Tirupati

The chief attraction of Tirupati tourism centres round the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam which is one of the most revered sites of Hindu pilgrimage. Its presiding deity is Lord Balaji or Venkateshwara or Vishnu whose effigy is adorned with extravagant jewellery and is considered as the richest shrine of India. The temple is located atop the Seshachalam Range of Seven Hills in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Tirumala temple is considered as one of the most venerated places to see in Tirupati as Lord Venkateshwara grants every wish of his followers made in this holy site. In return devotees donate their hair to the deity as a mark of gratitude. Timing: There is no fixed timing for visit. Special puja timing is 5:30am -7am. Best time to visit: September- February is the best time to visit Tirumala Tirupati temple when the climate is pleasant with intermittent showers in November and December. Summer months are torrid with high humidity which makes travelling difficult at daytime. Location: S. Mada St.Tirumala Tirupati Andhra Pradesh 517504Price: Entry fees for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam is Rs. 20 per person, Rs. 100 and Rs. 300 as SED (Special Entry Darshan).

Sri Venkateswara Temple is probably the most acclaimed religious place to visit in Tirupati which is crammed by tourists and pilgrims round the year. The temple consists of various complexes inside its premises all of which are dedicated to Lord Venkateswara/Vishnu/Balaji who is the presiding deity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. The temple which dates back to the 12th century is considered as one of the wealthiest and holiest temples of the world encountering an approximate traffic of 50,000 pilgrims every day. Due to such massive traffic entering the Venkateswara temple is an elaborate process. Visitors have to pass through a series of interconnected holes that lead to the main sanctum. The activities of the temple include hair tonsuring, offering prayers,prasadam, hundi, tulabharam and arjitha seva. Timings: The chief attraction of Venkateswara temple is its Vishesh Puja which is held from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. everyday. Best time to visit: The busiest months of temple activities are September and October when the Brahmotsavam festival is held with great pomp. It is also the best time to visit the temple.Location: S Mada St. Tirumala, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh- 517504

For the devotees of Lord Shiva, Srikalahasti is one of the most highlighted places to visit in 2 days’ Tirupati trip. It is located at a distance of about 36 Km from the main temple. The Srikalahasti Temple was built in 1516 by the distinguished ruler of the Vijaynagar Empire, Krishnadevaraya. It is also referred to as the Kailasa/Kashi of the south as both are popular pilgrim sites of the Shaivites. The intricately carved interiors and bejewelled gopurams of Srikalahasti Temple is a living testimony of Chola architecture. The temple represents one of the five earth elements i.e. vayu (air). Here the shrine of Lord Shiva is worshipped in a form of vayu linga as a representative of vayu (wind). It is believed that the place where the temple stands is where Lord Shiva rendered salvation to Kannappa, one of the 63 Shaivite Nayanars. The divine ambiance inside the sanctum of Srikalahasti Temple, bejewelled shrines and sombre rituals performed to the deity will certainly immerse you into a spiritual trance. Best time to visit: The best time to visit Srikalahasti Temple is between November to March when the climate is suitable for sightseeing.Timings: Temple timings are between 6:00 am- 9 pm every day.Location: Srikalahasti- Tirupati Road, Chittoor dist, Andhra Pradesh

The TTD gardens in Tirupati is a slice of lush retreat with manicured landscapes and ornately decorated gardens. The garden sprawls over an area of 462 acres in Tirupati and Tirumala and provides flowers to all the temples in Tirupati from its cultivation. It is believed that the great Vaishnav saint Sri Ramanuja and his disciple Sri Anandalwar first started planting trees in this garden in the 14th century. Legends have it that the flowers of this garden were cultivated by Sattada SriVaishnava under the guise of Dasa Nambis who made flowered wreaths for the temple in Tirumala-Tirupati. The massive garden hosts an array of colourful hybrid varieties of bougainvilleas, hibiscus, crotons and other flowers that is certainly a sight to behold. The park houses nurseries at four different areas namely Tirumala at Travellers Bangalore, Gogarbham Dam, Padmavathi Guest House and Divyanamam where approximately 10 lakh plants are cultivated annually. It also hosts annual flower shows and Pushpa Yagnam where rare and exotic varieties of flowers are kept for public display. Best time to visit: You can visit the garden round the year as different flowers bloom in different seasons which makes the garden look beautiful. Timings: Everyday between 6AM- 6PMLocation: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh-517504

Located at a proximity to the Tirumala temple, Akashganga Theertham is of great religious significance to the devotees. It is also a picturesque tourist destination which is visited by nature lovers from different parts of the country. Followers believe taking a dip in the plunge pool of this holy waterfall washes one of their sins. Akashganga Theertham is known for retaining its water throughout the year. The main abhishekam (bathing) ritual of the deities of Tirumala temple is performed in the waters of the Akashganga waterfall. According to popular belief the waters of Akash Ganga waterfall originates from the lotus feet of Ananda Neelayam.Best time to visit: You can visit this place at any time of the year as water flows down the cataract at equal speed in all seasons.Price: There is no entry fee. Timings: Timings of visit are 9m -6pm every day. Location: Akashganga Dam, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh- 517504

Located at a stone's throw distance of 4 Km from Tirupati Kapila Theertham is a fascinating waterfall at the base of the Seshadri Hills. Glistening white waters plunging down a height of 100 metres to form a pool inside the premises of the Kapileshwar Temple is a spectacle to witness. Kapeela Theertham is the main temple of Lord Shiva in Tirupati in which the Shiva Lingam is made of metal. As you enter the sanctum of the temple you will be awestruck to see the massive stone effigy of Nandi- Lord Shiva’s bull. Kapila Theertham is visited by a large number of followers on special occasions like Annabhishekam, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayaga Chaturthi and Brahmotsavam. Among these festivals Kapileswara Swamy Brahmotsavam is the most significant one which is celebrated throughout the span of February. Best time to visit: During the rainy season between November- February.Timings: Timings of visit are from 5 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. everyday.Location: Srinivasa Nagar, NGO Colony, Tirupati Andhra Pradesh- 517507.

The massive fort of Chandragiri with its massive palaces namely the Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal is among the best places to visit in Tirupati. Located amidst lush greenery in the Chittoor district it offers a great trekking destination for adventure enthusiasts. The Chandragiri Fort is a brilliant specimen of the Indo- Saracenic architecture which dates back to the 11th century. The unique feature of the fort is its construction with brick, lime mortar and stone devoid of any timber in the entire edifice.  Under the reign of the Yadava Naidus, Chandragiri Fort reached a milestone in Indian history as the fourth and the last capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Such rich heritage attracts tourists from various parts of the country to this place. You can see the ruins of the Rani and Raja Mahal in the fort although more than 800 temples of the Shaiva and Vaishnava communities are ruined completely. At present the Raja Mahal Palace is used as an archaeological museum and is an attraction for history buffs. .  Best time to visit: Winter months (December- March) is the ideal time to visit. Timings: Timings of visit are from 10 am- 8:45 pm everyday (except Friday). Price: Entry fee is Rs. 20 per person for adults (sound and light show) Rs. 10 for children (sound and light show) and Rs. 100 for family.Location: Chandragiri Fort Road, Chandragiri, Andhra Pradesh- 517101.

The ISKCON Temple at Tirupati is one of the major pilgrim sites of India and a centre for propagating the philosophy of Lord Krishna and teachings of Bhagavad Gita. Its founder is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The Swami is a disciple of the unbroken chain of successors of Lord Krishna and a leading exponent of Vedic culture and theology. The inauguration of the temple was done on April 10, 1984 through installation of the “Archa Vigraha” of Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Besides being an important religious site the Iskcon Temple undertakes various programs for the upliftment of the underprivileged masses. It is widely recognised by students, scholars, theologians and common people as a leading organisation for spiritual and social welfare.Best time to visit: You can visit the temple at any time of the year.Timings: Temple timings are from 4:15 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Price: There is no entry fee to visit the temple.Location: Chenna Reddy Colony, Marri Chenna Reddy Colony, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh- 517501