TIRUMALA

The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared on earth to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. Hence the place is also known by the name Kaliyuga Vaikuntha and the deity here is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam.
The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati
Temple and Tirupati Balaji Temple. Venkateswara is also known by other
names including Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.^[4] The temple is run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which is under control of Andhra Pradesh Government. The head of TTD is appointed by Andhra Pradesh Government.
Tirumala hills are part of Seshachalam Hills range. The hills are 853 metres (2,799 ft) above sea level and comprise seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha. The temple lies on the seventh peak—Venkatadri,
on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy water tank. Hence
the temple is also referred to as “Temple of Seven Hills”.^[5] Tirumala town covers an area of about 10.33 sq mi (26.75 km²).
The temple of Venkateswara was built by Thondaman king and reformed periodically by Cholas, Pandyas and Vijayanagar. The temple is constructed in South Indian architecture and is believed to be constructed over a period of time starting from 300 CE.^[6] The Garbhagruha
(Sanctum Sanctorum) is called Ananda Nilayam. The presiding deity,
Venkateswara, is in standing posture and faces east in Garbha Gruha. The
temple follows Vaikhanasa Agama tradition of worship. The temple is one of the eight Vishnu Swayambhu (self-manifested) Kshetras and is listed as the 75th Divya Desam, one of the 108 temples mentioned in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.
The Temple premises have two modern Queue complex buildings to manage
the pilgrim crowd, Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam complex for free
meals to Pilgrims, hair tonsure buildings and a number of pilgrim
lodging sites. The temple is one of the richest in the world in terms of
donations received and wealth.^[7][8][9]
There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the deity in Tirumala. According to one legend, the temple has a murti of Venkateswara, it is believed, which shall remain there for the entire duration of the present Kali Yuga.^[10][11][12]
As of 2023, it is one of the richest temples in world with a net worth of over ₹3 lakh crore (US$35 billion).^[13] The total assets of the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, Tirupati, are estimated to be over ₹2.5 lakh crore (US$30 billion) in 2022.^[14][15]
This includes land parcels, buildings, cash and gold deposits in banks,
given as offerings to the temple by devotees. As of 30 September 2022,
the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the governing body of the
temple, had fixed deposits with several PSU and private banks amounting
to over Rs 15,938 crore.^[14][15] The gold deposits made by the Devasthanams in banks have also now increased rapidly from 7.3 tonnes in 2019 to 10.25 tonnes.^[14][15] The temple is one of the world’s most visited religious sites, attracts around 24 million devotees annually.^[16]
The average daily pilgrim footfall is above 60,000 devotees, and the
number crosses one lakh devotees during the annual Brahmotsavams,
Vaikunta Ekadasi, and other festival and holiday seasons.^[16]

During Dvapara Yuga, Adishesha resided on earth as Seshachalam Hills after losing a contest with Vayu. According to Puranas, Tirumala is regarded as Adivaraha Kshetra. After killing Hiranyaksha, Adivaraha resided on this hill. Venkatachala Mahatyam is the widely accepted legend over Tirumala Temple.^[17]
During Kali Yuga, Narada advised some sages who were performing yagna to decide who could be given the fruits of yagna among Trimurtis (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). Bhrigu was sent to test the Trinity. The sage who had an extra eye in the sole of his foot visited Brahma and Shiva and went unnoticed in both these locations. He cursed Brahma to be not worshipped and Shiva to be worshipped as a lingam. At last he visited Vishnu
and the lord acts as if he had not noticed Bhrigu. Getting angered by
this act, sage Bhrigu kicked Vishnu in the chest, to which Vishnu did
not react and instead apologised to the Sage by massaging his feet.
During this act, he squashed the extra eye that was present in the sole
of Bhrigu’s foot. However Lakshmi finds it as an insult since Vishnu’s chest was considered as Lakshmi’s residence (vakshasthala) and Bhrigu kicked it which indirectly insulted Lakshmi. She then left Vaikuntha and came to Earth to Kolhapur and started meditating.^[17]
Vishnu bore human form as Srinivasa, left Vaikuntha, in search of Lakshmi, reached the Seshachalam
hills in Tirumala and started meditating. Lakshmi learned of the
condition of Srinivasa and called Shiva and Brahma. Shiva and Brahma
then converted themselves into Cow and Calf and Lakshmi had handed over
the cow and calf to Chola
king ruling over Tirumala Hills at that time. The Cow would provide
milk to Srinivasa daily while it was taken for grazing. One day, a
cowherd saw this and tried to beat the Cow with his staff but Srinivasa
had borne the injury. Getting angered by this Srinivasa had cursed the
Chola king to become a Demon as dharma says sins committed by servants (shudras)
should be borne by Kings. The king prayed for mercy after which
Srinivasa said to him, that the King should take next birth as
Akasharaja and should perform marriage of his daughter Padmavati with
Srinivasa.^[17]
Srinivasa went to his foster-mother Vakula Devi on Tirumala hills and stayed there for a while. After curse, Chola
king took rebirth as Akasharaja and he had a daughter named Padmavati,
who was born in the Padmapushkarini situated at present day Tiruchanur in Andhra Pradesh.
Srinivasa married Padmavati who is form of Lakshmi at present day
Narayanavanam in Andhra Pradesh and returned to Tirumala Hills. The
Lord’s desire to be on the seven hills for the emancipation of mankind
from the perpetual troubles of Kali Yuga. Both the Lord and Goddesses turn into stone deities expressing their wish to be always there.^[17]

The temple finds a mention in the Sangam epic Silappathikaram,
Kovalan meeting a Brahmin asks him where he is from and why did he come
here, and he Replied “I came to satisfy my heart’s desire, to see with
my own eyes the glory of Vishnu, whom many worship with prayer as He reposes with Lakshmi
in His chest, on the couch of the thousand hooded Serpent, in the
temple in island jutting out on the widening waves of the Kaveri, even
as the blue clouds repose supine on the slopes of the lofty golden
mountain (Meru).” This line mentions Srirangam and next he mentions Tirumala
as follows, “I also came to see the beauty of the red-eyed Lord,
holding in His beautiful lotus-hands the discus which is death to His
enemies, and also the milk white conch (to see Him) wearing a garland of
tender flowers on His chest, and draped in golden flowers and dwelling
on the topmost crest of the tall and lofty hill named Venkatam with
innumerable waterfalls, standing like a cloud in its natural hue,
adorned with a rainbow and attired with lightning, in the midst of a
place both sides of which are illumined by the spreading rays of the sun
and the moon.^[18]

The
first recorded endowment was made by Pallava queen Samavai in the year
966 CE. She donated many jewels and two parcels of land (one 10 acres
and other 13 acres) and ordered use of the revenues generated from that
land for the celebration of major festivals in the temple.^[19] The Pallava dynasty (9th century), the Chola dynasty (10th century), Reddi kingdom (12th and 13th centuries) and Vijayanagara pradhans
(14th and 15th centuries) were committed devotees of Venkateswara. The
temple gained most of its current wealth and size under the Vijayanagara Empire, present-day Karnataka state, with the donation of diamonds and gold.^[20] In the 16th century, Vijayanagara Emperor Krishnadevaraya was a frequent donor and visitor to the temple. His donations of gold and jewels enabled the Ananda Nilayam (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. On 2 January 1517, Krishnadevaraya installed his own statue in the temple.^[21]
After the decline of Vijayanagara Empire, rulers from states such as the Kingdom of Mysore and the Gadwal Samsthanam worshipped as pilgrims and donated ornaments and valuables to the temple.^{[citation needed]} Maratha general Raghoji I Bhonsle
set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the
temple. He donated valuable jewels to the Lord which are still preserved
in a box named after him.^[22] Between 1320 CE and 1369 CE, idols of Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam were brought to this temple for safe keeping.^{[21][better source needed]}

In the 11th and 12th centuries, Ramanujacharya
visited Tirupati thrice. On the first occasion, he spent a year with
his uncle, Tirumalai Nambi, learning the esoteric meaning of Ramayana. His second visit was to settle a dispute that arose between the Saivites and Vaishnavites regarding the nature of the image set up in the Tirumala temple.^[23] During the last visit, which was at an advanced old age of 102 years, the acharya installed the image of Govindaraja and laid the foundations of the present town of Tirupati.^[20] Ramanuja streamlined the rituals at Tirumala temple according to Vaikanasa Agama tradition and introduced the recitation of Naalayira Divya Prabandham. He also set up Tirupati Jeeyar Mutt
in 1119 AD in consultation with Tirumalai Ananthalwan to
institutionalise service to the deity and supervise the temple rituals.
The Jeeyars to this day ensure that the rituals ordained by Ramanuja are
observed.^[24][25][26]

After the end of Vijayanagara Empire, the temple went into the hands of Golconda in July 1656 and then it was under the French for a short period of time and under Nawab of Carnatic till 1801 CE. With the advent of British during the early 19th century, the management of the temple passed to hands of East India Company, who accorded special status to temple and avoided interference in temple activities.^[27]
Madras government passed Regulation seven of 1817, which passed the
temple to Board of Revenue through collector of North Arcot District.^[27]
In 1821, Bruce, the then East India company commissioner for Chittoor
district, had drawn rules for the management of Temple which is referred
to as Bruce’s Code.^[27]
The 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan made yearly donations of ₹8,000 to the temple.^[28]
In 1843, the East India Company transferred the Administration of Temple along with other Temples in Tirupati to Mahants of Hathiramji Muth, who acted as Vicaranakartas. It was under the rule of Mahants for six generations until 1933 when Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams was formed as a result of the TTD Act in 1933.^[29] The Act of 1933 was superseded by Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act of 1951.^[30] Again in 1966, the temple was placed under direct control of Andhra pradesh State Endowments Department, with Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments act.^[30]
In 1979, act of 1966 was rolled back with new Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams act, where temple administration was vested to a committee
consisting of Executive officer, Chairman and two other members
nominated by Government of Andhra Pradesh.^[30]
The temple is run by body Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
(TTD) which is under control of Andhra Pradesh Government. The head of
TTD is appointed by Andhra Pradesh Government. The revenue from this
shrine is used by Andhra Pradesh government.^[31][32]
The temple bears as many as 640 inscriptions in Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu languages.^[3] There is a unique collection of about 3000 copper plates on which the Telugu Sankirtanas of Tallapaka Annamacharya and his descendants are inscribed.^[33][34]
This collection forms a valuable source of material for a historical
linguist in Telugu apart from its importance to musicologists.^[34]