Tirupati Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu and Jain temple located in Tirupati. Tirupati is one of the most renowned pilgrimage centers in India. It is located in the district of Chittoor of Andhra Pradesh.
Millions of visitors visit this place every year. The Sri Venkateswara Temple, built on the hills of Tirumala, situated at an altitude of 3200 feet above sea level, is the biggest attraction here. This temple was built many centuries ago and is a fantastic example of South Indian architecture and craftsmanship and is one of the top 25 temples of India.
In Sangam literature, which is one of the earliest documentation of Tamil, Tirupati is called Trivangadam. There are differences among historians regarding the history of Tirupati Balaji Temple. But it is clear that by the 5th century, it had established itself as an important religious center.
The kings of Chola, Hoysala, and Vijayanagara are said to have contributed financially to the construction of this temple.
Lord Venkateswara or Balaji is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Lord Vishnu lived for some time on the banks of a pond called Swami Pushkarini.
This pond is located near Tirumala. The hills around Tirupati are called ‘Saptagiri,’ built based on the seven fauna of Sheshnag. This temple of Sri Venkateswaraya is situated on the seventh hill of Saptagiri, which is famous as Venkatadri.
According to another observation, Saint Ramanuja climbed this seventh hill of Tirupati in the 11th century. Prabhu Srinivasa (another name of Venkateswara) appeared before him and blessed him.
It is believed that after receiving the blessings of the Lord, he lived to the age of 120 years and wandered from place to place and spread the fame of Lord Venkateswara.
On the occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadashi, people come here to have a darshan of the Lord, where after coming, all their sins are washed away. It is believed that after coming here, one gets freedom from the bond of birth and death. The history of this temple is considered to date back to the 9th century, when the ruling dynasty, Pallavas of Kanchipuram, established their suzerainty at this place.
Still, the reputation of the temple remained limited even after the rule of the Vijayanagara dynasty of the 15th century. After 15 century, the fame of this temple started spreading far and wide. From 1843 to 1933 AD, the Mahant of Hatiramji Mutt took over the management of this temple under British rule.
The history of Tirupati Balaji Temple is as magnificent as this temple. Tourists are still surprised to see the beauty and grandeur of this ancient temple built many centuries ago. This temple is a unique confluence of craftsmanship and architecture of South India.
There is a difference of opinion among historians regarding the history of Tirupati. But still, many pieces of evidence indicate that it became a major religious center of Hindus in the 5th century.
The rulers of Chola, Hoyers, and Vijayanagara assisted by giving funds for the construction of the Balaji temple. The Pallava rulers of Kanchipuram took possession of this place in the 9th century. The temple began to gain prominence, especially after the 15th century.
Importance of temple and some extraordinary things related to temple
This temple is one of the most thriving temples in India. The gates of this temple are open to the rich as well as the poor. It is believed that a person gets wealth and wealth by visiting Lord Venkateswara. The desire of the devotee who has true reverence for Lord Venkateswara Balaji is fulfilled.
It is also challenging to describe the beauty of Balaji. While one hand in the statue of Balaji is in the posture of blessing, the other hand is in such a posture that it seems that God is asking for something from his devotees. It is believed that on completion of the wish, it is the devotee’s karma to offer special offerings to Balaji or to do some exceptional work in the name of Balaji.
Tirupati Balaji Temple is considered a miraculous temple. People say many things about this temple which seem incredible, but the devotees have full faith in these things, and this is also the reason why Tirupati temple is so recognized:
- The hair on the head of Lord Venkateswara is said to be real. The hair never gets tangled, nor are they dry. That is why the devotees believe that God resides here.
- The idol of Lord Balaji is always moist.
- The sound of a vast ocean is heard from the idol.
- For a long time, a lamp in the temple has been burning continuously without oil/ghee.
- A special type of camphor is used to clean the idol of God, which breaks immediately when rubbed on the stone wall, but nothing happens when rubbed on the idol.
To sum up, the temple of Tirupati Balaji is loaded with mysticism. It is fascinating to hear about the history and mystical stories associated with the temple.
