www.tirumala.org -- A `sight' for the tourist and the devout

Aarati Krishnan

WITH a history that dates back to over 12 centuries, the shrine of Lord Venkatesvara at Tirupati is among the most visited temples in India.

The temple attracts both the tourist and the religious, receiving over 50,000 visitors every day.

Administered and managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), this temple is also among the best-managed pilgrimage spots in India. Nevertheless, the sheer size and complexity of Tirupati and its seething crowds cannot but intimidate the first-time visitor. The TTD has tackled this problem by putting relevant information on an informative Web site, www.tirumala.org.

Getting there: For the first-time visitor, the site is the best place to plan the itinerary, as it offers comprehensive information on how to get to Tirupati, and the facilities available at the Tirumala.

The module on `getting to Tirupati', with a map, lists all major trains, flights and buses that touch Tirupati. There is also a module on getting from the foothills to the Lord Venkatesvara Shrine on the Tirumala hilltop. There is also a list of all major bus stands and the bus fares.

With teeming crowds and a never-ending queue, darshan can be a long and arduous process. The TTD has tried to reduce the waiting time by introducing a system of tokens by which a visitor is given an ``appointment'' time for darshan. The Web site lists the various types of tickets available for Darshan and the places where visitors can obtain their tokens on arrival.

One section gives full details on the various special sevas and utsavams performed at the temple. The religiously-inclined can make reservations for the special sevas at the listed TTD offices and avoid the crowds.

Accommodation: The site also provides a comprehensive list of the accommodation available on the Tirumala, complete with overnight tariff and booking details, with separate lists for free and paid accommodation. For first-time travellers who would like to get details of the location of their lodgings, the map of the Tirumala is invaluable.

Tirumala is one of the few temple shrines where bookings for accommodation and sevas (special prayers) can be done from locations around the country. The Web site lists all the TTD offices with their phone numbers.

Other facilities

Apart from being a much-visited temple shrine, Tirupati is also a self-sufficient and hospitable town, offering a range of facilities ranging from free lunch to free medical aid to the visitor. The Web site devotes an entire section to the facilities available on Tirumala.

For those who would like to visit Tirupati to fulfil sacred vows such as tonsures, the site lists all the major places where these can be performed, and the charges levied.

Information of interest

Even those who do not have immediate plans of visiting the temple may find the Web site a good source of general information. Though the section on Tirupati's history is sketchy, and could do with more details, the sections on other places to visit in Tirupati and the utsavams may be interesting. The site also features an audio presentation of the Venkatesa Suprabhatham and a special sloka for each day of the week.

The photo gallery with its downloadable picture tour of the famous Brahmotsavam festival in Tirupati may also be of interest to the pious. The general information on the TTD activities and services may also be of interest to the curious.