Sarvadarshan Archives - Tirumala Tirupati Yatra

Sarva Darshan for all

Lord Venkateswara, the God of Seven Hills is in His standing posture in Tirumala. He is the Protector of the Universe. Crores of devotees are coming to Tirumala every year to have the grand Darshan of the Lord. They want to see the glorified, blissful, magnificent, and pleasant embodiment of the Lord and get His graceful blessings.

Many opulent devotees wait and wait very eagerly for the sublime ‘Darshan’ of Lord Venkateswara before the Ananda Nilayam. A sense of competition is there among the devotees for having the ‘Darshan’ of the Lord quickly. Sometimes, the sense of devotion may not be established when the devotees are emotional in their waiting process.

The sanctity and tranquillity among the devotees after the darshan may not be retained in them when they are thinking about the time factor. There may be a scope of danger also that the journey to Tirumala may become futile when the devotees are in the mood of tedious waiting and are not able to visit other significant temples in and around Tirumala.

To avoid inconvenience and discomfort, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is ever designing many possible schemes to facilitate the devotees because of the easy, quick and comfortable ‘Darshan’ of the Lord. It has introduced the timebound ‘Sarva Darshan’ recently.

Time Slotted Sarva Darshan

Consequently, there will be ample time for the devotees to visit the nearby temples after they had the Darshan of the Lord under the newly innovated scheme of ‘Time Slotted Sarva Darshan.’ There is full scope for the devotees to return to their places with a sense of fulfilment and with a full heart of spiritual contentment.

The system of ‘Sarva Darshan Token’ is being implemented to have the Darshan of Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala in the stipulated time. On possessing these Sarva Darshan tokens, devotees can have the Darshan of the Lord at the stipulated time.

There is no need to wait in the Q-lines, and compartments for long hours, and can have darshan in and around holy shrines. Devotees on their return journey have complete satisfaction of their pilgrimage by having a darshan of holy shrines.

Devotees can get Tokens in the fixed places at Tirupati, Tirumala. Allotted timings of Swamivari Darshan are mentioned in those tokens. Instead of waiting, devotees may Visit nearby Temples in Tirupati, Tiruchanur, Srinivasamangapuram, Appalayagunta, and other holy shrines during their free time.

Devotees must get their Aadhar Card to get these time-slotted Sarva Darshan tokens. In case you don’t possess it, get your voter ID card. Devotees possessing tokens can reach Narayanagiri Gardens at a stipulated time in Tirumala and enter the Divya Darshan Complex for Swami Darshan.

Devotees who do not possess their Aadhar / Voter card can have the Lord’s Darshan as usual by waiting in the Vaikuntam Q-complex.

It has become possible to minimize the waiting time at the most for the devotees to have the darshan of Srivaru through the newly designed stipulated and time-bound ‘Darshan’.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams with its earnest endeavor is trying to bring the dreams of their devotees into reality as its main conception is to provide them early, easy and comfortable ‘Darshan of Srivaru’. It hopes that the devotees will make use of the newly innovated scheme of visiting the Lord within the shortest duration.

May you be blessed with the Lord’s Darshan at the earliest !!

Alipiri /Adipadi – Steps at the bottom

The pathway leading to the hill shrine of Tirumala starts from ‘Alipiri’, Tirupati. It is called ‘Adipadi’ meaning the steps at the bottom. The word is in vogue in both Telugu and Tamil. After the advent of the motor facility in the twentieth century, a motor road was opened in 1945.

This facilitated two-way traffic was used between Tirupati and Tirumala. In 1972 another metal road was constructed and opened for one-way traffic to Tirumala.

The old one was commissioned to reach Tirupati from Tirumala. All three ways begin from Alipiri, which can be reached by road from Chennai, Bangalore, and Kadapa.

Pilgrim facility centre

A pilgrim facility centre has been established here. Parking spaces for vehicles, a Bus Station, and a Rest house have been provided here. Padala Mandapam (a small shrine for Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple to enthuse and bless the devotees who tread the pathway to Tirumala) is at the bottom of the hills from where the stepway begins. A newly renovated Temple housing Lord Lakshmi Narayana is also here to facilitate pilgrims to offer prayers.

The first Idol one will see at Alipiri is of ‘Garuda’ standing in ‘Anjali Hastha’ pose. Behind this the arch of Alipiri for vehicles. In between there is a pilon celebrating the 75th year (Diamond Jubilee) of T.T.D. Board of Trustees. All arches facing east. In the south towards Ruia Hospital, the statue of ‘Kannada Haridasa – Purandaradasa’ invites devotees to ascend the hills.

Lakumaiah Son of Kolala Kondaiah Prostrating before God at Alipiri

The pilgrim on foot has to pass through an underground passage beneath this Vigraha (statue) of Purandaradasa to reach Padala Mandapam.

There are mandapas on both sides of the gateway. To the right of this Padala Mandapam, after the connecting steps to the main tower ‘Pedda Gopuram’ is the newly renovated Temple, wherein Lord Lakshmi Narayana Swamy has been installed anew. One has to ascend the steps in between to reach the big gopuram, which invites devotees to ascend the hills.

On the way up one can rest at various mandapams and find Shanku, Chakra, and Namam gopuram at the end of the horizon. In front of Padala Mandapam, on the floor, one can see an embossed figure of a man. Now, a glass protective cage is set on this Moorthy.

An epigraph in Tamil and Telugu, dating back to 1623 A.D. can be found on this stone slab. (It is the image of Lakumaiah, son of Kolala Kondaiah who was the overseer of the charities of Matla Kumara Anantharaja, though the reading of the inscription is wanting in some places.

Lakshmi Narayana Swamy temple

The Lakshmi Narayana Swamy temple is in the East of Padala mandapam, facing towards the west. It is a big Temple with all the characteristic features of a full-fledged Temple. There is a big open space inside the tall and heavy Prakara walls. In this open space, two small shrines are facing one another, that of Perialwar and his daughter Andal.

As such the entire Temple is recognised as Perialwar Temple. There is a vast mukha mandapam beyond these two Upa Aalayas temples.

A narrow Antarala leading to Sukanasi and Sanctum Sanctorum where Lord Lakshmi Narayana Swamy majestically dwells can be seen. Originally this Temple was dedicated to Lakshmi Narasimha, built by Saluva Narasimha Raya in 1483 A.D. (April 20).

This has been established in the inscription on the outer wall of the mukha mandapam to the south at a height of 6-7 feet (switchboard is there obscuring the worn-out inscription), but the place of the inscription is listed as “on the East wall, outer side south of the entrance in Perialwar’s ruined temple at Alipiri, foot of the hills of Tirupati.

Alipiri Gopuram - Namalagopuram and Periya gopuram — Periya gopuram built by Saluva Narasimha Raya as seen from Lakshmi Narayana Swamy temple Garbha griha. Namalagopuram is at the right top view

To recognize this Temple as Perialwar’s temple is a bit far from reason Perialwar’s temple must have been constructed by the Tallapaka clan of poets at Pedda Chimugu-big waterfalls, near Kapila Theertham. This is only a name nowadays that too in the inscriptions of Tallapaka poets.

This was a temple constructed by Saluva Narasimha Raya dedicated to Lakshmi Narasimha has been corroborated by another inscription on the outer entrance of the same temple facing south. The inscription describes the stone stepped well constructed by Karaivetti puli Alwar, (A.D.1490 Jan. 25.) in Grantha lipi Tamil language.

The place of this well is – to the south of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple and the big gopuram-periya gopuram listed as the charity Saluva Narasimha Raya. (one can see this well at Alipiri behind the luggage counter-the north of the road leading to the security checking point at Alipiri).

The big tower in front of the hills at Alipiri was ruined in 1929. A big bolt from the blue stuck and bisected the tall tower vertically and the left and right sides stood supporting one another. The pilgrims used to go around avoiding it to reach the stepped pathway. This tower was renovated in 1978 and opened to pedestrians.

Padala Mandapam

The Padala Mandapam has an inner ambulatory pathway and is covered on three sides. It is believed that the lord comes down every night to visit Alamelumanga who is enshrined in Tiruchanur and leaves his slippers here. (the famous Telugu song – ‘Nadireyi ey Jamulo’ -aptly describes this legend of the Lord visiting Tiruchanur Tayaru.)

Devotees willing to take a trek along the footpath take the sandals of the Lord kept in the temple and circumambulate the Garbhagriha.

The pathway that was used before might have been of a rough hue and chiselled here and there. This Prince constructed it afresh using cut stones and it went up to agra gopura– namala gopuram – (This Gali gopuram was renovated in the 21st century).

Divya Darshan Tokens

Nowadays who walk in this pathway will be given a Divya darshan token to join in the Divya darshan queue for free Darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy. but, at present, the Divyadarshan token tickets number was decreased by the T.T.D., due to a heavy influx of pilgrims.

Anyway, pilgrims coming through both the foot pathways will enter the Sarvadarshan Q-lines. Visit Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala through these foot pathways and be blessed by the Lord.

*Data Source – Saptagiri Magazine

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