Tirupati is 67-km away from Chittoor in Chittoor district, the southern portion of Andhra Pradesh. Tirupati is one of the most visited pilgrimage in India. Sri Venkateshwara temple is one of the most important place of interest here. Sri Venkateshwara is also known as the Lord of Seven Hills, who is famous all over the country.
The shrine is situated on a hill at Tirumala, a cluster of seven hills known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam with a height of 853m (2,800ft.) above the sea level. This temple is considered as the richest temple in the world, with a vibrant cultural and philanthropic institution and a grand history spanning several centuries. It attracts pilgrims from all over the country who wait for hours together to get a glimpse of the presiding deity.
The Lord of Tirumala is considered as the all-pervading Lord of the Universe. Almost daily 30,000 devotees on an average, visit the sacred shrine of Lord Venkateswara to pay their homage to him.
The ancient Tirupathi Balaji is a fine example of Dravidian temple architecture. The dynasties like the Pallavas of Kanchipuram, the Cholas of Tanjore, the Pandyas of Madurai and the Kings and chiefs of Vijayanagara have contributed a lot to the development of this temple. They endowed the shrine, offering worship to the presiding deity. The Tirupati temple also has beautiful 'gopuram' or tower. The 'Vimana' or Cupola over the sanctum sanctorum is covered entirely with gold plate and is known as "the Ananda Nilayam".
The Shrine consists of three 'Prakarams' or enclosures. The outermost enclosure contains the 'Dhvajastambha' or the banner post and, among others, the statues of Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya and his consorts, and of Todarmal, the minister of Akbar. The idol of the deity, the full figure of Lord Venkateswara or 'Venkataramana' or 'Srinivasa' or 'Balaji' (as is called in various parts of the country) has the attributes of both Vishnu and Shiva, preserving and destroying aspects of the Hindu trinity.
