 The historical and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) with the Tirupati Hill, and lies around the southern banking institutions of Sri Swami Pushkarini.It's from the Lord's presidency over Venkatachala, that He has obtained the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord with the Venkata Hill). He's also named the Lord of the 7 Hills.
The temple of Sri Venkateswara has acquired special sanctity in Indian religious lore. The Sastras, Puranas, Sthala Mahatyams and Alwar hymns unequivocally declare that, inside the Kali Yuga, one can attain mukti, only by worshipping Venkata Nayaka or Sri Venkateswara.
The advantages acquired by a pilgrimage to Venkatachala are pointed out inside the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas. In these epics, Sri Venkateswara is described as the excellent bestowed of boons. You can find many legends related to the manifestation from the Lord at Tirumala.
Background
There is certainly ample literary and epigraphic testimony to the antiquity of the temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara. All of the wonderful dynasties of rulers with the southern peninsula have compensated homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara on this historical shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century Advert), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century afterwards), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century Advert) had been devotees in the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple with wealthy offerings and contributions.
It had been in the course of the rule in the Vijayanagar dynasty the contributions to the temple elevated. Sri Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed in the portals in the temple, and these statues could be seen to this day. There is certainly also a statue of Venkatapati Raya inside the major temple.
Temple Legends
Sri Venkatachala Mahatmya is referred to in a number of Puranas, of which one of the most important would be the Varaha Purana and the Bhavishyottara Purana. The printed work is made up of extracts from the Varaha Purana, Padma Purana, Garuda Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Markandeya Purana, Harivamsa, Vamana Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahmottara Purana, Aditya Purana, Skanda Purana and Bhavishyottara Purana. The majority of these extracts describe the sanctity and antiquity from the hills around Tirumala as well as the quite a few teerthams situated on them.
The legends taken from your Venkatachala Mahatmya as well as the Varaha Purana, pertaining to the manifestation in the Lord at Tirumala, are of particular curiosity.
According to the Varaha Purana, Adi Varaha manifested Himself on the western financial institution in the Swami Pushkarini, while Vishnu inside the type of Venkateswara arrived to reside on the southern financial institution from the Swami Pushkarini.
Pilgrimage Attractions at Tirupati Tirumala
Padi Kavali Maha Dwara
The Padi Kavali Maha Dwara or Outer Gopuram stands on a quadrangular base. Its architecture is that with the later on Chola period of time. The inscriptions on the gopuram belong to 13th century. You can find a number of stucco figures of Vaishnava gods like Hanuman, Kevale Narasimha and Lakshmi Narasimha on the gopuram.
Sampangi Pradakshinam
The path for circumnavigating the temple is referred to as a pradakshinam. The principal temple has 3 prakarams. Between the outermost and middle prakarams will be the 2nd pathway for circumambulation known as the Sampangi Pradakshinam. At present, this pathway is closed to pilgrims. The Sampangi Pradakshinam contains numerous intriguing mandapams like the Pratima Mandapam, Ranga Mandapam, Tirumala Raya Mandapam, Saluva Narasimha Mandapam, Aina Mahal and Dhvajasthambha Mandapam.
Ranga Mandapam
Ranga Mandapam, also known as the Ranganayakula Mandapam, is located within the south-eastern corner in the Sampangi Pradakshinam. The shrine inside it can be thought to be the location where the utsava murti of Lord Ranganadha of Srirangam was kept throughout the 14th century, when Srirangam was occupied by Muslim rulers. It's said to have been created between 1320 and 1360 Ad with the Yadava ruler Sri Ranganadha Yadava Raya. It really is created according to the Vijayanagara style of architecture.
Tirumala Raya Mandapam
Adjoining the Ranga Mandapam on the western side, and going through the Dhvajasthambha Mandapam is a spacious complicated of pavilions known as the Tirumala Raya Mandapam or Anna Unjal Mandapam.
It includes two distinct levels, the front at a decrease level along with the rear at a higher. The southern or inner portion of this Mandapam was constructed by Saluva Narasimha in 1473 Ad to celebrate a festival for Sri Venkateswara named Anna Unjal Tirunal. This structure was extended to its existing dimensions by Araviti Bukkaraya Ramaraja, Sriranga Raja and Tirumala Raja.
It really is on this Mandapam, that the utsava murthi Malayappan, retains His annual darbar or Asthanam in the course of the hoisting in the Garudadhwaja on Dhwajastambham to mark the commencement of Brahmotsavam. Incidentally, the prasadam dispersed on this event is still named Tirumalarayan Pongal.
Tirumala Raya Mandapam
The Mandapam has a common complicated of pillars in the Vijayanagara fashion, having a central pillar surrounded by smaller pillars, a number of which emit musical notes when struck with a stone. The main pillars have rearing horses with warriors mounted on them. Many of the best sculptures with the temple are identified in daring relief within the Mandapam. The bronze statues of Todermallu, his mother Matha Mohana Devi and spouse Pitha Bibi, are stored inside a corner with the Mandapam.
The Aina Mahal
The Aina Mahal is on the northern aspect with the Tirumala Raya Mandapam. It includes two elements - an open up mandapam inside the front consisting of six rows comprising 6 pillars every, and a shrine driving it consisting of an Antarala and Garbhagriha. It's got big mirrors which mirror photos in an infinite collection. There's an unjal in the center of the space through which the Lord is seated and festivals performed.
The Everyday Routines - Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple
The daily system begins with 'Suprabhatam' (awakening the Lord) at three inside the early morning and finish with the 'Ekanta Seva' (placing the Lord to rest) at 1 in the night. Day-to-day, Weekly and Periodical 'Sevas' and 'Utsavams' are carried out to the Lord. Intrigued pilgrims can pick through the checklist and pay to get the Sevas or Utsavams completed on their identify. Devotees offer you their gifts and donations within the "Hundi", which will be the major source of income.
Festivals of Tirupati
Every day can be a day of festivity at Tirumala. The most popular could be the yearly festival named 'Brahmotsavam', which can be celebrated on grand scale for 9 days in September, attracting pilgrims and visitors from all components with the nation. The fifth and ninth days in the festival are particularly considerable in as a lot as Garudostavam and Rathotavam requires location on those days.
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