Tirupati, the magnificent city and spiritual capital of millions of worshipers and the Lord Venkateswara himself, is the birth to incredible history, passionate beliefs and one of the richest temples in India. Worshippers from the entire stretch of India and even foreigners travel here to witness the unique experience themselves. Particularly, they come to visit the Lord Venkateswara Temple. But exactly what is it that attracts people here to queue up hours on end, to get just a 1 second glimpse of the Lord?
Capturing photos was a challenge for us so this blog won’t have so many images…
About the City
The hilly city is split into 2 sections – Tirupati(the lower area) and Tirumala(on top of the hills). The Temple is located in Tirumala where people make way from Tirupati. The 2 sections give the impression that they’re independent however, they’re both managed by the same incredible trust(more on that later) – TTD(Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams).
Both sections are around 16km apart and are very accessible… With countless shops, restaurants, accommodation and public transit options, you should be able to comfortably explore the city. Cleanliness is however an issue in Tirupati(lower area). The general hygiene levels and maintenance is better in Tirumala than Tirupati…
Getting there
In my opinion, the best means of transport to go there is a hired car. It gives you the flexibility to travel anywhere at anytime. Despite the expense, it provides comfort and some peace of mind while you’re there.
The alternative is a train to Tirupati Ralway Station(the lower area) and then a free bus ride that goes up to Tirumala(on top of the hills).
TIP – Within both cities, there are cheap local autos and rickshaws available if you decide to explore the area. It’s a worthwhile experience.
If you’re looking for the faster but more expensive option, Tirupati has its own airport which is accessible from all major metros in India. I personally don’t know anyone who’s travelled to Tirupati by flight so I don’t know how the experience is. But I’m sure that journey has its own part to play in this whole venture…
Steps to Tirumala
If you arrive at Tirupati, you’re not quite there… You’ve got to go to Tirumala where the Lord Venkateswara Temple is actually located.
As an exercise, en route to Tirumala, they’ve added 2 sets of staircases at different points in between Tirupati and Tirumala. The 2 sets are:
- Srivari
- Alipiri
They are both of different difficulties and terrain.
The Srivari steps(which we took) are a shorter set of 2384 steps which adds to a distance of 2.1 km. These steps commence at a small temple and this is where you are invited into the spirited chanting of “Govinda”. The route is guided perfectly with a minimal chance of getting lost and the activity is wondrous with the countless conversations, lush green forestry, constant chanting of “govinda” and the steps themselves which are decorated with Pasupu(turmeric) and Kumkuma(red powder). The Srivari steps provide water fountains throughout the route and there are toilets as well(which are not the cleanest).
TIP – I recommend carrying a hand sanitiser or a soap with you at all times!
The advantage with these steps is that you’re secured from bad weather as there’s a dome throughout the way.
The Alipiri steps are the longer and harder set of steps with a total of 3550 steps which makes a distance of 12 km. Despite a relatively small increase in the number of steps, due to the path of this set of steps, the distance is massively increased. The path includes a few roadways as well(which are mostly domed but not all of it), however, this doesn’t put the dedicated people off at all. Many wake up before dawn to start their trek.
Even at this point, it makes me wonder how people are so excited to break dawn and rush to the Temple…
Queue System
With such an enormous population and vast number of tourists, the requirement of good management is a necessity. After my experience there, I can confirm that except the horrifying queues, almost everywhere else you go, you will be astounded by the way the crowd is managed. Credit goes to TTD for that.
This doesn’t mean that you can leisurely stroll through the queue and expect it to go smoothly though… It will be a long wait and extremely crowded(up to 80,000 people per day!). The queues are not all pleasant. You will find people shouting and kicking you around like a football. Just try to stick to your group and move with the flow. Some passionate devotees can get really aggressive so be sure to take care. You may try to tell them but this typically doesn’t work… :/
The problem lies not in the management but in the devotees’ large numbers and behaviour. Perhaps a better behaviour may lead to better queue systems but all I can say is be careful in the queues.
Darshan Options
There are 3 options of darshan(visit to the Lord) that you can choose from:
- Sarvadarshan(Darshan for all/Free)
This is a completely free option where “pilgrims wait for their turn to catch a glimpse of the Lord”. Queueing for this option can be as long as 8 hours for the 5 second glimpse that you get. As this is the most popular, I will expand on this…
The queue can be broken down into multiple sections:
- Initially, there’s a 30 minute mini queue into a large building called the Vaikuntam Queue Complex which contains around 30 halls that each accommodate up to 400 people.
- Then there’s either a very long or short wait in these halls depending on the rush on that particular day. Some people bring along blankets and pillows here to rest in the halls.
TIP – If you’re going through Sarvadarshan, be prepared to spend a long time in the hall. You can request the volunteers to temporarily go out in case you’re feeling uncomfortable.
- After this, you enter the main Temple that’s decorated in gold plated stone. The queue last much shorter and moves much quicker which builds up the anticipation.
- Finally, you’re welcomed to the main Lord Venkateswara Temple where the Lord resides in.
After the 5 second glimpse, the volunteers basically shout you out and you’re discarded. That’s it.
During this long wait, fortunately, you’re provided with many incredible services which include the following…
Services provided:
- Annaprasadam(a food offering) is provided for the waiting pilgrims on free of cost.
- Milk, Coffee & Tea are provided for waiting pilgrims, free of cost at 3 hour intervals.
- Free Medical facility is also provided.
- Well maintained toilets and RO(Reverse Osmosis) filter water.
- Closed Circuit Television, which displays the Sanctum Sanctorum live.
- There are officers to look after the facilities in the Vaikuntam Queue Complex, regulate the queues and attend to complaints.
- Seegra/Special Entry Darshan(Rs. 300/-)
This is the faster option to skip some of the queue and jump ahead to connect with the rest of the queue. Some from our group went through this one and were able to get through in 2 hours; there is quite a substantial difference in time. This works by fixed time slots, so, you’re given a time on your ticket and you would need to join the queue at that time.
The Temple
This is what brings up to 80,000 people per day. This is of course the Lord Venkateswara Temple. As you enter, water flows at the entrance as a cleansing process. After however long you have queued up to get your magical moment, it really feels wonderful to cool the feet with soft-flowing water.
Immediately after, you are invited into a shining room with passionate chanting of ‘Govinda’ through a giant wooden door that’s covered with gold gilt plates. When you go through the mini maze in there, attention is automatically diverted to the Lord himself who stands 8 foot tall and is adorned in gold. Despite being ‘one of the busiest Gods’, the Lord shines exquisitely. He’s busy 24×7; his devotees won’t give him rest unfortunately 😉
Once you come out of the Temple and take a seat, you’ll get that feeling of achievement and relaxation that you probably haven’t experience in a long time. It’s incredible! Then you can go and grab your treat! Yes, I am talking about the mouth-watering Laddoos! With your tickets, you should be able to go to the Laddoo counters and grab your pack. I must say their unique ingredients make them the best Laddoos I’ve ever tasted. I wish I could have some now…
Our Experience
Our experience was undoubtedly one of the best. With over 6 families in our group, the excitement to visit the temple was at a pinnacle. The 3 highlights of our experience were:
1) Steps to Tirumala – The initial experience of everyone meeting up and munching on the breakfast at Tirupati was unforgettable. Within a few minutes, we gathered all our necessities and started the incline. Casual conversations, made the 2000+ steps feel like a breeze. With Nature’s support I felt so excited to be there. The air was fresh, the scenery was vibrant and the sounds(chanting of ‘Govinda’) were exploding with determination. It was a serene moment to experience. Eventually after we made it to the top, we had the common “selfie” moment and wandered off into Tirumala. During the incline, I had an urge to see what was up there and after arriving I was not disappointed; the vibrant atmosphere brought a different level of liveliness.
2) Queuing to Lord Venkateswara – Despite the tough pushing and jostling, I must say it was a unique experience and had some sort of excitement attached to it. I was eager to see what all of this build up led to… We chose the Sarvadarshan and queued for almost 5 hours which was rather tiring. While I would agree that the excitement is a bit exaggerated, the experience is a unique one that can’t be missed.
TIP – If you’re not good with large crowds, try to avoid the queues by approaching the medical team or assistance crew to guide you in a different(non-crowded) path.
3) Hotel Venture – Boy did we have fun in the hotel rooms! The hotel that some of our group stayed in was “Rambagicha” and it was a block-styled apartment with a garden area inside. We pretended as if we’d never seen (slippery) corridors and used them to our advantage at sliding around which was rather fun. On top of this, during the afternoons all the adults would end up in one room meaning we could enjoy the other room. With some casual games and funny discussions we could burn some time in an entertaining way.
If you’re looking for accommodation, Rambagicha is definitely worth checking out. It can be found here.
Interesting Discoveries
To my surprise, I discovered that this city was following rules(specifically traffic rules) quite strictly. For example, drivers were sticking to their lanes and speed limits were well obeyed. Of course this becomes an obligation when massive crowds are to be controlled however, it was quite a noticeable difference compared to other parts of India where traffic management is an issue. Behind the scenes, TTD plays a huge role in this factor and again it goes without saying how incredible their work is.
To add to the same point, I noticed that at the entrance, if you drive into the city, there’s a security check as you enter which was equally unexpected from me.
Other Important Information
When should you visit?
- If you want to avoid the queues:
Almost throughout the year, you’ll see crowds gathering in tens of thousands per day, however, there are still a few rare times in the year that crowds may have calmed down… Generally August-September(monsoon season) tends to have a dip in the numbers. Early December also sees a dip for about 10 days.
- If you want to avoid the blistering heat:
Between November and February, temperature cools down. This would therefore be the best time in terms of weather.
- If you want the most vibrant experience:
Whilst festivals happen almost everyday, between September and October, there’s a Bramhotsavam(which is the biggest festival there). This would assure incredible atmosphere.
Vengamamba Annadhana Satram
One of the most incredible charity service at Tirumala is Vengamamba. If you just want to satisfy your stomach you get a free meal here at an incredible pace. There is a giant hall with countless tables that seat up to 55,000 in weekdays and more than 65,000 in weekends.
The volunteers serve the food and it’s a fixed menu with rice and a traditional meal. It runs in rounds that last about 10 minutes continuously throughout the day between 9AM-4PM and 5PM-11PM.
From my experience, this was one of the most impressive experiences of TTD’s management. If you want to get a feel for the pace and get a stomachful, this is a must-visit.
Volunteering
One of the wonderful facts about the maintenance is that it’s done by volunteers. Wonderfully, you can volunteer for 3 days to get free food, free darshan from up close and free accommodation. This does require you to go through a sign up process though(which can be a time-consuming and competitive process).
Useful Links
- TTD Official Website → Has all the information.
- Do’s & Don’ts → A very useful insight for tips before visiting Tirumala.
- Accommodation at Tirumala → The booking site for accommodation at Tirumala
- Volunteering at Tirumala → Annual/Periodic Sevas
Wanna check out some other Temples in India? Here’s our list so far:
There is definitely a unique element to the whole experience and it starts with the journey. Whilst there are a few challenges, they’re wonderful opportunities to test yourself and discover the hidden beauties of this city. I hope that you enjoy your time at Tirupati and that you can make it a unique and memorable experience. It certainly was for me! But, man you gotta be a true devotee to go back there…
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