| The historic and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is | | | | Temple now. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam was |
| located on the seventh peak of the Tirupati Hill. The | | | | established in 1932 as a result of the Tirumala Tirupati |
| temple of Sri Venkateswara fondly known as Balaji | | | | Devasthanams Act of 1932. According to the act, |
| temple has acquired unique sanctity in Indian religious | | | | administration of the temple was vested to a |
| lore. The benefits acquired by a pilgrimage to Tirupathi | | | | committee of seven members and overseen by a |
| Balaji are mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa | | | | paid commissioner as appointed by the Madras |
| Puranas. In these epics, Sri Venkateswara is described | | | | Government. |
| as the great bestower of boons. There are several | | | | The temple is the world's richest in terms of the wealth |
| legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord | | | | of offerings and gifts given by visiting pilgrims. On |
| at Tirumala. According to the tradition this temple has a | | | | average around 60,000 pilgrims per day visit the |
| self manifested idol of Vishnu and it is believed that | | | | temple, and on special occasions up to 3,00,000 per |
| Vishnu will reside on earth for the entire kaliyugam on | | | | day. |
| tirumala hills. For this reason it attracts Hindus from | | | | Mandala Color Healing |
| across the world and is the most visited religious place | | | | Tirumala possibly has the most elaborate arrangement |
| in the world. | | | | in India to sequence and guide visiting devotees |
| All the great dynasties of rulers of the southern | | | | through the holy shrine. Individual devotees are required |
| peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri | | | | to register at any of the many offices situated near |
| Venkateswara in this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of | | | | the main shrine, at the local rail and bus stations in |
| Kancheepuram, the Cholas of Thanjavur, the Pandyas | | | | Tirumala and Tirupati as well as at Tirumala Tirupati |
| of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar | | | | Devasthanams offices in other key cities like |
| (14th - 15th century AD) were devotees of the Lord. It | | | | Hyderabad and Chennai. On registration, devotees are |
| was during the rule of the Vijayanagar dynasty that | | | | provided with a bar-coded wristband with the |
| the contributions to the temple increased. Sri | | | | expected time and date of entry into the Vaikuntam |
| Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his | | | | Queue Complex. Typically, devotees spend between |
| consorts installed at the portals of the temple, and | | | | 70 to 190 minutes going through the Queue complex, |
| these statues can be seen to this day. | | | | depending on the season. The delay increases during |
| Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is an independent | | | | weekends, festival periods and special temple puja |
| trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara | | | | periods. |