Twilight gives way to the darkness of the night. The car speeds away, skirting the hills of Tirupati. On either side, thick vegetation.....and ahead, the lonesome road. Slowing the car, we crane our neck....between the branches of the trees for one last look. There, up above....the faint outline of the hills...with their characteristic flat top. And the sparkling, necklace-like lights- snaking their way up the hill and ending in a prominent pendant. "Look! Look! That is Gaali-Gopuram!........ There! Not that one silly! That's the street light! The other side....look there!"
One last glance....and we drive away. Sinking into the car seat, the mind replays the entire day.....frame by frame. It has been one memorable day!
The drive to Tirupati is scenic- vast stretches of empty land, small townships, sudden cluster of rocky boulders and little ponds. Taking the turn past Chittoor, the hills are visible- almost imperceptible at first, till we come close....and watch them take over the entire landscape! The Tirumala Hills cannot be missed. Their tops are cropped flat; and one chiseled vertical cleft in the hill, confirms it has to be this one...and no other. It's February and the hills are covered in a full coat of lush-green...except the rocky top...which is bordered a reddish-brown.
In every avatara of Lord Vishnu, Adi Shesha is always present -as Lakshmana in Rama-avatara, as Balarama in Krishna-avatara. When the Lord came down as Shrinivasa to Tirumala, in what form does Adi Shesha accompany him? Adi Shesha took the form of these hills. He is present as these hills. Hence, the name "Sheshaadri" to these hills.
From Alipiri, we take the hill-route to Tirumala. We drive past the "walkway"- with the giant Garuda at the base and a series of steps ending in the tiny Gaali-Gopuram, framed with the emblem of the shanka and chakra on either side. The walk will wait another day. Presently, we are in the car and gaining altitude....and watch the Tirupati town....down below.... fade away. The route is beautiful. Each turn reveals a new facet- of dense vegetation and rocky outcrops, of sweeping skies and panoramic hill views, not to mention the hordes of langurs...which grab our attention!
Tirumala is spic and span! Everything looks new- the roads, the sidewalks, the cottages and the parking arrangement. For a place which teems with thousands of devotees each day, it is unbelievably well organized! February is a lean month and it takes just about an hour in the queue.
We enter the temple through the outer gopuram. It is a feast for the eyes- a pillar here grabs our attention; and before we have seen it in full, we drift off to a statue there. There's Krishnadevaraya, there's his successor Achyutaraya...and statues of devotees we've not heard of (Todaramal and Pita bibi)! The "Ranga mandapam" is not to be missed. 700 years ago, Allauddin Khilji's general Mallik Kafur attacked South India. The idol of Ranganatha was brought all the way from Srirangam and housed in this mandapam for safe-keeping. Going past the golden "dhwaja-stambham" and "bali-peetham", we enter the "vimaana-pradakshinam" through the inner gopuram.
To the left is the shrine of Lord Vishnu as "Varadaraja". The idol was brought from Kanchipuram to keep it out of reach from Mallik Kafur's hands. Tirumala had the fortune of having "the big three" Shri Balaji, Rangantha and Varadaraja under the same roof at one point in time! It shows nothing is entirely bad or evil. Even during testing times, grace overflows in unseen ways!
Presently, we are enveloped in a riot of gold- sparkle and grandeur all over! There is the Golden Gate, the bangaaru-vakili which leads to the sanctum, and up ahead, the golden tower over the garbha griha- the "Ananda-nilaya-vimaanam".
Entering through the Tirumaamani-mandapam with its ornate gold pillars and chandeliers, we catch the first glimpse of the Lord. The full-throated chorus of "Govinda! Govinda!" reaches a crescendo. From this point onwards, it is trance-like. Some other force propels us forward. The people, the attendants, the temple premises....the tired body, the aching, the complaining mind...nothing exists! We stretch the moment.....as much as we can...and try and catch every detail. The deity....alive and aglow..... in an orange-tinged light....enveloped in a hazy mist. The crown is noticed, the prominent white forehead-mark, the dot on the chin, the layer upon layer of jewels, the four hands and the feet. One hand is in held in varada-mudra pointing to his feet. The other hand hangs down and touches just above the knee (kati-mudra). Surrender unto Me, unto to my feet. And with that, samsaara, which seems ocean-like and all engulfing now...is reduced to a puddle..so much so that its waters ...come just to the knee! Lord Balaji conveys this message through his mere posture!
The feeling cannot be expressed in words. It is like no other. As we emerge out of the sanctum and congregate at the pradakshina, there is just one overpowering emotion- of total happiness.
Going around the vimaana-pradakshinam, the replica-image of Lord Balaji on the golden vimaana is not to be missed. The pradakshina takes us past the Hundi, the Vishwaksena shrine, the Yoga Narasimha sannidhi and the Ramanuja shrine.
A fistful of delicious Tirupati Laddoo rejuvenates the body. Another bagful of tempting laddoos will be carried home...for family and friends!
Back in the car. We ponder...as we gaze into the night......
Yes, God exists everywhere. Still, we want to experience Him at Tirupati. What pull does Tirupati have? Why does it force us to come back time after time....forgetting the milling crowds and the actual darshana time spanning just a sub-second? What made Adi Shankara come here to install the Dhana-aakarshana yantra? Why does a grammar textbook Tolkaappiyam in Tamil, about 2000 years old, refer to the Hill? Why do the Puranas talk about the mahima of Venkateshwara? Why did Ramanuja climb the hill on his knees? What brought Saint Tyagaraja to Tirumala and sing his heart out...so that the screen would part and the Lord would reveal Himself?
Wrapped as we are with these searching questions, we reach out for the laddoo in the bag. It is irresistible! The sweetness spreads in the mouth. Now...no question needs to be answered. They seem irrelevant. The whole being is filled....saturated as it were, with absolute contentment!
When is the next trip? Let's plan.....and now!!!
One last glance....and we drive away. Sinking into the car seat, the mind replays the entire day.....frame by frame. It has been one memorable day!
The drive to Tirupati is scenic- vast stretches of empty land, small townships, sudden cluster of rocky boulders and little ponds. Taking the turn past Chittoor, the hills are visible- almost imperceptible at first, till we come close....and watch them take over the entire landscape! The Tirumala Hills cannot be missed. Their tops are cropped flat; and one chiseled vertical cleft in the hill, confirms it has to be this one...and no other. It's February and the hills are covered in a full coat of lush-green...except the rocky top...which is bordered a reddish-brown.
In every avatara of Lord Vishnu, Adi Shesha is always present -as Lakshmana in Rama-avatara, as Balarama in Krishna-avatara. When the Lord came down as Shrinivasa to Tirumala, in what form does Adi Shesha accompany him? Adi Shesha took the form of these hills. He is present as these hills. Hence, the name "Sheshaadri" to these hills.
From Alipiri, we take the hill-route to Tirumala. We drive past the "walkway"- with the giant Garuda at the base and a series of steps ending in the tiny Gaali-Gopuram, framed with the emblem of the shanka and chakra on either side. The walk will wait another day. Presently, we are in the car and gaining altitude....and watch the Tirupati town....down below.... fade away. The route is beautiful. Each turn reveals a new facet- of dense vegetation and rocky outcrops, of sweeping skies and panoramic hill views, not to mention the hordes of langurs...which grab our attention!
Tirumala is spic and span! Everything looks new- the roads, the sidewalks, the cottages and the parking arrangement. For a place which teems with thousands of devotees each day, it is unbelievably well organized! February is a lean month and it takes just about an hour in the queue.
We enter the temple through the outer gopuram. It is a feast for the eyes- a pillar here grabs our attention; and before we have seen it in full, we drift off to a statue there. There's Krishnadevaraya, there's his successor Achyutaraya...and statues of devotees we've not heard of (Todaramal and Pita bibi)! The "Ranga mandapam" is not to be missed. 700 years ago, Allauddin Khilji's general Mallik Kafur attacked South India. The idol of Ranganatha was brought all the way from Srirangam and housed in this mandapam for safe-keeping. Going past the golden "dhwaja-stambham" and "bali-peetham", we enter the "vimaana-pradakshinam" through the inner gopuram.
To the left is the shrine of Lord Vishnu as "Varadaraja". The idol was brought from Kanchipuram to keep it out of reach from Mallik Kafur's hands. Tirumala had the fortune of having "the big three" Shri Balaji, Rangantha and Varadaraja under the same roof at one point in time! It shows nothing is entirely bad or evil. Even during testing times, grace overflows in unseen ways!
Presently, we are enveloped in a riot of gold- sparkle and grandeur all over! There is the Golden Gate, the bangaaru-vakili which leads to the sanctum, and up ahead, the golden tower over the garbha griha- the "Ananda-nilaya-vimaanam".
Entering through the Tirumaamani-mandapam with its ornate gold pillars and chandeliers, we catch the first glimpse of the Lord. The full-throated chorus of "Govinda! Govinda!" reaches a crescendo. From this point onwards, it is trance-like. Some other force propels us forward. The people, the attendants, the temple premises....the tired body, the aching, the complaining mind...nothing exists! We stretch the moment.....as much as we can...and try and catch every detail. The deity....alive and aglow..... in an orange-tinged light....enveloped in a hazy mist. The crown is noticed, the prominent white forehead-mark, the dot on the chin, the layer upon layer of jewels, the four hands and the feet. One hand is in held in varada-mudra pointing to his feet. The other hand hangs down and touches just above the knee (kati-mudra). Surrender unto Me, unto to my feet. And with that, samsaara, which seems ocean-like and all engulfing now...is reduced to a puddle..so much so that its waters ...come just to the knee! Lord Balaji conveys this message through his mere posture!
The feeling cannot be expressed in words. It is like no other. As we emerge out of the sanctum and congregate at the pradakshina, there is just one overpowering emotion- of total happiness.
Going around the vimaana-pradakshinam, the replica-image of Lord Balaji on the golden vimaana is not to be missed. The pradakshina takes us past the Hundi, the Vishwaksena shrine, the Yoga Narasimha sannidhi and the Ramanuja shrine.
A fistful of delicious Tirupati Laddoo rejuvenates the body. Another bagful of tempting laddoos will be carried home...for family and friends!
Back in the car. We ponder...as we gaze into the night......
Yes, God exists everywhere. Still, we want to experience Him at Tirupati. What pull does Tirupati have? Why does it force us to come back time after time....forgetting the milling crowds and the actual darshana time spanning just a sub-second? What made Adi Shankara come here to install the Dhana-aakarshana yantra? Why does a grammar textbook Tolkaappiyam in Tamil, about 2000 years old, refer to the Hill? Why do the Puranas talk about the mahima of Venkateshwara? Why did Ramanuja climb the hill on his knees? What brought Saint Tyagaraja to Tirumala and sing his heart out...so that the screen would part and the Lord would reveal Himself?
Wrapped as we are with these searching questions, we reach out for the laddoo in the bag. It is irresistible! The sweetness spreads in the mouth. Now...no question needs to be answered. They seem irrelevant. The whole being is filled....saturated as it were, with absolute contentment!
When is the next trip? Let's plan.....and now!!!
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