Tirupati | |
|---|---|
City | |
        Venkateswara Temple, Alipiri Garuda Circle,Sri Venkateswara University entrance, View ofTirupati International Airport, View ofTirumala hills, Tirupati City night view, FOXLINK Facility at APIIC EMC Tirupati, Main GateIIT Tirupati | |
| Nicknames: Spiritual Capital of Andhra Pradesh,Heritage City,"City Of Devotion" | |
 Interactive map of Tirupati | |
.svg)  Tirupati Location in Andhra Pradesh, India Show map of Andhra Pradesh Tirupati Tirupati (India) Show map of India Tirupati Tirupati (Asia) Show map of Asia | |
| Coordinates:13°38′08″N79°25′25″E / 13.6355°N 79.4236°E /13.6355; 79.4236 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| Region | Rayalaseema |
| District | Tirupati |
| Founded | 24 February 1130; 895 years ago (1130-02-24) |
| Incorporated (municipality) | 1 April 1886; 139 years ago (1886-04-01) |
| Incorporated (corporation) | 2 March 2007; 18 years ago (2007-03-02) |
| Named after | Venkateswara |
| Wards | 50 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| • Body | Tirupati Municipal Corporation,Tirupati Urban Development Authority(TUDA) |
| • Mayor | B. R. Sirisha Yadav[1] (YSRCP) |
| Area | |
• City | 30.01 km2 (11.59 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• City | 295,323 |
| • Rank | 9th in Andhra Pradesh |
| • Density | 9,841/km2 (25,490/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 461,900 |
| Demonym(s) | Tirupatian, Tirupatollu |
| Literacy[5] | |
| • Literates | 229,730 |
| • Effective literacy rate | 87.55% |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Telugu |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 517501 (Tirupati city) |
| Area code | +91–0877 |
| Geocode | UN/LOCODE IN TIR[6] |
| Vehicle registration | Old:AP-03, AP-39, New:AP-40 (from 2023)[7] |
| Nominal GDP (2023-24) | ₹20,444 crore (US$2.4 billion)[8] |
| Currency | Indian Rupee,INR |
| International Airport | Tirupati International Airport |
| Domestic Airport | Tirupati Airport |
| Railway Station | Tirupati Main Railway station |
| Police | Tirupati district Police |
| Website | tirupati |
Tirupati (/ˈtɪrʊpɒtɪ/ ⓘ) is a city in the Indianstate ofAndhra Pradesh and serves as the administrative headquarters ofTirupati district. It is known for its significant religious and cultural heritage, being home to the renownedTirumala Venkateswara Temple, a major Hindu pilgrimage site, as well asother historic temples.[9] The temple is one of the eightSvayam Vyakta Kshetras (self-manifested temples) dedicated to the deityVishnu. Tirupati is situated 150 km fromChennai, 250 km fromBangalore, and 416 km fromVijayawada.
Tirupati is the second largest city in theRayalaseema region, afterKurnool. According to the2011 census of India, Tirupati had a population of 287,035, making it theninth most populous city in Andhra Pradesh, while the larger urban agglomeration had a population of 459,985, ranking it theseventh largest in the state.[5] The city functions as amunicipal corporation and serves as the headquarters for theTirupati district,Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams,Tirupati Urban,Tirupati Rural mandals, theTirupati revenue division, theAndhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL), and theTirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA).[10]
In 2012–2013, Tirupati was recognized by India'sMinistry of Tourism as the "Best Heritage City".[11] Additionally, it was selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed under theSmart Cities Mission, aGovernment of India initiative aimed at urban development and modernization.
InDravidian,[12]Tiru means sacred or Honourable andPati, aDravidian word[13] meaning residence.[14][15][16] The prefix "Tiru" (or "Thiru") is a widely recognisedTamil word and is used in many South Indian place names.[12][17] Tirupati (Tirumala) is referred to as Pushpa-mandapa inAcharya-Hrdayam (13th century).[18]
According toVaraha Purana, duringTreta Yuga,Rama resided here withSita andLakshmana on his return from Lankapuri.[19]
As per thePurana, a loan of one crore and 11.4 million gold coins was sought byBalaji fromKubera for his marriage withPadmavathi. To pay back the loan, devotees from all over India visit the temple and donate money.[20]
Tirupati was developed byPallava Kings from 6th century onwards.[citation needed] The city became a great Vaishnava centre during the time ofRamanujacharya in 11th century, from where Srivaishnavism spread to other parts of Andhra Desa.Srikurmam Temple in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh bears the inscription,Tirupati Srivaishnavula Raksha.[21] Tirupati survived theMuslim invasions by accepting to payJizya to the Muslims. During the early 1300sMuslim invasion of South India, the idol ofSri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam was brought to Tirupati for safekeeping.[22][23]
The temple town for most of the medieval era was part ofVijayanagara Empire until the 17th century and its rulers contributed considerable resources and wealth, notable among whom areKrishna Deva Raya andAchyuta Deva Raya,Sadasiva Raya andTirumala Deva Raya.
The city has many historical temples including theVenkateswara Temple which bears 1,150 inscriptions in the Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.[24] Out of 1150 inscriptions 236 belong toPallava,Chola andPandya dynasties, 169 belonged toSaluva dynasty, 251 belonged toAchyuta Deva Raya period, 130 belonged toSadasiva Raya period and another 135 originated inAravidu dynasty.[24][25] These mostly specify the contributions of thePallava Kingdom around the ninth century CE,Chola Kingdom around the tenth century CE and theVijayanagara Empire in the 14th century CE.[26] In the 15th century,Tallapaka Annamacharya sung many songs in praise of the holy town in Telugu. He termed it as divine, including the rocks, streams, trees, animals, and adds that it is heaven on earth. One example of such a song is:[27]
Kattedura Vaikuntamu Kaanachaina Konda
Thettalaya Mahimale Tirumala Konda ||
Vedamulae Silalai Velasinadi Konda
Yedesa Punya Rasule Yerulainadi Konda
Gadili Brahmadi Lokamula Konalu Konda
Sree Devudundeti Seshadri Konda ||Tirumala, in all its right, is heaven. Its powers are indescribable. The Vedas have taken the form of rocks and appeared on Tirumala. Holiness has taken the form of water and is flowing as streams onTirumala. Its holy peaks are Brahmaloka and other lokas. Srinivasa lives on Seshadri.
There was no human settlement at lower Tirupati until 1500. With the growing importance of upper Tirupati, a village formed at the present-day Kapilatheertham Road area and was named "kotturu". It was later shifted to the vicinity ofGovindarajaswamy Temple which was consecrated around the year 1130 CE. Later the village grew into its present-day form around Govindaraja Swamy Temple which is now the heart of the city. It has now gained a lot of popularity as a tourism place.[28]
In 1932,Tirumala Venkateswara Temple was handed over toTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams by the TTD Act of 1932. In 2006,Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) andTTD together conducted "Tirupati Utsavam" which focused on the history of development of Tirupati town, kings who visited Tirumala and their contribution for development of the temple.[29] The fourthWorld Telugu Conference, a conference for furtherance ofTelugu language, was conducted at Tirupati during December 2012 for three days.[30] In January 2017, the 104thIndian Science Congress (ISCA) meeting was held in Tirupati.[citation needed]
Tirupati is located at13°39′N79°25′E / 13.65°N 79.42°E /13.65; 79.42 in theTirupati district ofAndhra Pradesh state in southernIndia. Tirupati lies at the foot ofSeshachalam Hills ofEastern Ghats which were formed duringPrecambrian era.[31] One of its suburbs,Tirumala, which is home toSri Venkateswara Temple, is located within the hills.[31]Tirupati Urban Development Authority includes Tirupati (City),Renigunta,Chandragiri, and census towns Akkarampalle, Avilala, Cherlopalle, Mangalam, Peruru, Settipalle, Thummala gunta (part), Timminaidupalle,Tiruchanur, Tirupati (NMA).[32] Tirupati is surrounded bySrikalahasti towards the east,Puttur towards the south,Pakala towards the west and the Seshachalam hills (Tirumala) towards the north.[citation needed]Swarnamukhi river originates in Chandragiri Hills and passes through the Tirupati City before reaching Srikalahasti in the east.[31]
At the 12 km (7.5 mi) point on the Tirupati –Tirumala ghat road, there is a major discontinuity ofstratigraphic significance that represents a period of remarkable serenity in the geological history of theEarth. This is referred to asEparchaean Unconformity. Thisunconformity separates the NagariQuartzite of theProterozoic from thegranite of theArchean.[33] In 2001, theGeological Survey of India (GSI) declared the Eparchaean Unconfirmity to be one of the 26 "Geological Monuments of India".
Silathoranam, anatural arch and a distinctive geological feature, is located in the Tirumala Hills at a distance of 1 km (0.62 mi) fromTirumala Venkateswara Temple. The arch measures 8 metres in width and 3 metres in height and is eroded from quartzite of Cuddapah Supergroup of Middle to UpperProterozoic (1600 to 570Ma) by weathering agents like water and wind.[34]
Sri Venkateswara National Park[35] is anational park andbiosphere reserve which is part of Seshachalam hills. The total area of the park is 353 km2 (136 sq mi). The park is home to about 1,500 vascular plant species belonging to 174 families. Some of the rare and endemic plant species likered sanders,Shorea talura,Shorea thumburggaia,Terminalia pallida,sandalwood,Syzygium alternifolium, andPsilotum nudum occur in this region.Cycas beddomei, a species ofcycad in the genusCycas, is found only in theTirumala Hills.
About 178 species of birds from this national park have been identified which includes the globally threatenedyellow-throated bulbul,grey-fronted green pigeon, critically endangeredOriental white-backed vulture,large hawk-cuckoo,blue-faced malkoha,yellow-browed bulbul,Indian scimitar-babbler andLoten's sunbird. Among predators theleopard is quite common, along with thewild dog. Among reptiles, the most interesting species is thegliding lizard, found in some deep forested valleys. Another important reptile of this national park is thegolden gecko.
Established in 1987, Tirupati Zoo orSri Venkateswara Zoological Park[36] is a zoo located at Tirupati and is Asia's largest zoo, with an area of 5500 acres. It is built on the concept of Hindu mythology. It exhibits only animals that are mentioned in the ancient epics likeRamayana,Mahabharatha, andPanchatantra. The enclosures are named based on Indian mythology. It hosts a wide range of animals such as deer, monkeys, lions, tigers, bears, elephants, peafowl, grey pelicans, marsh crocodiles, and starred tortoises.
Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana shala is a home forcattle received as a donation (Godanam). It was established in 1956 by TTD and renamed to S.V. Gosamrakshana Shala in 2004. It is located at Chandragiri road, Tirupati. It is maintained byTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams using the funds received through the Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala Trust. Activities of the trust include providing a good environment, management, and feeding for the cattle. The milk and its products produced here are used by TTD for daily rituals at Sri Venkateswara Temple and other TTD temples.[37]
Tirupati has atropical savanna climate under theKöppen climate classification system, specificallyAw (dry "winter"), closely borderingAs (dry "summer"). During thedry season, which lasts from January to May, average minimum temperatures are between 18 and 28 °C (64.4 and 82.4 °F). The dry season is followed by therainy season, which lasts from June until the end of December. The city experiences heavy rainfall in November during the northeast monsoon season. The highest rainfall in 24 hours (219 millimetres or 8.62 inches) was on 16 November 2015, during the2015 South India floods. Cyclones commonly hit the Coast ofNellore and bring heavy rain to the city.[38]
| Climate data for Tirupati (Tirupati Airport) 1991–2020, extremes 1981–2020 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.6 (96.1) | 39.9 (103.8) | 43.0 (109.4) | 45.7 (114.3) | 45.5 (113.9) | 45.2 (113.4) | 40.8 (105.4) | 40.0 (104.0) | 43.1 (109.6) | 39.0 (102.2) | 37.1 (98.8) | 34.3 (93.7) | 45.7 (114.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.3 (86.5) | 33.3 (91.9) | 37.1 (98.8) | 39.3 (102.7) | 40.5 (104.9) | 38.1 (100.6) | 36.1 (97.0) | 35.1 (95.2) | 34.9 (94.8) | 33.1 (91.6) | 30.4 (86.7) | 29.2 (84.6) | 34.8 (94.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.8 (65.8) | 19.9 (67.8) | 22.9 (73.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.4 (81.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.3 (77.5) | 23.9 (75.0) | 22.0 (71.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 23.9 (75.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 12.9 (55.2) | 11.9 (53.4) | 14.2 (57.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 20.4 (68.7) | 21.5 (70.7) | 20.6 (69.1) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 16.5 (61.7) | 15.0 (59.0) | 13.5 (56.3) | 11.9 (53.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 12.2 (0.48) | 7.9 (0.31) | 8.4 (0.33) | 17.5 (0.69) | 50.0 (1.97) | 84.2 (3.31) | 110.5 (4.35) | 130.5 (5.14) | 111.9 (4.41) | 207.8 (8.18) | 260.3 (10.25) | 112.3 (4.42) | 1,113.5 (43.84) |
| Average rainy days | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 5.2 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 4.4 | 55.1 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 56 | 45 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 46 | 50 | 53 | 57 | 65 | 71 | 65 | 52 |
| Source:India Meteorological Department[39][40][41] | |||||||||||||
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 92.82% | |||
| Islam | 6.05% | |||
| Christianity | 0.74% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.39% | |||
| Distribution of religions | ||||
As of 2011[update]Census of India, the Tirupati city municipal corporation had a population of 287,035. The total population constitutes 145,977 males and 141,058 females — a sex ratio of 966 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 940 per 1000. There were 24,643 children in the age group of 0–6 years. It had an effective literacy rate (7+ copulation) of 87.55%.[5] The urban agglomeration had a population of 459,985, of whom males constitute 231,456, females constitute 228,529 — a sex ratio of 987 females per 1000 males and 41,589 children are in the age group of 0–6 years. There are a total of 356,558 literates with an effective literacy rate (7+ population) of 85.22%.
Telugu is the official and the most commonly spoken language (87.98%). It is followed byUrdu (5.50%) andTamil (3.40%),Hindi (1.01%) which are spoken in small numbers.[43]
Tirupati Assembly constituency is one of the 175 assembly constituencies ofAndhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, India. Tirupati is part ofTirupati (Lok Sabha constituency). Gurumurthy Maddela ofYSR Congress Party is the sittingMember of Parliament for Tirupati (Lok Sabha constituency).
Under the administration of TTD, Tirupati And Tirumala has seen continued emphasis on improving pilgrimage infrastructure, including the implementation of welfare schemes aimed at supporting devotees visiting theSri Venkateswara Temple.
Arani Srinivasulu of Janasena Party is the sittingMember of Legislative Assembly for Tirupati (Assembly constituency) and B. R. Sirisha Yadav of YSR Congress Party is the mayor forTirupati Municipal Corporation.[44] TheTirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) Chairman is Dr.C.Divakar Reddy.And the Chairman OfTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is Bollineni Rajagopal Naidu.
Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) oversees the administration of the city. Tirupati was constituted as a municipality on 1 April 1886; it was upgraded to a second grade municipality on 1 October 1962, to a first grade municipality on 12 December 1965, to special grade municipality on 13 February 1970, and to selection grade municipality on 7 October 1998. Tirupati Municipality was upgraded to a municipal corporation on 2 March 2007. The area of the municipal corporation at the time of formation was 16.59 square kilometres (6.41 sq mi).[45] While, at present the area of the city is 27.44 square kilometres (10.59 sq mi).[5] Tirupati has been ranked among the top ten cleanest cities in India as per Swachh Survekshan 2022 report.
Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) is theurban planning authority. It was constituted in the year 1981, with Tirupati town and 89 villages under its jurisdiction. In 2008, it includedSrikalahasti,Puttur and 69 surrounding villages. At present TUDA covers an area of 1,211.51 km2 (467.77 sq mi).[46]
Tirupati has the status of Urban Police District; it has 25 police stations.[47] 100Octopus (Organisation For Counter Terrorist Operations) commandos are deployed at Tirupati temple for its security. This was formed byGovernment of Andhra Pradesh in the year 2012. The elite commando force has been specially trained for in-house intervention, hostage rescue and in the Israeli combat techniqueKrav Maga.[48]
AtAlipiri, a security zone was established to screen vehicles and pilgrims entering Tirumala, to safeguard the hills from terrorists and anti-social elements.[49] To ensure more safety in Tirumala-Tirupati, the government of Andhra Pradesh started a project called "Safe City-Tirupati": the Tirupati temple and the city is under 24*7 CCTV surveillance with 3000 CCTV cameras, monitored from a command-and-control centre. Baggage scanners and Explosives detectors are installed at several places.[50]
Electricity to the city is distributed byAndhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL), headquartered at Tirupati.[51] The city mostly depends ongroundwater for its needs,[52] though it also gets water fromTelugu Ganga canal and Kalyani dam.[53] There are dams in the vicinity:Kalyani Dam, Papavinasanam Dam, Gogurbham Dam, Pasupudara Dam, Kumaradara Dam, Akasa Ganga,[54] all in the Tirumala Hill ranges. Of these, Papavinasanam, Gogurbham, Pasupudara, kumaradara, and Akasa Ganga completely cater to the water needs of Tirumala and Venkateswara Temple while 49% of Kalyani Dam water is being supplied to Tirumala and remaining water is supplied to Tirupati.[54][55]
Tirupati falls under the Tirupati Telecom District of theBharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).[56] BSNL is planning to establish 27 Wi-Fi hotspots in the city.[56] The city also has a Regional Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).[57] PSK-Tirupati will coverPrakasam,Nellore,Chittoor,Kadapa,Kurnool andAnantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh and will come under Visakhapatnam Passport Office.[58]
The city ranked sixth in India among the 200 cities that competed during Swachh Survekshan – 2018 conducted byMinistry of Urban Development,Government of India, and theCentral Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India. According to the National Urban Sanitation Policy, the city was ranked 117th in the country in 2009–10, with a total of 39.363 points.[59] As part of 'Swachh Tirupati', Tirupati Municipal Corporation has started household waste segregation programme.[60] As of May 2015, 150Tonnes of waste is being collected per day from households within the municipal limits.[60] The city is the 11th cleanliest city with 66 points in the cleanliness scorecard, published by Union Tourism Ministry of India.[61]
Tirupati is a medical hub with major hospitals situated in its vicinity. Many of these are either run under State government or run/funded byTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital is one of the largest in the state ofAndhra Pradesh, and the main government hospital for theRayalaseema region. It was started in the year 1962 with a donation of Rs.5 lakhs from Sri Radha Krishna N. Ruia and 15 lakhs from TTD. At present it has 750 beds.[62]Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) is another major medical institute, founded in 1986.[63]
Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled (BIRRD) has 250 beds; it was established in 1985 by TTD to treat patients with polio myelitis, cerebral palsy, congenital anomalies, spinal injuries, and orthopaedic impairments. A non-profit organisation, it is run with funds from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and donations from the public.[64]Government Maternity Hospital (GMH) in Tirupati is the largest maternity hospital in the state in terms of number of deliveries.[65] Established over 50 years ago, GMH serves pregnant woman from Chittoor, YSR, Nellore, Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh and few areas of Tamil Nadu.[65] GMH was named "best hospital" under the "sterilization and institutional deliveries category" by theMinistry of Health and Family Welfare for the year 2013.[65]
Tourism is the major industry in Tirupati.[66][67][68]
The entire economy directly or indirectly depends onTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). TTD is headquartered at Tirupati.[69] Established in 1932, TTD is an independent trust which managesTirumala Venkateswara Temple andother temples in Tirupati and all over the world. It is also involved in several social activities. As Tirupati is a major religious tourist destination, thehospitality industry is also a major industry which includes many 3 star hotels and lodges.[67][68]
Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) is also headquartered at Tirupati. Gandhi Road, Prakasam Road, V.V Mahal Road, AIR Bypass Road are highly commercial areas in the city. Major brands of automobile, textile, mobile, electrical and electronic companies have their outlets in Tirupati.[70]
APIIC Industrial Park is located at Gajulamandyam, Renigunta. Industries like Sri Venkateswara Cooperative Sugar Factory Limited, AshwiniBio Pharma Ltd and others are situated in this park.Amara Raja factory is located at Karakambadi, Renigunta. Lanco cement factory is located at Eerpedu mandal. The majority of the city residents are employed under TTD.Zoho, an Indian software development company has an office inRenigunta and has been operating from this office since 2018.[71]
Sri Venkateswara Mobile and Electronics Manufacturing Hub is a dedicated mobile handset and electronics manufacturing facility located at Tirupati. The hub is spread over 122 acres (49 ha) Acres out of which Celkon is established in 20 acres (8.1 ha) acres, Micromax in 15 acres (6.1 ha) acres, Karbonn in 15.28 acres (6.18 ha) acres and Lava in 20 acres (8.1 ha) acres with a total investment of Rupees 2000 crores.[72][73] Dixon Technologies has a manufacturing unit in this hub, where they are producingSmart TVs forXiaomi.[74]
TheTirumala Venkateswara Temple and a number of other temples in and around the city attract large numbers of tourists.[75][76] Tirumala is said to be one of the most visited religious sites on earth, and Tirupati Temple is currently a Guinness World Record holder for most visited temple in the world.[citation needed]
The city celebrates all majorHindu festivals, includingSankranti,Ugadi,Krishna Janmashtami,Maha Shivaratri,Ganesh Chaturthi,Deepavali,Rama Navami, andKartik Poornima.Srivari Brahmotsavam is a nine-day event, celebrated during the months of September–October, when the temple of Tirumala witnesses lakhs of devotees.[77] During this festival, the processional deityMalayappa of Venkateswara Temple, along with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, is taken in a procession in four mada streets around the temple on differentVahanams. Tirupati also celebrates a carnival named asTirupati Ganga Jatara, held during second week of May every year. This is a week long festival where Gangamma (Gramadevata) is worshiped.[78] The tank behindPadmavathi Temple, Tiruchanur has Padma Pushkarini, where Chakra Snanam is undertaken on last day of the annual Padmavathi Brahmotsavams (Panchami Teertham). It witnesses lakhs of Devotees taking a dip in the holy waters.[79]
Vaikunta Ekadasi, the day on which it is believed that Vaikunta Dwarams will be opened and the most important Vasihnavite festival, is celebrated in Tirumala and Tirupati with grandeur.[80][81]Rathasapthami is another festival, celebrated in February, when Venkateswara's processional deity (Malayappa swami) is taken in a procession around the temple on seven differentvahanas from early morning to late night.[82]
Sri Krishna janmastami, also known as Gokulashtami, is celebrated with great fervour at Tirupati. The Lotus Temple belonging toInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is illuminated with lamps and paintings displaying themes fromSrimad Bhagavatham. The celebrations include offering prayers toSri Krishna, Utlotsavam,Annamayya Kirtana alapana,Geetha Parayanam among others. On this day 'Gokulashtami Asthanam' is held atTirumala Venkateswara Temple. TTD also celebrates janmastami at Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala where prayers are offered to cows, horses and elephants.[83][84]Maha Shivaratri andKartik Poornima are the most auspicious occasions celebrated inKapila Theertham.[85]
The city'sTirupati Laddu is world famous among Hindu devotees around the world. It is theprasadam atVenkateswara Temple, Tirumala. Tirupati Laddu was awarded theGeographical indication tag which entitles onlyTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to make or sell it.[86][87]
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams established Sri Venkateswara Museum, one at Tirumala and the other at Tirupati. It has a wonderful collection of Tirupati temple architecture and historical artefacts, such as ancient weaponry,pooja items and idols. It has a comprehensive photo gallery that gives a unique insight into Tirupati region's culture and traditions. It also boasts a meditation centre.[88] In 1988–89Archaeological Survey of India had established an archaeological museum in theChandragiri fort atChandragiri. It exhibits rich collection of stone and metal sculptures of Hindu gods and other cultural vestiges retrieved from other historical places likeGudimallam,Gandikota andYaganti. It also includes galleries for medieval weaponry of swords and daggers, coins and paper documents.[89]
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is the most notable temple for being the world's richestVaishnavite temple ofVenkateswara.[90] Beside Venkateswara Temple, the city is known for many other ancient temples, such asPadmavathi Temple atTiruchanur,Govindaraja Temple,[91] Kapileswara Temple atKapila Theertham,Kalyana Venkateswara Temple, Srinivasamangapuram,Thathayyaguntta Gangamma Temple of goddess Gangamma is theGramadevata of Tirupati,Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple etc.
Besides historic temples, there are other tourist destinations in and around the city.Chandragiri Fort is a historical fort, built in the 11th century located inChandragiri. The fort hosts an Archaeological Museum maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.[92] Established in 1987,Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tirupati is the largestzoo park in Asia, which covers an area of 5532 acres.[93][94] Tirupati also hosts a Regional Science centre. A Space Exposition Hall, which has a digital Planetarium, the first of its kind in Andhra Pradesh, and an Innovation Space were added to this centre.[95][96]
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Tiruchanur,Alipiri,Chandragiri andRenigunta are the notable neighbourhoods of the city.[97][98]
The city is well connected to major cities throughnational andstate highways. National highways passing through Tirupati are National Highway 71 (which connectsMadanapalle andKadiri), and National Highway 140 connecting Tirupati withPuthalapattu. Within Tirupati Urban Development Authority Limits, there are two additional national highways, namely, NH 716 and NH 565. NH 716 connects Renigunta part of Tirupati to Chennai and Muddanur (via Kadapa and Rajampet). NH 565 on the other hand connects NH 71 to NH 65 - it starts from Yerpedu area of Tirupati and ends at Nakrekal in Nalgonda district.[99]
There are two all-weather,asphaltghat roads between Tirupati and Tirumala, one constructed in 1944 and the other in 1974.[100] There is a total of 294.47 km (182.98 mi) of roads within the Tirupati Municipal Corporation limits.[101]
APSRTC is the state owned transport service, which operates buses to various destinations fromTirupati bus station complex. The bus station comprises three mini bus stations to various destinations, such as Srinivasa bus station for west-bound destinations, Sri Hari bus station for east bound destinations and Yedukondalu bus station is utilised for bus services toTirumala.[102] Balaji Link bus station atAlipiri is also used for bus services to Tirumala.[100] Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams runs free buses from the railway station and central bus stand to Alipiri for pilgrims. The buses to Tirumala are known as Sapthagiri Express.[103]
Tirupati is in close proximity with the states ofKarnataka andTamil Nadu. Hence, direct buses fromTirumala toChennai,Bengaluru,Jayanagar, Bangalore,Vellore,Kanchipuram are run byAPSRTC Sapthagiri Express.KSRTC,TNSTC andSETC also operates their services to Lower Tirupati. There are also private transport which operate in the city.
There are two footpaths from Tirupati toTirumala. These paths are calledSopanamargas and are mostly used by pilgrims. The first (and older) path starts fromAlipiri and has 3550 steps, totalling 11 km (6.8 mi). At Alipiri there is a temple dedicated to Venkateswara called Padalamandapam. There are fourGopurams (temple towers) along the way. The other path, calledSri Vari Mettu starts from Srinivasa Mangapuram and is 6 km (3.7 mi) long. Both paths are completely roofed and pass through seven hills (part ofSeshachalam Hills).[104]
Tirupati has 6 railway stations.Tirupati Main is classified as anA1 station in theGuntakal railway division ofSouth Central Railway zone.[105]Tirupati West Halt andTiruchanur are the satellite stations, used for decongesting rail traffic at the main station. In addition to these, Tirupati also has Chandragiri, Yerpedu andRenigunta Junction railway stations to serve the needs of the people of the city.[106]
Tirupati Airport is located 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city centre and has daily flights toCoimbatore,Kolkata,Mumbai,New Delhi,Bangalore,Kolhapur,Pune,Tiruchirapalli,Madurai,Shirdi,Rajahmundry,Kalaburagi,Hubli,Vijayawada,Visakhapatnam andHyderabad. The closest international airport isChennai International Airport which is 130 km (81 mi) from Tirupati. Tirupati Airport is being upgraded to an international airport. The new terminal was inaugurated on 22 October 2015.[107]
The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided and private schools of the School Education Department of the state.[108][109] Majority of them are named after presiding deity of Tirupati temple,Venkateswara and his consort goddessPadmavati.
There are several universities and colleges includingstate government andTirumala Tirupati Devasthanam sponsored such as,Sri Venkateswara University, established in 1954;Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam, a dedicated women's university; Medical colleges includeSri Venkateswara Medical College andSri Padmavathi Medical College for Women.[63]Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) is also a medical institute,Sri Venkateswara Vedic University to preserve, foster and promote oral traditions of Vedic, Agamic and Cognate Literature, with focus on right intonations.[110]Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, a university established for higher learning in Sanskrit studies, Traditional Sastras and Pedagogy.[111]Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University to strengthen education and services in the fields of Veterinary Science, Dairy Technology and Fishery Science in the State of Andhra Pradesh.[112] Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture (SVITSA) run by TTD is one of the two institutions in India offering courses in traditional sculpture and architecture to students. Seven diploma courses are offered in subjects such astemple architecture, stone sculpture, Sudai aculpture, metal sculpture, wood sculpture, traditional painting and traditionalKalamkari art.[113]Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati is the first culinary institute in India established byMinistry of Tourism (India).[114][115]
The city hasIndian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) andIIT Tirupati which were allotted byGovernment of India to the state ofAndhra Pradesh.[116]Sri Venkateswara College of Law is a notable law college in Tirupati.
Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC), the first 24-hour Telugu devotional TV channel dedicated to broadcast Hindu devotional programmes is telecast from Tirupati.
Started in 1949,Sapthagiri is a spiritual monthly magazine based at Tirupati and published inTelugu,Sanskrit,Hindi, English,Tamil andKannada languages.[120] Both SVBC andSapthagiri are run byTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.[121]
Telugu newspapersAndhra Bhoomi,Saakshi,Eenadu,Vaartha,Andhra Jyothi, andAndhra Prabha; and English newspapersDeccan Chronicle,The Hindu,Indian Express,Times of India, andThe Hans India are available in the city. The Hindu, Sakshi, Andhra Jyothi, Eenadu and other dailies have their printing and publication offices set up here.
Tirupati hasAll India Radio station and is served by FM stations92.7 Big FM,93.5 Red FM, and E-FM 104.
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