Tirumala Venkateswara Temple: Legend, History and Pilgrim Guide

Above the town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, the Seshachalam range rises in a line of seven peaks, and on one of them stands the temple of Venkateswara. He is Vishnu in the form of Srinivasa, “he in whom Shri dwells”, and he is also called Balaji and Govinda. Pilgrims come from every part of India and from abroad, and the temple is counted among the most visited places of worship anywhere. This page tells the legend, summarises what historians say, and gives the practical points that do not go out of date.

The hill and its names

Tirupati is the town at the foot and Tirumala is the hill and the temple settlement above. The seven peaks are called the Saptagiri, and tradition names them as the seven hoods of the serpent Adisesha, on whom Vishnu rests. Seshachalam, the hill of Sesha, takes its name from that. The temple itself is called the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, and the deity is worshipped in a standing form with four arms, with the conch and discus in the upper hands.

The legend

The most widely told story begins with the sage Bhrigu, who was asked to judge which of the three great gods deserved first honour at a sacrifice. When he came to Vishnu, who was resting, he kicked the god on the chest, the place where Lakshmi dwells. Vishnu received the insult gently and pressed the sage’s foot. Lakshmi was hurt, however, and left the heavenly realm, Vaikuntha, to live on earth.

Vishnu went in search of her and came to the hills of Venkata as Srinivasa. In this telling he lived near a tank, now the Swami Pushkarini, and married Padmavati, the daughter of a local king. The tradition tells that he borrowed a large sum from Kubera, the god of wealth, for the wedding, and that pilgrims’ gifts are a way of helping to repay the loan. Many devotees like this idea, and it is a devotional story and not a financial teaching. Lakshmi and Padmavati are honoured in the tradition, and the Padmavati temple at Tiruchanur at the foot of the hills is traditionally visited as part of the pilgrimage.

There are other versions. In some the deity first appeared in a very different form, and in some the story of the borrowing is told differently. Read all of them as sacred story.

History

Historians agree on a few things. The hill was famous in the early Tamil literature of the Sangam period as the northern border of the Tamil country, called Venkatam. The Alvars, the Vaishnava poets of the first millennium, sang of the Lord of Venkatam in the hymns collected in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, which makes it one of the 108 Divya Desams in Sri Vaishnava tradition. The temple received gifts and inscriptions from the Pallavas, Cholas and later the Vijayanagara kings. Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara, in the early sixteenth century, is recorded as a notable patron who visited several times and gave generous gifts. Ramanuja, the Vaishnava teacher of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, is linked in tradition and in later records with the organisation of the worship. Where the earliest origin lies is a matter of tradition, and we give no date for it.

Today the temple is managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, called the TTD, a statutory trust, which also runs schools, hospitals and a large food service.

What visitors do

• Darshan. Pilgrims queue to see the deity. The arrangements, bookings and the order of the lines are set by the TTD and change often, so read its official website and no other.
• Hair offering. Many devotees offer their hair, called tonsure, as a gift of the ego or as thanks for a vow fulfilled. It is entirely voluntary, and the temple provides facilities for it.
• Prasad. The temple is known for its laddu prasad. It is distributed through the temple’s own counters, and you should avoid buying it from the road.
• The climb. Some pilgrims walk up from Tirupati by one of the footpaths, and it is a devotion in its own right. It is long and steep. If you have a heart or joint condition, or are elderly, ask your doctor first and take the road.
• Festivals. The annual Brahmotsavam in the autumn and Vaikuntha Ekadashi in winter are the largest days, and bring very large crowds. Our Ekadashi guide explains the Ekadashi tithis, and the Hindu calendar gives the months.

How to get there

• Airport: Tirupati airport at Renigunta, about fifteen kilometres from the town.
• Railway: Tirupati station, a major junction with trains from many cities. Renigunta junction is nearby.
• Road: buses and taxis run up the ghat road to Tirumala from Tirupati.

Etiquette

Dress modestly, in traditional wear where the temple requires it, and follow the rules at the entrance, which include checks on bags, phones and footwear. Only use the TTD’s own website and counters to book a visit or a room. Be wary of touts on the road. We do not quote timings, fees, ticket prices or quotas, which are fixed by the TTD and are revised from time to time.

Prayers for the pilgrim

The Venkateshwara Suprabhatam, the dawn hymn sung in the temple’s tradition, has its own page: see the Venkateshwara Suprabhatam. The Vishnu Sahasranama and the Narayana Suktam are also chanted for the Lord of the seven hills, and the story of Vishnu’s forms is told on our Dashavatara pages.

Related pages

• Pilgrimage guides
• Char Dham
• Mallikarjuna jyotirlinga at Srisailam
• Venkateshwara Suprabhatam
• Vishnu Sahasranama
• The Dashavatara

Frequently asked questions