Tirupati does not need any introduction to the readers. Yet, as I have visited this place many times, this write-up is a humble offering to the gateway to the richest temple in the world: Lord Balaji temple at Thirumala.
You will observe that every other business, educational institute, hotel, or shop is named about Lord Balaji or Goddess Padmavathi.
Tiru in Tamil means Divine and Pathi means husband or lord. In Varaha Purana (mythology), it is stated that Lord Sri Rama his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana stayed in Tirupati while returning from Lanka.
Pallavas, Cholas, and the Vijayanagara kingdoms have contributed to the growth of Tirupati.
Telugu is the official language, but other languages like Kannada, Tamil, and English are spoken due to the large number of visiting pilgrims.
Best time to visit Tirupati is from December to March. November is when the northeast monsoon hits the city.
Many educational institutions are running successfully here.
Interesting places near Tirupati:
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple – 20 Kms
Alamelu Mangapuram Padmavathi Ammavari Temple – 5 Kms
Govindaraja Temple
Padala Mandapam (Alipiri) temple
Thathayagunta Gangamma temple
Kapila Theertham, Chandragiri Fort
Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park
Kalahasthi
Akasha Ganga Waterfalls
Place statistics:
Type of place: City
Situated: Chitoor district, Andhra Pradesh
Distance: 130 Km from Chennai, 270 Km from Bangalore, 580 Km from Hyderabad
Transport: Well connected by air, rail, and air
Facilities: Many hotels and restaurants to suit all budgets are available