| Balaji Temple | | | | place everyday. |
| Balaji temple, also known as Tirumala Venkateswara | | | | People have to pay no entry charges and have to |
| Temple, is located in the hill town of Tirumala of | | | | stand in a queue for darshan, which takes about ten |
| Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the famous sacred | | | | hours. There is another kind of Darshan, the |
| destination for Hindus, dedicated to Lord | | | | Sudarshanam, in which the visitors have to pay some |
| Venkateswara. The temple is also known as the | | | | charges to get a a glimpse of the deity within a short |
| 'Temple of seven hills', as it is built on the Venkatadri hill, | | | | span of time. |
| one of the seven hills of Tirumala. The presiding deity | | | | The place celebrates many Vaishnava festivals with |
| of the temple, lord Ventakateswara is also famous by | | | | great enthusiasm and splendor. The famous festivals |
| other names - Balaji, Srinivasa or Perumal. The temple | | | | celebrated here includes Vaikunta Ekadai, Rama |
| has its origin from an ancient sect known as | | | | Navami and Janmashtami and the Brahmotsavam |
| Vaishnavism, which advocates the principles of | | | | festival celebrated every year during the month of |
| equality and peace, and prohibits any kind of animal | | | | September. Other significant festivals celebrated here |
| sacrifice. | | | | are Vasanthotsavam, held in the month of March-April |
| | | | and the Ranthasapthami festival celebrated in the |
| Sri Venkateswara shrine is an important religious | | | | month of February. During the festive season the |
| destination visited by 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims every | | | | temple is crowded with thousands of devotees, paying |
| day. But during the festive season the number of | | | | homage to the residing deity. |
| crowd gets doubled or more than that. Worship | | | | Main attractions to see in the temple are Ranga |
| services begins with 'Suprabhatam' ("Awakening the | | | | Mandapam, Pratima Mandapam, Tirumala Raya |
| Lord") at 3:00 AM and ends with the 'Ekanta Seva' | | | | Mandapam, Aina Mahal and Dhwajasthamba |
| ("Putting the Lord to sleep") around 1:00 AM the | | | | Mandapam. Apart from that pilgrims can also visit |
| following morning. | | | | nearby located holy pilgrimages including |
| Laddu is the famous prasadam given at Tirumala | | | | Papavinasanam, Vaikuntha Tirtham and Tumburu |
| Tripati Venkateswara Temple. Many other delicious | | | | Tirtham Temples. |
| prasadams served in the temple includes curd-rice, | | | | The temple remains open every day throughout the |
| pulihora (tamarind rice), vada and sweet pongal. | | | | year. Otherwise the best time to visit the temple is |
| Pilgrims can also enjoy the meals served in this holy | | | | between October to March. |