. 13-45; to Mysore 21-30; to Madurai 16-30, 19-30. Despite such frequent services, the bus tickets are always in great demand. The queue becomes longer & longer. Hence on way back it is better to stay overnight after confirming return journey. Clock -room services are available in both bus stand & railway station for 24 hours.
