Places to see

01. Tirumala (Sri Balaji Temple)

The chief attraction of Tirupati tourism centres round the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam which is one of the most revered sites of Hindu pilgrimage. Its presiding deity is Lord Balaji or Venkateshwara or Vishnu whose effigy is adorned with extravagant jewellery and is considered as the richest shrine of India.

The temple is located at top of the Seshachalam Range of Seven Hills in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Tirumala temple is considered as one of the most venerated places to see in Tirupati as Lord Venkateshwara grants every wish of his followers made in this holy site. In return devotees donate their hair to the deity as a mark of gratitude.

Timing: There is no fixed timing for visit. Special puja timing is 5:30am -7am.

Best time to visit: September- February is the best time to visit Tirumala Tirupati temple when the climate is pleasant with intermittent showers in November and December. Summer months are torrid with high humidity which makes travelling difficult at daytime.

02. Tiruchanur (Alamelu Mangapuram)

The town is a religious destination for Hindu pilgrims due to the presence of Padmavathi Temple. Alamelu mangapuram is located about 4 km from Tirupati Main.

Goddess Lakshmi was born as Alamelu to Akasha Raja, the ruler of this region, and wed Venkateshwara of Tirupati. Goddess Lakshmi gave darshan to Lord Venkateswara on a red Lotus flower (Padma in Sanskrit) at Alamelu mangapuram after his deep penance for twelve years.

03. Sri Kalahasti (Dakshina Kailash)

People call it as dakshina Kailash. This Srikalahasti town is named after Sri (spider), Kala (snake) and Hasti (elephant) that once worshipped the Shiva lingam here and attained Moksham.

As per another legend, Vayu and Adishesha had a dispute to find out who is superior, to prove their superiority, Adishesha encircled Mount Kailash, Vayu tried to remove this encircle by creating a twister. Because of the twister, 8 parts from Kailash fell into 8 different places which are Trincomalee, Srikalahasti, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruenkoimalai, Rajathagiri, Neerthagiri, Ratnagiri, and Swethagiri Thirupangeeli.

04. Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple

Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple is one of the most famous and oldest temples situated in the heart of the temple city of Tirupati. Renowned Sri Vaishnavaite, Saint Ramanujacharya dedicated this temple in 1130 AD. Before Lord Sri Govindaraja Swamy, Sri Parthasarathi Swamy was the deity who presided over this temple.

Sri Govindaraja Swamy is the elder brother of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, who performed the ever-magnificent marriage to Sri Venkateswara Swamy and Padmavathi Ammavaru. Sri Govindaraja Swamy was the guardian of the immense wealth obtained from King Kubera to carry out the marriage. He used this wealth effectively to organize one of the most glorious marriages in history.

One of the biggest temple complexes in Tirupati, Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple was built in 1130 AD by Saint Ramanuja. According to legends, the residing deity efficiently utilized King Kubera’s wealth to conduct the glorious wedding of his younger brother Lord Venkateswara and Padmavathi Ammavaru. Lakhs of pilgrims visit this shrine every year with the belief that God’s blessings will help them to elevate and manage their wealth efficiently. The Dravidian-style architecture of this seven-storied Vaishanvite temple is a beautiful sight to behold.

05. Kanipakam

Kanipakam is home to a popular Hindu temple of Lord Ganesha called as Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple.

The history of this temple is worth knowing. About a 1000 years ago, there lived three physically-disabled brothers. While one of the brothers was blind, the other was dumb and the third was deaf. They earned their modest living by cultivating a small piece of land close to Viharapuri village. Kanipakam is situated at a distance of 11 km from Chittoor city on chittoor-Irala road.

06. Sri Kodandarama Temple

Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple is a famous temple in Tirupati. Lord Sri Kodandarama temple in Tirupati is an ancient temple. This temple is in a serene atmosphere and is a must see temple for Tirumala pilgrims. The presiding deity in this temple is Lord Sri Rama in the form of Kodandarama Swamy with His consort Sitamma and brother Lakshmana.

07. Kapila Teertham

Kapila Theertham is a famous Saivite Temple and Theertham, located at Tirupati in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The idol is believed to be installed by Kapila Muni and hence Lord Siva here is referred to as Kapileswara.

The temple stands at the entrance to a mountain cave in one of the steep and vertical faces at the foot of the Tirumala hills which are part of Seshachalam Hills, where the waters of the mountain stream fall directly into Temple Pushkarini known as "Kapila Theertham". A huge stone statue of a seated bull "Nandhi", Shiva's steed, greets devotees and passers-by at the entrance to the temple. The Shiva lingam at this temple is considered as self-manifested. The waterfall near the temple is also considered sacred, and devotees believe that a dip in its waters can help you get rid of all the sins.