Skip to main content

Thirumalai 2025


 Thirumala Tirupati trip was decided in December when the TTD app opened up for March bookings. We managed to get a booking for Sunday night, 7pm. Wanted to spend the weekend in Tirupati so left Chennai in the early hours of Saturday. We reached Tirupati around 9:30, had breakfast at P4S and drove towards Ammavari Temple. It was quite crowded as usual, we had to take the Rs.200 ticket to get a faster darshan. This queue was comparatively less so we could get the darshan of the Goddess and come out in 20 mins. Got the temple prasad - laddu and came out to the last corridor of the temple. Here we have to show our tickets for one free laddu for each ticket. The Ammavari laddu is made differently compared to the Thirumala laddu and it tastes different too. 

Our initial plan was to stay in Tirupati and go to Thirumala next day as per the ticket timing. But a change of mind wanted to try for accommodation at Thirumala itself. Hence reached the  entry plaza, got the security check done and took the ticket to go up. Within 30 mins we reached up. Many vehicles sped past us in spite of the rule. On reaching Thirumala we parked the car near the cottage area opposite to the CRO and walked all the way to the CRO office to book the accommodation. After a wait of 20 mins in queue we were able to book the accommodation with just the ID proof. All air conditioned rooms were booked. We were given booking receipt Rs.50 per day room. Next one has to wait in the CRO display room for our no. to come up. With in 10 mins of display, sms would also be sent. 

We had our lunch at Saravana Bhavan. Went to the Varahaswami swami temple and worshipped the Lord. This is a small temple near the pond and a queue wait for 30 mins was required. We also went to the pond and had the theertham. By then due to summer it was getting difficult to the walk in the stone steps.







Till 6 pm, we did not get our number. Due to weekend rush, all accommodations were full. As suggested by a CRO official we went and enquired in the Padmavathy guest house enquiry office. There after 6:30 we were allowed to pick the available rooms. Guest houses built in the hill by various conglomerates are let out in rent through the Padmavathy guest house office. We were given a room in Sudha Krishna Nilayam for Rs.6800 per night. Only online payment is possible here, 2x the rent have to be paid. Once done we have to go the guest house with the receipt.
















After checking in to the room we received the sms on the cro room allocation. The guest house room was a state of the art accommodation with four poster bed, touch shelves and lightings. After a comfortable night's sleep we walked to the near by restaurant and had breakfast. Came back and relaxed till 1pm. By 2pm we reached the Vaikundam complex and started in the darshan queue. By 3.30 pm we were put in the waiting box. We were given sambhar rice prasadam here, which became our lunch. The day being the ekadasi further delayed our darshan of the Lord. Once we were out of the box, in the next 1 hour we got our darshan. All the wait was over in the 2 second darshan of the Lord Venkatesa. Laddu prasadam was given all the devotees after the darshan. After getting our laddus for the ticket we were asked to walk towards the back side of the temple due to the festivities in the temple pond. We waited there for sometime and was finally allowed inside the pond. It was privilege, we worshipped Lord Rama, Lordess Site and Lord Lakshman in the pond going around for 8 times. It was one of the best moments for any devotee.




We walked all the way to the Thirumala bus stop, had dinner there - worth the price. Took a taxi to GNC - Garuda cottages for Rs.50. Each cottage had 3 rooms, bathroom and toilet. 2 cots with mattress and blankets were provided. CRO also provides rooms for Rs.100 and ac accommodations for Rs.1000. We stayed there for the night and left by 5 AM the next day morning to Chennai. Had breakfast at P4S Tirupati and reached home by 10 am. On the whole a satisfied spiritual trip.

Labels:
Location: Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anjaneyar Temple - Gerugambakkam, Porur

 Very recently we came to know about the Anjaneyar temple built by actor Arjun is at Gerugambakkam. On a Sunday evening we drove towards this place. We need to detour from the Kundrathur main road to reach this temple and from then on we need to face a rough and patchy road. In just 5 minutes one can reach the temple. A small residential street leads to the temple. Very near it one could see few small stalls mushroomed up to sell pooja items. The vehicles have to be parked in the street near the temple gates. First is the corridor were few trees are seen.  On taking left is the entrance to the temple and you can see the Lord Anjaneyar much ahead. Here too are few trees uniformly spaced out. There is a coconut farm adjacent to this temple. There is a shelter above Lord Anjaneyar, but for that it is a open air temple. Facing Lord Anjaneyar and to the left and right corner are two shrines - one for Lord Ganesh and the other for Lord Anjaneyar's - Lord Rama, Lord Lakshmana and God...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dhandayuthapani Temple - Nadupalani

 Nadu Palani Murugan Temple - Achirupakkam  On a Saturday we decided to go out on a short trip and zeroed-in on Nadu Palani Murugan Temple. Less than 100 kms from Chennai, this was a long time item in the bucket list.  Achirupakkam town is where this temple is located. Achirupakkam is near Melmaruvathur. We took the Chengalpet route via Tambaram. Driving through Chromepet, Tambaram and Perungalathur was a mayhem on the Saturday afternoon traffic. We took a break at Manoj Bhavan at Mamandur. Hotel has lost the earlier charm and so was the food. As guided by a person near the hotel, just in 15 kms you can see an arch at the left side on the highway itself for Nadu Palani Murugan temple. From the arch, one has to drive into the village for 6-7 kms to reach the temple, at Perukkarani village. We had to take a ticket of Rs.50 to drive in the car to the small hillock. Around 100 steps, its a easy climb too. At the foot hill are Lord Anjaneyar and Lord Idumban on either sides fo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Aadi koozh vaarthal

Aadi koozh vaarthal is a religious occasion for most Tamil house holds. In the month of Aadi raagi koozh is served to all thirsty people around the neighborhood. Koozh is prepared and offered to Amman followed by the distribution. While offering koozh there are also other heathly eatables included in the Padayal.  The koozh preparation starts a day earlier. Rice is cooked first and raagi flour mixed in water is added to it and cooked till ragi gives a glazed look to the koozh. This is then left over night to ferment. The next day water is added to the koozh to get a drinking consistency. To this we add finely chopped onions as topping and curd to give that cooling effect. Once the koozh is all set we go about the padayal to the almighty Amman. Aadi, the Tamil month solely dedicated to Amman is for celebrating her and her kindness to her devotees. So we first offer the koozh to her in the Padayal followed by white rice and other items. The USP of Aadi koozh is that...
Post a Comment
Read more