Tirumala Venkateswara

The temple is mentioned in Cilappatikaram, one of the Five Great Epics of Tamil literature. In the narrative, when Kovalan meets a Brahmin, who asks him where he has come from and why he has arrived there, to which the Brahmin replies, "I came to satisfy my heart's desire, to see with my own eyes the glory of Vishnu, whom many worship with prayer as He reposes with Lakshmi in His chest, on the couch of the thousand hooded Serpent, in the temple in island jutting out on the widening waves of the Kaveri, even as the blue clouds repose supine on the slopes of the lofty golden mountain (Meru)." This line mentions Srirangam and next he mentions Tirumala as follows, "I also came to see the beauty of the red-eyed Lord, holding in His beautiful lotus-hands the discus which is death to His enemies, and also the milk white conch (to see Him) wearing a garland of tender flowers on His chest, and draped in golden flowers and dwelling on the topmost crest of the tall and lofty hill named Venkatam with innumerable waterfalls, standing like a cloud in its natural hue, adorned with a rainbow and attired with lightning, in the midst of a place both sides of which are illumined by the spreading rays of the sun and the moon."

The first recorded endowment was made by Pallava queen Samavai in the year 966 CE. She donated many jewels and two parcels of land (one 10 acres and other 13 acres) and ordered use of the revenues generated from that land for the celebration of major festivals in the temple. The Pallava dynasty (9th century), the Chola dynasty (10th century), Reddi Kingdom (12th and 13th centuries) and Vijayanagara pradhans (14th and 15th centuries) were committed devotees of Venkateswara.

The Tirumala hills, also known as Sheshachalam, are traditionally believed to represent the body of the cosmic serpent Ananta, also called Shesha, with their seven peaks symbolizing the serpent's seven heads upon which Vishnu is said to rest. Three interconnected legends from the Puranas are traditionally cited to explain the presence of Venkateswara at this site. According to Puranic tradition, Tirumala became Vishnu's earthly home at the onset of the Kali Age. Wishing to remain close to his worshippers during this era, Vishnu consulted the sage Narada about a suitable location. Narada directed him to the banks of the Svarnamukhi River in southern India. The cosmic serpent Shesha transformed into the surrounding hills, known as Sheshachalam. Vishnu descended to the summit in the form of Venkateswara, and the site has since been renowned as Tirupati. The Varaha Purana and Skanda Purana connect the site with Vishnu's boar incarnation, Varaha. In this account, Varaha plunged into the primordial ocean to recover the Earth, personified as the goddess Prithivi, who had sunk beneath the waters. After lifting her to safety, Varaha set her down upon the hills of Shesha and remained there with her, and the site took the name Varaha Kshetra. His fearsome boar form troubled Brahma, who petitioned him to assume a gentler appearance, and Varaha then manifested as Venkateswara.

Venkateswara, also known as Venkatachalapati, Srinivasa and Govinda is a deity, described as a form of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. His consorts, Padmavati and Bhudevi, are avatars of the goddess Lakshmi.

Read more about [Venkateswara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venkateswara).

There are three dvarams (entrances) which lead to the garbhagriha from outside.

The Maha Dwaram is the main entrance to the temple and is also known as 'Padikavali', 'Simhadvaram,' or 'Outer Gopuram'. It provides access from outside the temple to the Sampangi Pradakshinam, and is separated from it by an outer compound wall (Maha Prakaram). The tower stands at the height of 50 ft (15 m). On either side of the entrance stand two panchaloha statues of Sankanidhi and Padmanidhi, who are traditionally regarded as the guardians of the Navanidhi, the nine treasures of Venkateswara.

Venḍi Vākili, which means "silver entrance" in Telugu, is the second entrance of the temple. It leads to the Vimana Pradakshinam and is also known as 'Nadimipadikavali'. The name of this entrance comes from the silver plating on the doors. An inner compound wall separates the Sampangi Pradakshinam and Vimana Pradakshinam. A three storied gopuram was built over this entrance with seven kalisams during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

The Baṁgāru Vākili, or 'Golden Entrance,' is accessible from the Tirumamani Mandapam, and leads to the inner sanctum sanctorum. There are two tall copper images of the dwarapalakas, Jaya and Vijaya on either side of the door. The door is covered with gilt plates depicting the avatars of Vishnu. The doorway is directly in line with the Padi Kavali and the Vendi Vakili. It admits pilgrims to the Snapana Mandapam.

The temple is considered one of the eight Swayambhu Kshetras of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, Bhu Varaha Swamy temple, and Vanamamalai Perumal Temple in South India and Saligrama in Nepal, Naimisaranya, Pushkar and Badrinath Temple in North India. The temple is revered by Alvars in Divya Prabandham. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in these books. The benefits acquired by a pilgrimage to Venkatachala are mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas. In these epics, Venkateswara is described as the great bestower of boons. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the at Tirumala.

In the Venkateswara Temple over 433 festivals are being observed in 365 days of a year suiting the title "Nitya Kalyanam Paccha Toranam" where every day is a festival.

Sri Venkateswara Brahmotsavams, a nine-day event, which is celebrated every year during month of October, is the major event of Venkateswara Temple. During brahmotsavams the processional deity Malayappa along with his consorts SriDevi and BhuDevi, is taken in a procession in four mada streets around the temple on different vahanams. Vahanams include Dwajarohanam, Pedda Sesha Vahanam, Chinna Sesha Vahanam, Hamsa Vahanam, Simha Vahanam, Muthaypu pandiri Vahanam, Kalpavriksha Vahanam, Sarva Bhoopala Vahanam, Mohini Avataram, Garuda Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Swarna Rathotsavam (Golden Chariot), Gajavahanam, Rathotsavam (Chariot), Ashwa Vahanam, and Chakra Snanam. During Brahmotsavams, the temple will witness lakhs of devotees particularly on Garuda vahanam.

Vaikunta Ekadasi, the day on which it is believed that Vaikunta Dwarams will be opened and the most important Vasihnavite festival, is celebrated with grandeur in Tirumala.

Located in: Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.