TIRUPATI VISIT



I had an inclination to visit Tirupati long back. The last visit was during 2001 after the marriage of Smitha. We thought it fit to visit Titrupati alongwith Balaji and his parents.Somehow, the programme was chalked out in advance after getting a fax message from PA to Endowment Minister of Andhra Pradesh, the accommodation and darshan programme was fixed. The entire exercise of visiting the shrine was very meticulous.After receiving the fax message, we had booked our train tickets to Tirupati and back. Since we had sufficient time after the darshan of the Lord , we also hired a taxi to visit Sri Kalahasti temple and other temple..

Later, somewhere during 2004, when I was working with Mr.Venkateswarlu,the then Director of DDK,Bangalore, through the good office of Station Engineer,DDK,Tirupathi. I visited Tirupati and Kalahasthi in a Car. This programme was well organized by Doordarshan people and I did not have much botheration.

Now, after a gap of nearly three years I visited Tirupati along with Balaji’s parents. Though we wanted to visit on 9th July 07 coincided with the 60th birth day of Balaji’s father, due to some preoccupation, this could not materialize. However, finally, we booked our tickets under K.S.T.D.C. tour package leaving Bangalore on 20th July 07 evening .

As per schedule, we left our place at 6..45.pm and reached Badami house at 7.45.pm. After checking our tickets at the counter we occupied our seats. Exactly at 8.pm, the bus left for Tirupati.

As usual the Manager of the Team introduced himself to all the passengers and explained the programme for the day.

Our first halt was at Narasapur for dinner at 9.pm. Our fellow passengers had their dinner at Kamat Restaurant where the bus halted. Though, the Hotel was neat and clean, the food served was not good. However, we had taken some chapathis and sabji with us and the quality and quantity was quite sufficient for us.

Then after dinner, by about 9.45.pm, we left to Tirupati. It was 2.30.am, the next day 21.7.07, when we reached Tirupati. We were taken near the Sudarshan Seva ticket counter and asked to stand in Que to procure the Darshan ticket. By about 3.30.am. they issued the tickets after taking our finger prints and collecting Rs.50/- per ticket . Later we left to nearby Hotel SRIVARI SANNIDHI, opposite to SB.I. Staff training centre, Tirupati. We were allotted a double room accommodation with an additional bed at Room No.212 in the Hotel.


After taking some rest and bath,we started our journey towards Sri Kalahasthi. This temple is 40.km away from Tirupathi. By about 7.30.am we reached Kalahasti temple. Though it was a Saturday, there was no rush at that particular time. Anyhow we had good darshan. While returning ,there was some confusion to locate our bus. At last we located our bus. We had our breakfast nearby Ganesh hotel. The food items served was good.

We left Kalahasthi by 9.am. to reach Kapileswara swamy temple, which is 4.k.m from Tirupathi. After our darshan at Kapileswara swamy temple, we proceeded towards Srinivasa Mangapura, which is 16 km from Tirupathi. After our worship at Srinivasa Mangapura we had our lunch at Hotel Bheema around 12.45.pm. The food served was just o.k. After our Lunch we left for our Hotel for rest.

At 4.pm, the T.T.D. bus came to pick us up to the abode of Lord Venkateswara,Tirupati Tirumalai Devasthanam. From Tirupati to Tirumalai ,it is 22 km . By the time we reached the uphill, it was around 5.15.pm. About 11 people had their head tonsure at a designated place. I also offered my hair to the service of Lord. It was around 6.30,PM we were in the Que.I have not seen such a huge crowd. Already there was a serpentine Que. I was very much worried about the darshan. In our Sudarshan Seva ticket, it was clearly mentioned that the time allotted for our darshan was at.9.pm. By 7.30.pm the Que started moving and when we reached a certain point, we were impounded in a Hall where lots of seats and TV screens were installed. For nearly half an hour we were impounded due to the visit of A.P,. Governor and later when he left, the gates were opened, there was a mad rush. One can seeing the madness of the crowd. The people were gushing from one end to the other without any mercy on kids or mothers carrying babies . The ultimate aim of the crowd was to see the Lord, collect the Ladu and catch their bus.At last we had the darshan of the Lord at about 10.15.pm , even here also no one was allowed near the sanctum as was done on earlier occasion.. The security personnel inside the temple were helpless.

We reached the Bus terminus by 10.30.pm and the Manager was waiting for our return and asked us to eat the fast good available nearby. It was around 11.30.pm when we reached our Hotel. The Manager made an announcement in the bus that we should get ready by 5.30.am the next day 22.07.07.

The next day 22.07.07, we vacated the SRIVARI SANNIDHI HOTEL and visited the Govindaraja temple at 6.30.am. We purchased Tomala Seva tickets along with other pilgrims and sat for the puja. Later,around 9.30.am, we had our Breakfast in a nearby Hotel, Balaji Woodlands. Subsequently, we reached the Padmavathi temple at 10.30.am which is nearly 4.km from Tirupati. The Manager of the team was able to get us quick darshan.


After the temple visit, we started our journey towards Bangalore. On the way near Chitoor we had our Lunch at a Hotel manned by Reliance Group. The ambiance at the Hotel was really good. One side they had a big petrol station and toilet facilities and on the other, a sales counter for eatables and a good restaurant . The lunch served to us was really good.

By the time we reached the Badami House, the K.S.T.D.C office it was around 5.30.pm. By 6.pm we were at our place.

By and large we had a good darshan of Lord Venkateswara . There were some hurdles initially but the net result was very good.