One cannot get Darshan at Tirumala by just merely booking tickets.
It is believed that we can get darshan only if he wants to see us.
It is believed that there are many underground temples around the shrine in Tirumala.
When I was in class 8, my Saraswati teacher said that there are underground shrines in Kanchi as well.
That is the reason some old people there do not wear footwear.
Similarly, footwear is prohibited for about half a kilometer on all four surrounding streets of
Tirumala's main shrine.
And some even say that there is an unseen/invisible parallel mandala (plain) in Tirumala.
Tirumala story - glory
After Bhrigu Maharshi kicked on Vishnu's chest/heart, which is the abode of Goddess Lakshmi,
She came to earth. Lord Balaji also came to earth in search of Goddess Lakshmi and married
Goddess Padmavati here on this hill, so as to be approachable for wish fulfillments on the earth.
He might be little late sometimes, but He does pay heed to 😃.
Long story in short, it is said that the Lord Krishna's mother Yashoda was born as
Vakula Devi, mother of Lord Balaji, because she was not lucky enough to witness even one wedding of
Lord Krishna. Lord here married Goddess Padmavati and fulfilled her wish.
How to reach Tirumala?
There are three ways to climb up the hill, one - by a vehicle, two by taking the
staircase from Alipiri, or three - by taking staircase called Srivari staircase.
Whichever way opted to go, one should have the darshan token in hand first.
Those passing through the stairway are given a Divyadarshan token at the very
beginning of the stairway. This token would be verified in the mid-way of the staircase.
For those who want to go by bus, there is a free bus facility to go to Tirumala Hill from
railway station and bus stand.
The road is good up and down the hill. There are clean and good roads even on the hilltop too.
It may take around two to three hours to walk through the Srivari stairway.
These are ancient stairs. It is said that the king of the Vijayanagara Empire,
Sri Krishna Devaraya, used to reach Tirumala hill through these Srivari steps.
Those days, as they were all 9-10 feet tall, Srivari stair case was made very high based on
their height. Sri Krishna Devarayala had contributed a lot in the development of
Tirumala temple. Although it takes less time via Srivari staircase way, many people
prefer to go via Alipiri stairway. Moreover, there aren't as much facilitiies found on the
Srivari staircase way as on the Alipiri stairway.
Lot of wild beauty is found on the Alipiri staircase way. Deer family hang around freely.
(Occasionally a couple of leopards were also seen on the way😆)
Tea, coffee, local eateries, a doctor are all easily found the way.
Alipiri way has 3550 steps, excluding a 2-3 km walk. It takes about four hours to
reach Tirumala via Alipiri steps. It might also take 5-6 hours if we stop for every other tea,
coffee and food. When I was a child, my next door lady took 9 hours to take reach
through this staircase. That doesn't mean it is difficult for all. My cousin got her leg hurt 2 days
before taking the stairs; despite having ready-made painful legs due to the wound,
she made it in 5 hours.
Last stage of stairs is - Mokalla parvatam, a steep staircase. As the name suggests,
the stairs are about 2km deep. After crossing Mokalla Parvata we reach Tirumala hill.
I have been to Tirumala by stairs four times so far.
Amenities
My grandfather used to say that one who cannot live in Tirumala cannot live anywhere else.
Because everything is free. Once we reach Tirumala hill there are free dormitories to stay,
and free food. From breakfast to lunch and dinner, food is totally free in
Vengamamba Bhojanshala. Free RO purified water is available at all common places.
Free RO purified drinking water in every cottage and on the streets. No place in the country I have
known has free RO purified drinking water supplied like this.
If you pack a pair of clothes, everything is free, free and free here.
However, there are paid cottages too available on pre-booking.
Cottage booked in advance will have a room will have two beds, a table, a chair,
a bathroom, a geyser for hot water, all this for just Rs. 100.
Coriander leaves price has increased from Re. 1 to Rs. 20 in the last 20 years,
but the price of cottage rooms in Tirumala is Rs. 100 from atleast over 30 years, i.e.,
as much as we pay for 3 milk packets.
In some cottages beds are equipped with bed bugs also free of charge😆.
Some more spacious cottages are available for Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000.
We try to stay at Tirumala Hill at least once a year to live a normal life; away from
king size beds, ACs and televisions.
Not only that, the devotees who wait in the queue for 20-24 hours get free packaged food and
free milk for tiny tots. Free darshan, hassle-free battery car facility for young men and
women above 65 years of age and for those with severe
diseases, through special Supatham
route to bring them out of the queue in the shortest possible time. Doors are open in Mumbai,
Las Vegas and Tirumala even in the mid of the night.
One may think for a while of donating money elsewhere, but in Tirumala it is just done.
Apart from devotion, prayers and wish fulfilling vows, we get the satisfaction that atleast
half of our donation is used to provide these facilities to so many crores of devotees at very
low cost or free of charge.
Srinivasa Mangapuram
Srinivasa Mangapuram is located at a distance of ten km from Tirupati. After Lord's lavish
wedding with Goddess Padmavati, the newly wed were said to have stayed in Mangapuram first for a
long time. My maternal uncle and my mother say that during the days when the path to the hill was
not good, devotees used to visit this Srinivasa Mangapuram as this is his first ever shrine even before the
current one on the hill.
Varahaswamy - the landlord
Darshan of Varahaswamy should be done before visiting the Lord in Tirumala. Lord Balaji
came to this hill in search of Goddess Lakshmi and asked Varahaswamy for an
accommodation here on this hilltop. As the landlord of this place, Varahaswamy had
put forth a condition that the pilgrims who came should visit Him first and then should see
Lord Balaji. Both Varaha Murthy and Srinivasa are incarnations of Vishnu. Story aside,
since it is Varahaswamy who saved Bhudevi from Hiranyaksha, it is said that
Varahaswamy's darshan should be done first. There's another popular saying regarding Lord Varaha.
Although Mughals destroyed so many temples, Varahamurthy is the reason why the temples related to
Tirupati and especially Tirumala were not damaged. Varahaswamy, the emblem of Vijayanagara kingdom
of Sri Krishnadevaraya, is seen in the courtyard of Tirupati Govindaraja Swamy Temple and there is a
separate shrine in Tirumala. This is the reason that they could not attack these temples
- not with devotion or fear.
According to their religious rules, they are not supposed to attack the place with Varaha.
The Darshan
Lucky you, if you don't get to wait in the compartments. Once the compartments are crossed,
we are almost there, close to the shrine.
And then after passing the gopuram, the chariot of Adiseshu, Tulabharam on the left,
and the dhvajasthambha on the right side, I almost start to feel I made it this year too.
After crossing the dhvajasthambha, is the vendi vaakili (silver encapped door).
After crossing the vendi vaakili, is the entrance to the main shrine. Amongst the throng,
I manage to see Garuda behind me while walking towards the main deity.
Volunteers in crimson robes keep pulling us left, right and center.
They are more evidently visible than the Almighty as they do not leave no stone unturned
to drag and drop devotees.
And then the Bangaru Vakili (Gold encapped door) to enter in, with Jaya and Vijaya
on either sides.
Lucky me, I was able to go past the Golden Gate, the Bangaru vakili upto Kulsekhara Padi
during Suprabhata darshan for about 18 times, excluding other Darshans. A devotee named
Kulasekhara is standing as a pillar stone step inside the main shrine (Garbha Gudi) right in
front of the main Deity. Padi is step. The time when devotees ask one lakh in the exchange
of one thousand deposited in hundi, Kulasekhara Alvar asked for a place right in front of the deity.
That Bhakti🙏!!
A clear sight of crown of diamonds, tilak covering half the eyes, garlands of flowers up to the
feet, Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Bhudevi on the heart, butter on the chin, silk robes,
His hand encrusted with diamonds (called abhaya hasta), and his holy feet...
That's the view of Lord of universes from Kulasekhara Padi.
Devotees tend to have a quick look from here, while one volunteer uncle pushes us from the
right side, another volunteer aunty from the left side grabs our hand and pulls us
and throw us like a ball to the other side of the bangaru vakili (golden gate) for exit,
such that we fall back to the feet of Jaya and Vijaya.
After coming out there is Vakula Devi Temple, then Shatagopam, then the darshan of
Lord Vimana Venkateswara Swami.
Devotees must take sight of Vimana Venkateswara Swami for attendance. There is a pillar close to
Yoganarasimha Swami shrine near hundi with Lord Hanuman sculptured.
That was the first pillar laid at the beginning of the construction of the temple.
And Then enter the dragon - for laddu prasadam.
Tiruchanur
Tiruchanur is five to six kilometers away from Tirupati railway station.
Presiding deity is Padmavati Devi i.e. Goddess Lakshmi, consort of Lord Balaji.
There are many places to see on the hill like Akasha Ganga, Papavinasam, Sri Vari Padas.
When I was in class 8, my teacher Mrs. Iyer asked everyone where they have been during their holidays.
Prafulla said that she went to Tirupati, and there is a rock arch where two hill rocks joined together
naturally to form an arch without support from the ground. Since then I wanted to see Shila Toranam, but I
could not make it. So many years after Prafulla spoke about this, we planned a visit to Shila Toranam
during this year's Tirumala visit. After parking the car one acre ahead, we went to see that there is
indeed a rock arch, but, not without any support and the rest of the place was a garden. Just in order to
be sure asked the gardener there, which is the rock arch. Gardener pointed to the same
two stone pillars saying, "That is Shila Toranam".
My daughter to me raising her head, said, "Is this it? The arch that you wanted to see from your class 8?
The rock arch that does not touch the ground?"
I said, "My friend Prafulla said that's how the rocks would be when I was in class 8."
My daughter to me, "You got me here after making me walk for an acre to show us
what you have known in your class 8; much later I am done with my class 8.
I really came to see how the arch does not touch the ground mom. 😒"
Coincidentally only recently came to know, that it is the first place where Lord Venkateswara
got off from His Garuda flight and that the length from the ground to the mid of this rock arch
is same as the height of the Lord Venkateswara in the main shrine.
So to answer my co-workers questions, why am I going to Tirumala so many times?
To spend one day away from this mechanical life. To realize once again that I have a blissful life.
To see that my donation is well spent for so many devotees basic needs like free food, water and shelter.
So far we were able to go all these years by the grace of Him.
Let's see how long His grace lasts on us.
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