The
best introduction that you can give to Tirupati is that it is the 'Abode
of Lord Venkateswara'. Located in Andhra Pradesh, this temple town
attracts devotees from all over. Needless to say, it is the Lord
Venkateswara Temple, more commonly the Tirupati Balaji Temple, which has
served as its most popular attraction. The lush green beauty surrounding
the temple, situated atop the Tirumala Hill, only serves to add to its
reverence. However, apart from the sacred shrine, there are a number of
other tourist attractions in Tirupati that engage visitors' interest. In
the following lines, we will provide you with information about the
places to see in Tirupati. Tirupati Balaji Temple (Sri Venkateswara Temple)
The main, most prominent, most revered and most visited tourist destination in Tirupati is Sri Venkateswara Temple, more popularly known as Tirupati Balaji Temple. Located atop the Tirumala Hill, the temple enshrines a mesmerizing idol of the Lord, made completely of gold and ornamented with a magnificent crown. Built as per the Dravidian style of architecture, Venkateswara Temple stands adorned with a splendid gopuram and a beautiful vimana (cupola). The temple claims the distinction of being the richest temple of the world today.
Sri Govindrajaswamy Temple
After Tirupati Balaji Temple, Sri Govindrajaswamy Temple is the shrine that is most visited by the devotees coming to the temple town. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu's incarnation, Lord Krishna. However, there are also temples of Sri Andal, Sri Parthasarathy and Sri Venkateswara inside its premises. The temple was sanctified by Saint Ramanujacharya in the year 1130 and has been attracting devotees since then. Its huge and magnificent spire only adds to the lure.
Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple
Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple is the lone temple in Tirupati that is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of three Gods forming the Hindu Trinity. It is located at the base of the Tirumala Hills and has been adorned with exquisite architectural beauty. One of the major attractions of the temple comprises of Kapila Teertham, a natural waterfall that is also known as Alwar Teertham.
Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple
Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple is another popular shrine, situated right in the middle of Tirupati. An ancient temple, built way back in the 10th century, it stands dedicated to the 'Ram Parivar', comprising of Lord Rama, Mata Sita and Shri Lakshmana. As per the local legends, Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple was built to commemorate the journey of Lord Rama to Tirupati. The construction work of the temple was done under the aegis of a Chola king. Standing opposite the temple is the shrine dedicated to Lord Anjaneyaswami (Hanuman), making the 'Ram Parivar' complete.
Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple
Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple, as the name suggests, is dedicated to Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swami. It is situated in Srinivasa Mangapuram, on Tirupati-Madanapalli Road, at a distance of around 12 km from Tirupati. As per the legends, Venkateswaraswami stayed on the banks of the river Kalyani for six months, while proceeding to Tirumala Hills. This happened after his Kalyanam with Goddesses Padmavathi Devi, at Narayana Vanam.
Tiruchanur
Another popular attraction near Tirupati is Tiruchanur. Located at a distance of around 5 km from the town, it is known for being home to the temple of Sri Padmavathi Devi (Goddess Lakshmi), the consort of Sri Venkateswara. It is said that a visit to Tirupati temple is incomplete without a visit to Sri Padmavati Devi Temple. Other attractions of Trichanur include Sri Krishnaswamy Temple, Sri Sundara Rajaswamivari Temple and Sri Suryanarayana Swamivari Temple.