Sri Venkateswara Temple
The celebrated temple of Sri Venkateswara stands on a hill named Venkatadri, which looks like a depression, surrounded by high hills on all sides. The entire temple is surrounded by a prakara built of large blocks of stone riveted into each other. The walls are 414 feet East-West and 263 feet North-South. There is only one entrance in the East surmounted by a gopura, known as the Padikavali gopuram. The base of the gopuram seems to have been in existence even by the commencement of the 13th century AD and the superstructure is of a later date.
Outer Court-Yard or Sampangi pradakshinam
Passing through the entrance of this gopura, one enters the outer courtyard of the temple. Immediately adjacent to and touching the gopura is a small mantapa with two wings, one on each side, and a pathway in the centre. Each wing has two rows of four pillars each. The pillars in the outer row are plain and contain a salakoshtha at the base. From the style of the pillars, this mantapa may be taken to have been built in the late Vijayanagara times, about the early half of the 16th Century.
Ranga-mantapa
In the South-East corner of the courtyard is a big mantapa, popularly known as the Ranga-mantapa. There is a small portico before it. This portico contains two rows of four pillars each. The outer pillars projecting and the inner ones have the animal bracket. The mantapa proper contains nine pillars on each side, each pillar having a pillaret projecting into the interior. At the western end are four plain pillars..
Unjal-mantapa
To the west of the Ranga-mantapa is another mantapa known as the Anna-unjal-mantapa and Tirumalaraya mantapa. This is in two parts, the front part being at a lower level and the back part at a higher level. The back part was built by the Vijayanagara ruler, Saluva Narasimha, in 1473 AD and the front part was added by Araviti Tirumalaraya in the 16th Century.
Aina-mahal
In the Northern part of the courtyard is another structure-known as the Aina-mahal, the mirror mandapa. This is in two parts, an open mantapa in the front containing six rows of six pillars each and a shrine behind it, consisting of an Antarala and a Garbhagriha.
Dhvajastambha
There is a narrow mantapa in the Western part of the courtyard touching the second or inner gopura. It has on the North two rows of five pillars each, those in the inner row having one pillar projecting. In the centre of the mantapa are the Dhavjastambha and Balipitha.
Inner Courtyard
The inner or second enclosure has to be reached through one entrance only, guarded by the second gopura. The base of this gopura seems to have existed by the beginning of the 13th century. This enclosure is known as the Vimana-pradakshinam.
Varadaraja Shrine
Immediately to the left of the gopura entrance there is a small shrine dedicated to Varadaraja. It consists of a high adhisthana, an Antarala a Garbhagriha and a Vimana above, belonging to the vesara order. The walls of the Garbhagriha of this shrine are decorated with four pilasters
Kalyana-mantapa
In the Southern part of the courtyard is the Kalyana-mantapa, 80 feet-by-36 feet. It is reached by a short flight of steps in the east. There are two rows of nine pillars each in the North and one row of nine pillars in the South. The pillars in the outer row in the North are plain while those in the other two rows have animal brackets. This Kalyana mantapa was constructed by a chieftain named Avasaram Chennappa in 1586 AD.
Narasimha Shrine
The shrine of Narasimha is in the North-east corner of the courtyard built in a pillared verandah touching the Eastern wall of the prakara. There are five pillars on each side and two in the front of this shrine. The earliest reference to this Diety who is popularly known as Alagiya-singar, is found in an inscription, dated 1469 AD which refers to an offering made to him. Another record mentions offerings made on the thirty days of the Dhanurmasa-puja, on Vasantapanchami and Sri Ramanavami days and on the 7th day of each of the Tirukkodi-Tirumala.
Main shrine
The main shrine, which contains the image of Sri Venkateswara, is a complex of structures. It starts with the Garbhagriha at the Western end and ends with the Tirumamani mantapa at the Eastern end. Part of this area, ending with the Northern and Southern wings of the Mukkoti-pradakshinam inside is enclosed by a thick stone wall, which is plain and rests on a low adhisthana consisting of upana, patta, padma and alingapattika. The northern wall of the Mukkoti-pradakshinam is longer and covers a longer distance. Two mantapas, the Tirumamani-mantapam and the snapana mantapam, project to the east from the front wall between the two side wings of the pradakshinam. Thus the main shrine appears to be in three sections if looked at from the north.
Kalyana-mantapa
In the Southern part of the courtyard is the Kalyana-mantapa, 80 feet-by-36 feet. It is reached by a short flight of steps in the east. There are two rows of nine pillars each in the North and one row of nine pillars in the South. The pillars in the outer row in the North are plain while those in the other two rows have animal brackets. This Kalyana mantapa was constructed by a chieftain named Avasaram Chennappa in 1586 AD.
Narasimha Shrine
The shrine of Narasimha is in the North-east corner of the courtyard built in a pillared verandah touching the Eastern wall of the prakara. There are five pillars on each side and two in the front of this shrine. The earliest reference to this Diety who is popularly known as Alagiya-singar, is found in an inscription, dated 1469 AD which refers to an offering made to him. Another record mentions offerings made on the thirty days of the Dhanurmasa-puja, on Vasantapanchami and Sri Ramanavami days and on the 7th day of each of the Tirukkodi-Tirumala.
Main shrine
The main shrine, which contains the image of Sri Venkateswara, is a complex of structures. It starts with the Garbhagriha at the Western end and ends with the Tirumamani mantapa at the Eastern end. Part of this area, ending with the Northern and Southern wings of the Mukkoti-pradakshinam inside is enclosed by a thick stone wall, which is plain and rests on a low adhisthana consisting of upana, patta, padma and alingapattika. The northern wall of the Mukkoti-pradakshinam is longer and covers a longer distance. Two mantapas, the Tirumamani-mantapam and the snapana mantapam, project to the east from the front wall between the two side wings of the pradakshinam. Thus the main shrine appears to be in three sections if looked at from the north.
The Vimana, which rises above the Garbhagriha, is of the Dvitala type and belongs to the Vesara order. Each tala has the series- Kuta, Panjara, Sala, Panjara and Kuta. There is a plain narrow step above the two talas containing lions on the cardinal directions. Above it is the gala or neck adorned with a salakoshtha surmounted by simhalalata in the centre with a panjara similarly surmounted on each side. Above this is the round domicile sikhara adorned with lotus design all over and on the top is the kalasa. There are many Vaishnava sculptures on the Vimana, which is encased by gilded plates.
Date of the Temple
It is very difficult to determine the date of this temple. The earliest mention of Sri Venkateswara in the epigraphs is in connection with a proxy temple, Tiruvilankoil, at Tiruchanur and not in association with the temple of Tirumala or Vengadam. It may be concluded that a shrine with Garbhagriha and Antarala existed in the 8th century AD at the latest. In all probability, the image of Sri Venkateswara stood in an open mantapa for a long time before the 8th century AD
Varaha Shrine
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Tirumala was earlier referred to puranas as Varahakshetra the abode of Lord Varaha. The place is called Varahakshetra.
The Image of Sri Venkateswara
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The image of Lord Venkateswara is depicted holding Shankha and Chakra in the two upper hands, keeping the lower right hand in Varada and lower left hand in Katyavalambita postures.
Alamelmanga
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This is the name of Goddess Lakshmi, carved on the right side of the chest of Sri Venkateswara, as seated on a lotus. Alamelmanga enjoys all worship offered to Sri Venkateswara along with Him. Inscriptions show that provision was also made for the offering of special worship to this goddess.
How to Reach
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The Temple is about 18 km from Tirupati railway station. From Tirupati Tirumala is well connected by road