Situated on the seventh hilltop of Tirumala, and located about 60 miles south of Amma s Penusila Ashram, is the temple of Lord Venkateswara the most visited place of worship in the world, and center of Hinduism. Lord Venkateswara, or Balaji as He is commonly known, is a form of Lord Vishnu who out of His Love for all incarnated in this age, the Kali Yuga, to uplift and relieve the suffering of humanity. His name translates as the Destroyer of Sins, and Lord Venkateswara (left) is praised unequivocally in the Hindu scriptures as the one who grants all kinds of wealth, and who can be sought for attaining moksha, or spiritual liberation. The murti, or statue, of the Lord found here stands majestically at 8 feet in height, adorned with gold and diamond ornaments. More exceptional yet, the deity itself is Svayambhu, or self born no sculptor is credited with creating or installing the form of the Lord found here, rather it is a manifestation of the Divine. Devotees find peace and indescribable bliss in Lord Venkateswara s company it is difficult to imagine a greater blessing in one s lifetime than to behold His glory in Amma s Divine Presence.
The Tirumala Venkateswara Swamy Temple houses the awe-inspiring Deity and is located on the Venkatadri hilltop, which is believed to be part of a celestial mountain brought to the earth from Lord Vishnu s heavenly realm, Vaikunta. The ancient shrine has its roots in Vaishnavism, a sect of Hinduism advocating the principles of equality and love. In 2007, the temple surpassed the Vatican as the most visited place of worship, and today it hosts anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 visitors, daily a number which soars up to 500,000 during festival times. Lord Venkateswara resides in the Garbha Griha, or inner sanctum, of the temple, where He stands beneath an intricately fashioned, gold-plated dome called the Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana (right). The gilt dome acts like an antenna, attracting & transmitting an abundance of cosmic energy to visitors, charging their bodies with spiritual energy and eradicating their karma.
According to the Sthala Purana and several ancient Indian legends, Lord Venkateswara is an incarnation of Maha Vishnu, who after descending to earth meets and weds Padmavathi Devi, a divine manifestation of the Goddess Maha Lakshmi. In order to finance their glorious marriage ceremony, the Lord borrows a considerable amount of money from Kubera, the most wealthy among the Gods. Out of remembrance for this divine wedding and to repay the Lord s loan, visitors to the temple often leave gifts or make deposits in the Temple s Hundi, or donation pot. Throughout the ages, rulers from each of the southern subcontinent s great dynasties paid homage at the Lord s shrine. Their substantial offerings of gold and diamonds contributed to the temple s current status as one of the world s richest places of worship. The base of the temple s gold-plated Dhvajastambha, or banner post, can be found illuminated by the glow from hundreds of ghee lamps (right). And on occasion, a bejeweled Lord Venkateswara is seen wearing His diamond-studded kiritam, or crown (left). While the affluence of this spiritual center can be glimpsed in its material objects, they remain only a symbol of the Lord s True Wealth.
No visit to this sacred place of pilgrimage is complete without receiving the blessings of Sri Padmavathi Devi, the consort of Lord Venkateswara and an incarnation of the Goddess Lakshmi. As Her name suggests, Padmavathi Devi is said to have been born out of a lotus blossom near the present-day temple erected in Her name. Sri Padmavathi Ammavaru Temple can be found in the town of Tiruchanoor, about 3 miles from the foot of the Tirumala Hills. This holy site hosts millions of pilgrims yearly, making it one of the most visited places dedicated to the Goddess of Wealth in all of India. Festivals celebrating the glory and inexhaustible love of Padmavathi Devi are held regularly throughout the year. On Her birthday, She is offered mountains of flowers (right) and a variety of enchanting gifts from Lord Venkateswara. On other occasions the Goddess is escorted onto the Padma Sarovaram, the temple s holy water tank, by illuminated floats (below).
Cascading down the sacred foothills of Tirumala, Kapila Theertham emerges from the picturesque landscape and can be seen on the way to Lord Venkateswara s shrine. These natural waterfalls are named after the great sage Kapila Maharishi, who is said to have spent years in meditation and worship of the Lord Shiva in a nearby cave. Today the only Shiva Temple in Tirupati stands at the entrance to the sage s cave, and countless visitors come to wash away their sins in the adjoining falls.
The vibrant Tirumala countryside abounds with holy Theerthams, or sacred tanks, waterfalls, and lakes. Bathing in these holy Theerthams is said to confer a variety of blessings to the devout and rinse away all kinds of negativity. Situated alongside the shrine of Lord Venkatewswara is the most celebrated Theertham, the Swami Pushkarini. This pool of water (below) is believed to have been brought down from the Heavens and contain the waters of all holy rivers, including the Ganges. A dip in these celestial waters has the power to heal the sick, fulfill wishes, and cleanse sins.
Easily recognized by its imposing seven-story Gopuram (right), the Govinda Raja Swamy Temple is the home of Lord Venkateswara s older brother. The temple boasts two main shrines one of which is dedicated to a reclining Lord Vishnu, for whom the temple is named. The other hosting Sri Parathasarathi, Lord Krishna as Arjuna s Charioteer. The shrine to Govinda Raja Swamy was consecrated by Saint Sri Ramanuja in the 1130 AD, however other parts of the sanctuary date back to the ninth century.
Known for its historical wealth, Chandragiri Fort was constructed near the start of last millennium and has since witnessed the rule of many South Indian dynasties. Chandragiri initially served the Yadavaraya rulers and later the Vijyanagara kings, as evidenced by an on-site statue of Krishnadevaraya the legendary ruler was also a patron of Lord Venkateswara s shrine. The main structure to be found on the hill is the Raja Mahal, or King s Palace (left). This three-story palace is an exemplary display of the period s Hindu architecture and was constructed from stone, brick, and lime mortar completely neglecting use of timber. The edifice has since been converted into a museum while maintaining the palace s regal flair, promising that visitors to Chandragiri will enjoy both the ornately fashioned interior as well as the slue of historic artifacts on display in the fort. Chandragiri literally means Moon-Hill and at night the center comes alive with a show of lights (right). The Queen s Palace, or Rani Mahal, as well as the ruins of several temples can be found while exploring the Chandragiri s campus.
This mysterious rock arch is one of the only of its kind in Asia and dates back to the pre-cambrian age, suggesting an antiquity of several million years to the Tirumala Hills. Sila Thoranam (right), as the archway is known, translates as the garland of stone and many legends hold that the formation has an ethereal connection to Lord Venkateswara. The natural spectacle was discovered during excavations in the 1980 s when the archway connecting two dissimilar sets of rock was found. There are only two other known natural rock bridges in the world today of such great age, and Sila Thoranam is the oldest in India. The Sri Venkateswara Museum (left) holds a vast collection of temple artwork, textiles, musical instruments, divine sculptures, pottery, photographs and is a storehouse of historic details for curious visitors to Tirupati. The Temple s decorative landscape and gardens occupy over 450 acres of land across Tirumala and Tirupati. The gardens meet the extraordinary demand of providing fresh flowers for the daily worship in each temple across Tirumala. Flowers are also supplied for garland-making and used to decorate the shrines and processional floats of the God s at festival times.