History of Tirupati Balaji temple
This temple is gloriously described by the Hindu scriptures as the earthly location where Lord Vishnu resides in the age of Kali. The Tirupati Balaji or Shree Venkateshwara Swami temple is one of the most pivotal landmarks of the Hindu mythology, holding a magnificent position in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
In Pics: Fascinating Historical Facts About Tirupati Balaji Temple
The most popular Tirupati Balaji temple on the earth
Notably, Tirupati Balaji temple is the most popular temple on the earth today inviting the maximum number of devotes on any given day and attracting the largest amount of donations from them on a daily basis.
Devotees pray the Lord to fulfill their wishes and upon their wishes getting fulfilled, it is a customary practice to offer their donations at the temple Hundi. In this manner lakhs of devotees pour into the temple to make their contributions.
Tirupati Balaji’s story
Some interesting stories from mythology say that the Lord manifested on the earth to bless the devotees during the age of Kali. Once, Sage Brighu wanted to evaluate who amongst the Holy Trinity was the greatest. When he checked with Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, he was not satisfied, so he went to Vaikuntha and kicked Lord Vishnu on his chest. Goddess Lakshmi was residing in the chest of Lord Vishnu, she felt insulted and left Vaikuntha and came down to the Earth.
Lord Vishnu follows Mahalakshmi
Sad and dejected, Lord Vishnu came in search of his consort Mahalakshmi only to find that she had taken birth in the family of a king as Padmavati. The Lord entered an anthill and started meditating. Lord Shiva and Brahma came there as a cow and calf in search of the Lord. Shiva in the form of the cow poured its milk inside the anthill to feed the Lord on a daily basis. As per the divine plan, both Venkateshwara and Padmavati met each other and the gods approached the king to give his daughter in marriage to the Lord.
The unprecedented marriage
The lord received a huge sum of money from Kuber, the god of wealth to conduct a very grand marriage ceremony which was unprecedented. Following the marriage, the Lord stayed on the hills of Tirumala and a magnificent temple rose in the place. From then onwards, it is said the Lord is repaying the loan He received from Kuber in bits and pieces. It is said that the devotees make their contributions to help the Lord make his payments in a timely manner.
Hair donation at the Tirupati Balaji temple
It is an age old practice to donate their hair at the temple. To do this people of all ages make their prayers and shave their heads near the temple premises before having a darshan of the Lord. The temple management has built expansive facilities to help the people make their hair donations to the Lord.
The glory of the Tirupati Balaji temple
The Tirupati Balaji temple is rightly called the Bhuloka Vaikuntam – the abode of Vishnu on earth. Thus, it is believed that Lord Vishnu has manifested Himself in this temple during this Kali age to guide and direct His devotees towards salvation. It is said the main idol of Lord Venkateshwara is so unique and powerful. The charming idol has a number of miraculous characteristics that are amazing. On a daily basis, the idol is magnificently decorated with flowers dresses and ornaments. The temple has one of the massive stocks of golden ornaments used for decorating the Lord.
The Sanctum Sanctorum
The place where Lord Sri Venkateswara’s self-manifested (Swayambu) statue is located in the Sanctum Sanctorum is called Ananda Nilayam. In the Ananda Nilayam, the beautiful idol of Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy is also present. During the morning ‘Suprabhata Seva’, this idol is removed and kept at the foot of the main deity. This signifies that the Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy acts as the presiding deity since the main deity is huge and can’t be moTirupati
Tirupati Balaji temple construction
The construction of the Tirupati Balaji temple began in 300 AD with many emperors and kings making regular contributions towards its development from time to time. During the middle of the 18th century, the Maratha General Raghoji I Bhonsale conceptualized a permanent body to administer the temple proceedings. This resolution and plan lead to the birth of the
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
(TTD) which was developed through the TTD act in 1933. Today, the TTDs manage and maintain many temples and their sub-shrines under its able management.
The Tirupati Balaji temple facilities
The Tirupati Balaji temple management has created elaborate and massive facilities for the devotees to visit the temple, have the darshan of the Lord and enjoy a comfortable time on the hills. The Tirumala hills are endowed with matchless natural beauty. The greenery surrounding the hills and the col waterfalls are inspiring scenes to enjoy for all people. The different facilities at the temple include accommodation halls, hair donation outlets, a huge queue complex to facilitate the comfortable and hassle free movement of the devotees lined up for the darshan of the Lord, and dining facilities where free meals is served round the clock.
The ways to reach the Tirupati Balaji temple
Tirupati Balaji temple is located in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Tirupati is a highly developed town today that is well connected with the major cities of India via bus and train. There are well laid roads leading to the city from Chennai and Hyderabad. From Tirupati, the entire stretch of route leading to the Tirumala hills are laid with metal roads and pathways for both pedestrians and people journeying in buses and cars. This is one of the most interesting and wonderful pilgrimage destinations on the earth today.
