History of Tirupati Tirumala Venkateswara Temple

The town of Tirupati is one of the most ancient and most spectacular pilgrimage to India. It is located in Chittoor district in southern Andhra Pradesh.

The Tirupati city owes its existence to the sacred temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara and is situated at the foot of the stairs in the town of Tirupati Tirumala hills. With a history stretching back over twelve centuries, the temple is the jewel in the crown of old churches in southern India. Tirumala Hill is 3200 m above sea level is approximately 10.33 square miles in the region.

It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven hoods Adisesha, thus earning the name, Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, and Narayanadri Venkatadri. Sri Venkateswara temple sacred is located on the seventh peak Venkatadri (Venkata Hill), and lies on the south shore of Sri Swami Pushkarini. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord in Tirumala.

The name Tirupati, meaning the ‘Lord of Lakshmi should be applied properly in the village on the Venkata Hill, the abode of the Lord. However, it has been popularly attributed to the city’s municipal foot of the hill, while the people around the hill near his temple is called Tirumala (the Sacred Hill). Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) maintains twelve temples and their sub-shrines in the Tirumala Tirupati area.