Tirupati Balaji Temple in South India

Tirupati Balaji is accredited for being the most visitedenvironment near the hills.
pilgrimages centers in India. It is located at the distanceArchitecture of Tirupati temple :
of 67 km away from Chittoor in Chittoor district ofTirupati Balaji is said to be one of th richest temple in
southern Andhra Pradesh and 170 km north east ofthe world. The temple present one of the finest
Chennai. The temple is dedicated to Lordexamples of the Dravidian style of architecture. A lot
Venkateshwara or Vishnu, visited by thousands ofof dynasties have contributed to the development of
pilgrims through out the year. The word 'Tirupati' isthe Tirupati Balaji. The temple is adorned with the
derived on the name of the village located on thebeautiful 'gopuram' or tower. The 'Vimana' or Cupola
Venkata Hill means 'the Lord of Lakshmi'. With itsover the sanctum sanctorum is gliters with gold plate
many shrines and numerous dharamshalas the wholeand is known as "the Ananda Nilayam". The main
are surrounding the Tirumala Hill offers a fascinatinghighlight of the temple is the idol of Lord
insight of the contemporary Hinduism practiced on theVenkateswara or 'Venkataramana' or 'Srinivasa' that
large scale in India.has the attributes of both Vishnu and Shiva, preserving
History of Tirupati Temple :and destroying aspects of the Hindu trinity.
The history of Tirupati temple dates back to the 9thSermons and Festivals :
century when Pallavas, the rulers of Kancheepuram,Devotees make a visit to the Tirumala to see
established this shrine on the Tirumala hill. But theVenkateshwara, an avatar of Vishnu. The temple still
temple got recognized during the rule of thepractice the rituals and sermons that were prescribed
Vijayanagara rulers. It was during this time when theby Ramanuja Acharya in the 12th century. The day
temple got lot of wealth. One of the Vijayanagar kingsstarts with 'Suprabhatam' at 3 am in the morning and
Krishnadevaraya installed idols of himself and hisand ends with the 'Ekanta Seva' at 1 am during the
spouse at the portals of the Tirupati temple. They arenight, when the Lord is made to sleep. Pilgrims are
still present in Tirupati along with a statue ofseen donating their hair to the deity, in gratitude for a
Venkatapati Raya in the main temple. From 1843 towish fulfilled or to renounce ego - so hundreds of
1943 AD, the administrative activities of the templebarbers attend to devotees.
were overseen by the Mahants of the Hatiramji Mutt.Brahmotsavam' is the most important festival of
At present Tirumala Tirupati temple is managed andTirupati, celebrated every year in the month of
controlled by the TTD (Tirumala TirupatiSeptember for the period of continuous nine days. For
Devasthanam). TTD has made special arrangementsthe full nine days the whole town is seen lost in sacred
to comfort the pilgrims and to preserve thetouch of divinity.