Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam, or the abode of the Lord Tirupati, is probably Hindu India’s most visited holy place. Situated amidst lush greenery atop a hill surrounded by outcroppings of red rock, the temple which attracts the devout in thousands everyday, is dedicated to Sri Venkateswara - one of the incarnations of Vishnu. The temple is the reason that this town gets visitors, usually pilgrims who’ve travelled hundreds of kilometres to ask a wish of the Lord.

The town of Tirupathi lies a little way away from the sacred hill and has most of the area’s dining and accommodation facilities. The few kilometres between Tirupathi and Tirumala are easily traversed by bus, auto rickshaw or taxi. But the most astounding leg of the journey begins at the bottom of the hill. Hours in line will give you tremendous insight into the emotion of the guy that coined ‘so near yet so far’! A regular ‘darshan’ takes longer to come by than a ‘special’ one.  But everybody has to line up and wait as the queue winds its way up through a series of enclosures.

Tirumala is one of the few temples to allow non-Hindus into the sanctum sanctorum. Remember, you have to leave your footwear behind at the stall outside the temple compound. And, do not succumb to the high-pressure tactics of ticket toting touts; get yours from the temple’s official counter.

The temple houses a heavily garlanded idol of Sri Venkateswara before whom one is allowed only a few moments before the next enclosure load of visitors is to be ushered in. In that time you’ll see the stupendously opulent vimana covered in gold and finely sculpted columns. The ‘darshan’ is followed by a round of ‘prasad’, food that has been blessed by the deity and must be received with both hands cupped, right palm above the left one.

Tirupathi, receives a record number of pilgrims everyday, more than any other holy city in the world. These record crowds topple bigger records during the festivals and on weekends. According to whether chaos is your cup of tea or not, you can choose high-season weekends or off-season weekdays.

Getting There: There is a small airport at Tirupathi that gets planes from Hyderabad, Tuesdays and Saturdays. There are train connections from many places in the region and even twice weekly connections to Mumbai. There are a lot of bus connections from within Andhra Pradesh and from Tamil Nadu. Express buses are much faster than the ordinary variety. Cabs are a comfortable road travel option though somewhat expensive.

Accommodation: In Tirumala most people stay for free in the huge dormitories around the temple. There are rooms in guesthouses and cottages available on rent too at various rates offering various degrees of comfort and luxury. All bookings have to be made with the Central Reception Office of the TTD. Off-season you can reserve up to a month in advance by sending them a letter and a draft for Rs. 100. Tirupathi has a whole range of hotels air-conditioned or otherwise, pricey and otherwise. Some places even have a bar.

For detailed state and visitor information, see Andhra Pradesh.