Important temples to visit in Tirupati
Hello, Friends with the blessings of Lord Venkateshwara(Tirupati Balaji) I have visited Tirupati along with my family. Even though this was not my first visit to Tirupati, I can say this is my first properly planned visit. It was a four-day trip in which we have covered almost all the important and famous places in and around Tirupati.
I will try to cover my tour(yatra) details along with the information of the temples (mandir) or places (nearby places in Tirupati and Tirumala), which we have visited so that it can help you in planning your visit to Tirupati.
Friends I have written this article in detail so that you can get most of the information. Though the article is big it will really help you in planning your tour and knowing about important temples in Tirupati, Andhrapradesh, India
Day 1 in Tirupati
Important temples and famous Places visited – Srikalahasti, Kapilatheertham, Govindaraja Swamy Temple, Kodanda Ramaswamy temple
we have reached Tirupati railway station by 7.30 in the morning. We have already booked a room in Vishnu Nivasam.
Vishnu Nivasam
It will be just in front of the railway station. Distance between Vishnu nivasam complex (guest house) and railway station will be less than 100 meters. Online booking of room or accommodation can be done on the official TTD Website. AC rooms are also available if you want to book.
Please note that the room will be allotted only if more than one person is there. If you are visiting Tirupati alone then you can take the locker in VishnuNivasam which is almost free of cost and keep your luggage in the locker. And you can use the washrooms to get fresh.
Please don’t forget to carry your Id cards like Aadhar, voter card, etc (All the people traveling please try to carry ID cards).
Review: Rooms in VishnuNisavam are very clean and are well maintained by TTD. For the cost which I have spent, it is 100% worth. You can have a look at pics or images of the room which we have taken in Vishnu Nivasam below.
we have got fresh by 9.30 am and had our breakfast in a restaurant in the Vishnunivasam complex. The food was ok. Then we have taken an auto to reach the Bus stop which is around 1.5km from VishnuNivasam. From the Bus stop, we have taken a Bus to reach the Srikalahasti temple.
There will be plenty of buses from Tirupati to Srikalahasti.
It has taken around 1 hour for us to reach Srikalahasti. The distance between Srikalahasti and Tirupati is around 40 km. The bus will drop you almost in front of the temple.
Srikalahasti Temple
Srikalahasti is one among the Panchabootha Lingas. Swarnamuki nadi (river) will be flowing near srikalahasti temple. Srikalahasti temple has great importance among lord shiva temples. Shiva lingam in Srikalahasti temple is Vayu (meaning air) Lingam.
This is swayambu (self-manifested) Lingam. Srikalahasti got its name from the three best devotees of Lord Shiva. Srikalahasti name meaning: Sri – Spider, Kala – snake, Hasti – elephant.
Story/legend/history of Srikalahasti: Sri (spider) used to worship Lord Shiva by building a web around the shiva lingam, Kala (snake) used to worship Lord shiva by placing precious gems, and elephant used to worship by bringing water in its trunk and used to perform abhishekam.
Pleased by the worship of all the three, lord Shiva offered Moksha to them in this place.
There is one more legend associated with the temple. A hunter named Kannappa who is a great devotee of the lord(god) Shiva has offered his eyes to Shiva Lingam. Pleased by which lord Shiva offered Moksha to him. This devotee is famously known as Bhakta Kannappa and there is a temple for him on the hill.
Srikalahasti temple is famous for performing Rahu Ketu Pooja and kala sarpa nivarana pooja. Below you can see the Srikalahasti temple gopuram image
Once you enter the temple you can see Pathalaganapathi temple(mandir). Where Ganapathi will be in the underground. you should pass through a narrow passage to have the Darshan of Ganesha. Since it is a narrow passage only 10 people will be allowed at a time. After the Darshan of Ganesha we went inside the main temple.
Temple is very big you can feel the great architecture of our ancient Kings. The Cholas and Vijayanagara Kings played a Vital role in rebuilding the temple.
Please plan your visit in such a way that you spend some time in seeing the architecture of the temple. In the temple there are many Shiva Lingas (idols) which are placed by various Gods like Sri Rama, Yamadarmaraja, etc..
Then we got the darshan of goddess Sri GnanaPrasunambika Devi ammavaru (Maa Parvathi). After that, we got the Darshan of Srikalahastishwara (Lord shiva). By the time we came out of the temple, it is around 2.30 Pm. Since the Bhakta Kannappa temple was closed we were unable to visit the temple.
Srikalahasti temple timing : 6am to 9 pm
Then we had our launch outside the temple and started back to Tirupati by bus. We reached the Tirupati bus stop at around 4 PM. From there we have taken an auto to go to Kapila theertham. Distance between Tirupati bus stop and Kapila theertham is 4 km
Kapila Theertham waterfalls
story/legend/history: It is the place where Kapila muni (form of Lord Vishnu) has performed Tapasya (penance) for Lord Shiva and got the darshan of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvathi. In the temple there is a water fall and water body.
During the Karthika Purnima the power of all the theerthas situated in the 3 worlds merge into Kapila theertham at noon for 10 gatikas (1 gatika = 24 minutes). If a person take bath in Kapil theertham during that time then it is considered as he has taken bath in all the theerthas in the three worlds.
Kapila theertham temple timings: 5 am to 9 pm
Below you can see the image/photo of Kapila theertham waterfalls (because of summer water flow was not there)
we had darshan of the main deity kapileshwara and sat in the place at the back side of temple. There you can find a natural cave. It is told that on the hills behind the theertham the face of Kapila maharishi can be seen by good devotees. We spent some time there trying it and few of us were able to see it.
Then we have started back to vishnunivasam. we have reached Vishnunivasam at around 5.45 Pm and had a strong tea there and went back to our room. we got fresh and started to Govindarajaswamy temple by walk at around 6.30 pm. Its around 1 km from vishnunivasam.
Govindaraja swamy temple
story/legend/history : When south India was invaded by Muslim rulers, the preceding deity of Chidambaram Sri Govindaraja Swamy was brought and kept safely in Tirupati. After the situation at Chidambaram returned to normal the deity of Lord Sri govindarajaswamy was taken back to Chidambaram from Tirupati.
After that one day, Sri ramanujacharya had a vision of lord Govindarajaswamy in his dreams advising to make arrangements for him to stay in Tirupati.
When Sri ramanujarcharya visited the place which he has seen in the dream, to his surprise he found the vigraham (idol) of Lord Govindarajaswamy in that place. Sriramanujarcharya advised the king to construct a temple to the Lord.
It is also told that Sri Govindarajaswami (a form of Lord Vishnu) is the elder brother of lord Venkateshwara swami, who has taken care of the marriage of Sri Venkateshwara Swamy and Padmavati amma.
Govinda rajaswami temple timings : 5 am to 9.30pm
Below you can see images/pictures of govindaraja swamy temple
We have reached the temple around 6.45 pm. Temple is beautifully decorated with lights and there are 2 big elephants in front of the temple. The temple is very big with great architecture. We had darshan of lord Govindaraja swamy, Pardhasarathiswamy, Andal amma and some other sub temples. we came out of the temple by around 8.45 Pm.
From there we went to Shri Kodandaramaswamy temple which is very near. Distance between Govindarajaswamy temple and Shri kodandaramaswamy temple is 1 km.
Kodandarama swamy Temple
story/history/legend:This temple which has a glorious history of over one thousand years was built by the Chola kings in 10th century A.D. This temple was well developed by various kings especially by Sri Krishna Deva Raya in 15h century.
The symbols and raja mudrikas of Vijaya Nagara dynasty can be seen on the rock walls of the outer mandapas. There is an Anjaneya Swamy temple located just opposite to the temple
Kodandarama Swamy temple timing: 5 am to 12 noon and 4pm to 9pm
Below you can see the image/picture of kodanadarama swamy temple tirupati
By the time we went there the temple was almost closed. So we didn’t get opportunity to see the deity but have done pradakshina in the temple. After that, we started back to Vishnu Nivas.
we had our dinner at a Maharashtrian hotel outside Vishnunivasam. we tried tandoori roti and butter panner masala which was good. With this we have completed our first-day tour in Tirupati.
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