TIRUPATI
Location : 67-km From Chittoor, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh
Tourist Attractions : Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple, Sri Govindarajaswami Temple, Padmavati Devi Temple, Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple.
Festivals : Brahmotsavam, Vinayaka Chavithi, Maha Shivaratri, Skhanda Shasthi and Annabhishekam.
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Chandigiri fort, Sri Kalahasthi, Agastyaswamy temple, Kailasakona waterfall, etc.
When to Visit : Through out the year

About Tirupati
Tirupati Temple, situated about 130 kms from Chennai, 704 kms from Hyderabad, has one of the richest temples in the nation. It is the most revered Vaishnavite shrine of Lord Venkateswara. It was ruled by the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Vijayanagar kings. This temple is located in the southern Chittoor locality of Andhra Pradesh. 'Tiru' of the word Tirupati, means `Sri' in Tamil. Hence Tirupati translates to Sripati or Sri Maha Vishnu.
 
 Tirupati is a result of donations made by kings during their rule. Every ruler of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine of Tirupati. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftain of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century AD) were devotees of the Lord and they compete with one another in endowing the temple with rich offerings and contributions.
 
 The Brahmotsavam is the most important temple festival celebrated at Tirupati-Balaji and is illustrious annually in September. This festival is especially grand every third year when it is called Navratri Brahmotsavam. On the third day of the Brahmotsavam, the temple car festival called Rathotsavam is held. together the temple chariot and the Lord are wonderfully decorated and taken around the streets of Tirumala.
 
Thus, Tirupati along with its natural beauty and religious significance attracts innumerable tourists.

Tourist Attractions in Tirupati
Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple
This ancient temple is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini.

Padmavati Devi Temple
In Tiruchanur, 5-km from Tirupati , is this large temple dedicated to goddess Padmavati, the spouse of Lord Venkateswara or Venkateshwara (Balaji). It is also known as "Alamelumangapuram" and it is believed that a visit to Tirumala is fruitful only after visiting the Sri Padmavati Devi temple.

Sri Govindarajaswami Temple
It is one of the very important temples in Tirupati , Sri Govindarajaswami Temple was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD and is located in the heart of the Tirupati.

Kodandaramaswami Temple
Located in the centre of the Tirupati town, the presiding deities over here are Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. It was built by the Chola during the 10th century AD. The temple of Anjaneyaswami, which is directly opposite, is a sub-shrine of this temple.

Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple
Situated about 3-km to the north of Tirupati, at the foot of the Tirumala Hills, is the only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, in Tirupati. The sacred waterfall called "Kapila Teertham " (also known as "Alwar Teertham") is located here. It is also the venue of many festivals.

Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple
This sacred temple is located 12-km to the west of Tirupati at Srinivasa Mangapuram and it is believed that Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavati Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala.

Getting There
Air : Direct flights to Tirupati are available from Hyderabad and Chennai only.
Rail : Tirupati is the nearest railway station. There are trains that travel via Renigunta or Gudur, but do not touch Tirupati. In such cases, Renigunta or Gudur, are convenient points to alight. From Renigunta / Gudur one can reach Tirupati by train, bus, or taxi.
Road : Buses run from all the important places in the state and between Tirupati and Tirumala. Buses also ply between Tirupati and Tirumala, free of cost.

Accommodation
Tirupati has some good accommodation options in Tirupati that offer a wide choice to the tourists. The hotels range from three star hotels to budget hotels in Tirupati. There are plenty of dhramshalas and guest houses in Tirupati offering comfortable stay at reasonable rates, hence accommodation is not a problem here.