10 Popular Places to Visit in Tirupati In particular, Tirupati, the spiritual hub of Andhra Pradesh, is one of India’s most dominant holy places. Located in the south of India, Tirupati, commonly known as Lower Tirupati, is a vibrant city with a range of ancient temples and forts, and also serves as a busy thoroughfare to the majestic hills of the Eastern Ghats, whose seven peaks rise above the city’s horizon. For those seeking spirituality and sanctity, Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh, is a stopover. This lively pilgrim spot, located at the foot of the Tirumala Hills, attracts devotees all year round. The primary attraction here is Tirupati Balaji, or the Lord Venkatesha Temple. Claimed to be one of the country’s wealthiest temples, it sees an average footfall of 60,000 every day. In order to appease the deity, devotees give their hair and various riches to the temple.
Tirupati also houses one of the world’s oldest and most unusual geological structures, a natural stone arch, although the temple is an overwhelming presence in the region. The stone arch or Sila Thoranam (garland or festoon of rocks) lying in close proximity to the temple was categorized as Precambrian and is believed to be 1,500 million years old!
Tirupati was ruled between the 14th and 15th centuries by various kingdoms, such as the Pallavas in the 9th century, Cholas in the 10th century, and Vijayanagara. Shri Ramanujacharya, a Hindu theologian and philosopher, is believed to have formulated the rituals in this temple town in the 11th century.
The Tirumala Hills, which are a group of seven hills, add to the beauty of the city: Seshadri, Vedadri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri. These hills tend to be in the shape of a coiled serpent when viewed from the top. It is claimed that they were once Lord Vishnu’s resting spot.
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Sri Venkateswara Temple is the temple that has put Tirupati on the world map as a unique destination for travelers, and it is among the most convincing places to see in Tirupati. Lord Sri Venkateswara, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is dedicated to the temple. This temple is also referred to by individuals as Tirupati Temple, Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple, etc. It is situated at an altitude of 2799-feet above sea level on the seventh peak of the Seshachalam Hills range. It is the most famous of all the Tirupati tourist attractions.
Due to the immense amount of donations it receives every day, Sri Venkateswara Temple is considered to be one of the richest temples in the world, thronged by about 30 to 40 million people every year. The number of pilgrims is much greater on special occasions, such as on the occasion of the annual Brahmotsavam.
As there is a massive footfall in the temple on a regular basis, to coordinate the rush, the authorities have constructed 2 modern queue complexes. It provides all the pilgrims with free meals as well. There is also a structure intended for tonsuring heads, because before entering the temple, pilgrims are expected to tonsure their heads. For pilgrims, there are a variety of accommodation sites too.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Garden
The organization that organizes Sri Venkateswara Temple’s affairs is known as the Devasthanam Tirumala Tirupati. It also has a beautiful garden spread over a 460-acre area adjacent to the temple’s main building. A sight to see and admire is the amazing collection of more than 200 varieties of flowers of various colours and shapes blooming in the garden. There are also many tanks and ponds in the garden, which are used both as a source of water for the locals and for the temple. It is one of the most common spots to visit in Tirupati. Every day the flowers from this garden are used to ornament the deity and the temple. The garden provides other temples with flowers as well. On average, this garden supplies approximately 500 kilograms of flowers.
Talakona Waterfall
With a height of 270 feet, the Talakona Waterfall is Andhra Pradesh’s highest waterfall and one of India’s greatest scenic waterfalls. The waterfall originates 30 kilometers within the forest, and you need to trek for about 2 kilometers to experience the waterfall. When you see this beautiful waterfall in its natural ensemble, the tension of trekking will go up in thin air, however. It radiates a marvelous aura throughout the rainy season. During the rainy season, the enticing and cascading beauty engulfs much of its stony base and falls down with an ongoing chatter on the stony bed. A fun boat trip will draw the senses into the crystal clear and cold water. If you love adventure, you can also go for a walk on the canopy rope.
Deer Park
This is a natural park that TTD manages, i.e. Devasthanam of Tirumala Tirupati. The garden features much more than just deer and is one of Tirupati’s most popular tourist attractions. Deer Park boasts a wide array of fauna and flora, including deer. In the park, there are a great number and variety of deer, but the enclosures are fenced. Within the enclosures, nobody is allowed. In all of its beauty, the deer park itself is submerged and surrounded by nature. You will appreciate not only the sight of various kinds of deer here, but also a true piece of nature in full flow. This is why one of the most famous and attractive spots to see in Tirupati is the Deer Park.
Sri Vari Museum
The Sri Vari Museum, also known as the Antiques Hall, is an interesting place to visit in Tirupati, giving you an insight into its religious and architectural past. The construction of the Museum stretches over an area of 1.25 lakh sq. Ft. In the pristine Tirumala Hills setting. It is situated close to the Govindarajaswami Temple, opposite the Vaikuntam Queue complex.
The museum is a treasure chest of Vaishnavism’s ancient rituals and the indigenous culture of Tirumala. It houses more than 6,000 items dating from ancient times to the present. The museum’s collections are held in ten parts, ranging from ancient writings and sculptures to contemporary artifacts. With gratitude, gifts, valuable antique items and offerings on display, the museum houses numerous galleries. A meditation hall is in the attic of the museum, where pilgrims can recline and meditate in a happy environment.
Sri Govindarajaswami Temple
Sri Govindarajaswami is believed to be Sri Venkateswara’s elder brother, and the Temple of Sri Govindarajaswami was built by none other than Saint Ramanujacharya, one of the greatest souls of Vaishnavism. These are the compelling details about the temple that make it one of Tirupati’s must-see locations. It is definitely one of Tirupati’s most significant temples. The most prominent attribute is the tower or the gopuram of the temple. Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita were laid out in miniature art on the walls of Gopuram. People here believe that they can eliminate all barriers from their way and earn a fortune if one visits this temple. The entry fee is INR 10, but you must pay INR 25 for a special darshan.
Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple
It is one of those temples that is not yet complete, although its construction began all the way back in the 11th century during the reign of the Chola Dynasty. Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple Even the presiding deity’s idol is not yet complete. The temple is still being built, and that is a good justification to make it one of Tirupati’s top tourist attractions. At present, devotees can only see up to the idol’s abdomen. In a well with an everlasting spring, the idol is located. Devotees are given holy water from this spring. Other parts of the state are well connected to the temple. There are trains and buses from the APTDC that go to this temple. The temple is open for a long time, i.e. between 4:00 in the early morning and 9:30 in the evening.
Kapila Teertham
Kapila Theertham Situated 4 km away from Tirupati at a stone’s throw, Kapila Theertham is a fascinating waterfall at the base of the Seshadri Hills. A sight to witness is glistening white waters plunging down a height of 100 meters to form a pool within the Kapileshwar Temple premises. The main temple of Lord Shiva in Tirupati, where the Shiva Lingam is made of metal, is Kapeela Theertham.
You will be awestruck when you reach the sanctum of the temple to see the huge stone effigy of Nandi-Lord Shiva’s Ram. On special occasions, such as Annabhishekam, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayaga Chaturthi and Brahmotsavam, Kapila Theertham is visited by a large number of followers. Kapileswara Swamy Brahmotsavam is the most popular of these festivals, which is celebrated during the whole of February.
Chandragiri
One of the best places to visit in Tirupati is the huge fort of Chandragiri with its massive palaces, namely the Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal. Located in the Chittoor district amid lush greenery, it offers adventure enthusiasts a great trekking destination. A brilliant example of Indo-Saracenic architecture that dates back to the 11th century is the Chandragiri Fort. The distinctive feature of the fort is its construction of brick, lime mortar and stone, both of which are devoid of timber.
Chandragiri Fort entered a milestone in Indian history as the fourth and last capital of the Vijayanagara Empire under the rule of the Yadava Naidus. Such a rich heritage draws visitors to this place from different parts of the world. In the fort, you can see the ruins of the Rani and Raja Mahal, but the Shaiva and Vaishnava communities are totally destroyed by more than 800 temples. The Raja Mahal Palace is currently being used as an archaeological museum and an attraction for history buffs.
Srinivasa Mangapuram
Srinivasa Mangapuram, also known as Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swami Temple, lies about 12 kilometers from Tirupati, an important pilgrimage site and one of the must-see tourist attractions near Tirupati. The temple is under the jurisdiction of India’s Archaeological Survey, but is preserved by TTD, i.e. Devasthanams Tirumala Tirupati. Despite being under the jurisdiction of ASI, this temple still conducts and celebrates rituals and festivals. This temple is considered to be one of Venkateswara’s most holy temples. If you can’t make it to the Temple of Sri Venkateswara, you can have Lord Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy’s darshan, and satisfy your urge to see Tirupati Balaji. The annual Brahmotsavam Festival, held in this temple, is a big festival.
While Tirupati is considered to be the home of Sri Venkateswara or Balajee, it has other tourist attractions as well. There is no argument that Tirupati’s main attraction is the Sri Venkateswara Temple on the hills of Tirumala. Yet, once you’ve had the Deity Darshan, there’s plenty of space to expand your horizon of places to see in Tirupati. Not the only tourist attractions of this holy town are monuments of religious importance. Tirupati will not disappoint you when you visit as a tourist. It provides an assortment of natural niches, historical landmarks, archaeological relics, adventure sports and beautiful gardens.