subject: Holy Summons From Tirupati [print this page] Many a devotee adds to the already swelling numbers of pilgrims going on a trip to Tirupati. This holy city lies nestled at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats and its main claim to fame is the opulent temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara Swamy. This is one of the richest temples in the word if not the richest. In addition, the city of Tirupati is also dotted with quite a few revered temples. While visiting Tirupati, many travellers also make it a point to check out the famed destinations of Kanchipuram and Vellore. Here follows some more on tourist places in Tirupati as well as some information on Kanchipuram and Vellore.
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (A Little Background on the Temples Location)
It goes without saying that the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at the nearby hill town of Tirumala is the nucleus of Tirupati tourism. The Tirumala Hills have seven peaks and are the second oldest rock mountains in the world. These seven peaks represent Adiseshas seven heads and are called Seshachalam. The names of the seven peaks are Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri, and Venkatadri. The temple stands on Venkatadri, which is the seventh peak. This peak is also called Venkatachala or Venkata Hill, while the temple is known as the "Temple of Seven Hills" as well. This destination is so highly revered that any reference to Tirupati attractions is synonymous with the temple.
About Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
Before planning your Tirupati trip, you will do well to know that non hindus rarely get to visit the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. Despite this fact, this temple continues to feature in the travel planner of countless pilgrims. The main deity here is of Lord Venkateswara, who is a form of the god Vishnu of the the holy Hindu trinity. Some of the other names for Lord Venkateswara are Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. The temple is situated on the southern banks of the holy water tank called the Sri Swami Pushkarini. It is said to be the richest center for pilgrimage in the world after the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Another interesting fact is that in terms of devotees, it is the worlds most visited holy spot. In fact, on a daily basis some 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims flock to the temple. This means almost 30 to 40 million visitors every year. These huge numbers swell to an overwhelming figure of some 500,000 during specific occasions. Just one example is the yearly event of Brahmotsavam. Easy to see, that a Tirupati tour for darshan at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is like an experience of a lifetime.
Other Attractions on a Tirupati Tour
It is true that most travellers plan a trip to Tirupati for darshan at the Venkateswara Temple. However, there are dozens other attractions as well such as Swami Pushkarini Lake, Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple, Sri Annapurna Sameta Kasi Visweswaraswami Temple, and Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple to name just a few. So, be rest assured that you can look forward to packed schedule, while finalising your travel planner.
Tourist Places near Tirupati
When you plan your tour, you are likely to want to check out other close by attractions. Well, amongst quite a few choices, you can also take your pick from Vellore and Kanchipuram, which are two famous tourist places near Tirupati.
Kailasanathar Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple, and Ekambeshwarar Temple. You can do this journey by road. It will take you some two to three hours if you travel by one of the Tirupati to Kanchipuram buses.
Trip to Vellore
The distance between Tirupati and Vellore is some 105 km. Travellers often go on a Tirupati to Vellore trip to check out attractions such as Vellore Fort, Amirthi Zoological Park, and Sripuram Golden Temple. For transport, you can either go by road or catch one of the direct Tirupati to Vellore trains.
