A scenic drive up the Tirumala Hills, in Tirupati District of Andhra Pradesh (India) takes one upto the holy shrine of the Lord of the Seven Hills. Known simultaneously by various names, He is Vishnu, Balajee, Sri Venakataswami, Sreenivas, Govinda, or simply, Swami (Lord). The holy shrine of Tirupati is famous in India and abroad, and holds a strange magnetism till date, as it has for centuries. Believed to be the richest Hindu temple, it draws devotees to it in hordes. From the humble to the rich and famous: all come here to venerate the most powerful God in the Hindu pantheon. Naturally, a "darshan"(a holy sighting) of the Lord is therefore very arduous, owing to the mammoth turnout of pilgrims.
The temple administration, known popularly as TTD, does an admirable work of providing rest-houses, free food, and emergency medical assistance, for the lowliest beggar to the richest magnate, film star, or politician. One has to plan one's trip very carefully from the outset, in order to avail the all-important "tickets" for a darshan of Lord Balajee. If you are a first-time visitor there, it is advised you to make your bookings much before your proposed trip, in order to stay over for at least a night and make sure that your journey was not wasted. Avoiding the main festival months and weekends is another sound advice that the travel guides do not tell you.
The crowds at these times, have to be seen to be believed, and jostling in queue with tens of thousands is not the preferred way for most, at least on pilgrimages. For the uninitiated and first-time visitor, the intricate 'queue' system of Tirupati is, in my opinion, unparalleled in the rest of the world. Long-winded, maze-like corridors, sometimes going up, and sometimes going down, sometimes over foot-bridges, and sometimes over and down wooden slopes, taking right-turns and left-turns, and ultimately culminating in front of the Lord himself. In fact, when one finds himself/herself in front of the Deity, one is left mesmerized.
The centuries-old shrine is not famous for nothing; there is an indescribable joy, mixed with deeper emotions when one comes face to face with the Lord. All worries, grievances, and troubles seem to recede in the background, as if there was no relationship ever with anything else, other than with you and God. Of course, again, this is largely a matter of faith, as is with anything spiritual. In fact, a person without any faith is something of a rarity in this sacred zone ; this is according to what I have witnessed.
Another amazing thing I recorded here is the incredulous faith of the very poor who come here; from babies to the old and aged, sans even the basic comforts, they trek barefoot till the hill-top, in sunshine, rain or hail. All they chant is "Govinda, Govinda", and often stay in-waiting in line for two to three days on end, during peak seasons. Tirupati and Tirumala Hills have an abundance of temples and smaller shrines.
Most of them date several thousand years old, and are worth a visit, even if you aren't a devout person, to witness the highly advanced artistic and engineering skills of our ancestors. In the days when there were no fancy colleges, degrees, or computers, these stead-fast rock structures have stood the test of time, and have witnessed generations coming and going. I concluded my very successful visit to Tirupati yesterday with my family. Do visit this wonderful place at least once: you won't regret your efforts! And don't forget to carry your camera.
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