Tirupati

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Fast Facts

State: Andhra Pradesh District: Chittoor Famous for/as: Pilgrim Languages: Telugu Best Season: Sep - Mar Weather: Summer 23-43°C, Winter 10-15°C Altitude: 161 m Pincode: 517xxx STD code: 0877

Must See/Do: Sri Venkateswara Temple, Swami Pushkarini Lake

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Temple Town - Tirupati

  by Akshay Balraj  on Apr 23, 2010
Get blessed by Lord Venkateshwara in this beautiful, and the world's second richest temple. Don't forget to take the traditional 'prasadam', its delicious!

History

The temple town of Tirupati is known to have a history that goes back to the age of the Sangam Literature that lasted from 500 B.C. to 300 A.D. The reference of the famous shrine in Tirupati can be found in the literature of IIango Vadigal’s Silapadikarm and Satanar’s Manimeghalai Bear.

The Tirumala hills in Tirupati are known to be world’s second oldest rock mountain. Some of the earliest rulers of Tirupati are the Kings of Pallav kingdom which is known to be there around the 4th century AD. The temple at Tirupati is known to have been brought to limelight by the Alvars or Vaishnava saints, who were the followers of Vishnu and sung praises of the Lord, in the 5th century.

Tirupati has been ruled by various kings belonging to differ dynasties, like Cholas, Hoysalas and Vijaynagar rulers. All the kings have played an important role in the expansion of the temple structure, Tirupati is so popular for.

Tirupati was a subject to Muslim invasion around the 12th century and it was during this time that the deity of Srirangapatna was brought to Tirupati for safety.

Travel within city

Travelling around Tirupati is not very difficult as the temple town is actually a very small location. You can travel around the temple town of Tirupati through buses and rented cars or cabs. These are the only modes of travel available that you can opt for while travelling within Tirupati.

Bus

Buses are the cheapest mode of travel within the temple town of Tirupati. By taking a bus to the top of the hill, you can minimize your expenditure as the ticket fares are only around Rs 10 to 20. You can opt for deluxe buses too, and this may cost you a wee bit more but nothing extravagant. By taking a bus, you can reach the top of the hill within an hour or so. Buses are also regularly available, and opting for one shouldn’t pose a big problem.

Taxi

Another mode of travel available within Tirupati is rented cars and automobiles. You can rent out a car for travelling to the hill and back for a day, and rental charges for a day will range around Rs 1500 to 2000 INR. You will need to bear the fuel expenses in this type of rental. Some of the agencies are:

Balaji Cabs – Ph: 08574 – 08574 – 270
Sai Sudha Travels- Ph: 08574 – 08574 – 267

Hotels

You can find 26 hotels in Tirupati under following categories:

• Tirupati Budget Hotels (17): Annapurna Residency, Hotel PLR Grand, Sri Sai Residency
• Tirupati Hostels (1): Ramee Guestline Hotel
• Tirupati Medium Range Hotels (8): Hotel Gopikrishna, Bhimas Deluxe Hotel, Hotel Mayura
• Tirupati Luxury Hotels (1): Fortune Kences Hotel
• Tirupati Resorts (1): Temple Valley