Tirupati

Tirupati is a city in Chittoor district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Tirupati is considered one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites because of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, besides other historical temples, and is referred to as the "Spiritual Capital of Andhra Pradesh". Tirupati is also home to many educational institutions and universities. For the year 2012–13, India's Ministry of Tourism named Tirupati as the "Best Heritage City". Tirupati has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under Smart Cities Mission by Government of India.

Sri Venkateswara Temple:

Sri Venkateshwara Temple is the most revered and celebrated temple of the temple town of Tirupati having tourists and pilgrims flooding in all year long.

Comprising of various complexes inside the premise, the temple is known for its Vishesh Puja, held from 5:30 am till 6:30 am everyday. With the most busy months being September-October due to the Brahmostava festival, this temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, and dates back to the 12th century. This is one of the holiest and the wealthiest temples in the world and millions of devotees flock here to pay their reverence.

Around 50,000 pilgrims visit the temple everyday, which is a massive number. Hence, a whole procedure has been planned and set up which effectively ends at the shrine for darshan. The entry for the Darshan is through Vaikuntam Queue Complex which is a series of interconnected halls that leads to the main temple. These halls are clean and comfortable with various facilities provided.

The various activities of the temple include prasadam, hair tonsuring, hundi, arjitha seva and thulabharam. Festivals like Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Rama Navami, Brahmotsavam and Jan

Swami Pushkarini Lake:

Almost neighboring the Sri Venkateshwara Temple, is Swami Pushkarini Lake. According to the legends, the lake belonged to Lord Vishnu and was located in Vaikuntham.

It was brought to the earth by Garuda, for the sport of Sri Venkateshwara. Extremely holy, the pilgrims usually take a dip in the waters of this lake before proceeding to the main temple.

Akasaganga Teertham:

Akasaganga Teertham is a waterfall in Tirupati, located at a distance of 3 km from the main temple. The waterfall has water flowing all throughout the year and holds immense religious significance.

Pilgrims can also pay homage to the Devi temple situated very close to the waterfall. During the monsoons, the waterfall is a beautiful sight to the eyes.

Sri Venkateswara Dhyana Vignan Mandiram:

Established in the year 1980, the Sri Venkateswara Dhyana Vignan Mandiram in Tirupati is a museum that houses some of the most traditional articles that are used to perform Puja.

Many stone and wood carved items can also be sighted here. The museum is extremely beautiful and fills into you a sense of religious faith not easy to describe. This is one of the experiences, one must not miss while in Tirupati.

Silathoranam:

One of the natural marvels that history left behind, the Silathoranam, now, finds itself being an important landmark in archaeology and heritage. This is a natural rock formation, one of the only three of this kind in the world.

While geology and archaeology foster a number of theories, the rock formation is also tied to beliefs of its connection with the idol of Lord Venkateswara. The rock formation is a national monument and is protected by the State Government.

TTD gardens:

Spreading over an area of 460 acres, the TTD gardens in Tirupati are known for their ornately decorated and manicured flower gardens. Alongside its lush green beauty, the garden also includes Alwar Tank, Mangalabhavi and Ananthapalligunta.

Flowers to the all the temples in Tirupati are supplied from this garden. They have an annual horticulture show and Pushpa Yagnam wherein exotic flowers are displyed for the visitors.