why people cut hair in triputi

ATUL, CHANDER MOHAN JI,AJAY KAPOOR.ANKUR ARORA IQBAL SINGH ---TO LORD BALAJI-----2ND TRIP

Why People Cut Hair in Triputi--Lord Balaji is an incarnation of Vishnu he is also glorify Black color like Lord Krishna our hairs are also black (may be white but after crossing mostly  40 years of age so we have to offers our black hairs to make god happy(Hairs epitomize one "s Ego)  It is said that hai['r;' is a symbol of one’s ego and to make god happy, you should leave your ego behind. Hair cutting is also called Kalyana Katta and it is said that giving Him your ego is considered the best offering. If you are planning to get a haircut or head shave at Tirupati, you should do it before paying a visit to the temple. Both men and women go for head shave or hair cut at Tirupati. You have to get a blade for yourself from the temple authorities and to get the blade; you will have to join the queue where the blade is offered. A free hair cut is done by the temple barbers but people sometimes donate money to the barbers. After taking a haircut, you should go for a bath and change your clothes and then pay a visit to the temple. People sometimes go for tri –cut where only three hair strands are cut. Many donate hair at Tirupati on fulfilment of certain wishes.going to the details.....there is a belief that LordVenkatewara borrowed money from Kubera for his marriage with Padmavati which he failed to pay and Kubera being Miser made multiple intrests andthen Lord Venkateswara wished his devotees to offer their hair to pay for the sum he borrowed (its intrest toooooo.........) Wat ever the reason may b it is good to have a nice clean shave 4 ur head once in a while..... further opinions n interpretations are welcome (The temple gets more than ten lakh devotees every year and the hair cut from the devotees is put on auction. Huge revenue is collected by the temple from the sale of hair. Most of the devotees are aware of these facts when they go for hair cut.)

why people cut hair is triputi

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Why People Cut Hair in Triputi It is said that hair is a symbol of one’s ego and to make god happy, you should leave your ego behind. Hair cutting is also called Kalyana Katta and it is said that giving Him your ego is considered the best offering. If you are planning to get a haircut or head shave at Tirupati, you should do it before paying a visit to the temple. Both men and women go for head shave or hair cut at Tirupati. You have to get a blade for yourself from the temple authorities and to get the blade; you will have to join the queue where the blade is offered. A free hair cut is done by the temple barbers but people sometimes donate money to the barbers. After taking a haircut, you should go for a bath and change your clothes and then pay a visit to the temple. People sometimes go for tri –cut where only three hair strands are cut. Many donate hair at Tirupati on fulfilment of certain wishes.going to the details.....there is a belief that LordVenkatewara borrowed money from Kubera for his marriage with Padmavati which he failed to pay and Kubera being Miser made multiple intrests andthen Lord Venkateswara wished his devotees to offer their hair to pay for the sum he borrowed (its intrest toooooo.........) Wat ever the reason may b it is good to have a nice clean shave 4 your head once in a while..... further opinions n interpretations are welcome (The temple gets more than ten lakh devotees every year and the hair cut from the devotees is put on auction. Huge revenue is collected by the temple from the sale of hair. Most of the devotees are aware of these facts when they go for hair cut.)

Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches, mystics Buddhist novices and monks, and some Hindu temples of cutting the locks from the scalp of ,clerics, devotees, or holy people as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem.

If wigmakers and e-traders are to be believed, many foreign film stars have begun donning wigs made of hair tonsured at the Balaji temple in Tirumala, some 750km from Hyderabad. Over 15,000 heads, including those of at least 5,000 women, are shaved daily at Tirumala. Since 2011, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has earned Rs 200 crore in e-auctions of hair donated by devotees as part of their vow to Lord Venkateswara. There is a huge market for hair in the US, Europe and China, sources said. In an e-auction last Wednesday, the TTD sold 51,758kg of human hair for Rs 83.53 crore, the TTD executive officer, L.V. Subramanyam, said. “So far we have sold Rs 200 crore worth of human hair (about 6.2 lakh kg) in the last two years. Another two lakh kgs are available in our stock, which we will sell in the next two months.” A Mumbai wigmaker, Vidyasagar Saxena, said women’s long hair was popular abroad as “Tirupati hair” and was used to make wigs and hair extensions. “Parisians prefer it as it is nurtured with organic oils, rather than chemicals by Indian women,” he said. The tonsured hair from men is used in coat linings. The Chinese are known to mix it with local hair to make cheap wigs and hair extensions. The e-auctions were jointly conducted by the TTD and the Material Scrap Trading Corporation. “E-auctions are fetching better prices and also international participation,” said a TTD official in charge of the tonsuring halls at Tirumala. It is estimated that about a crore people tonsure their heads annually at the hill shrine. In peak season, 45,000-50,000 people get their heads tonsured daily at the TTD’s 16 tonsuring halls, two of which stay open round the clock. The hair collected in Tirumala is cleaned and dried at controlled temperatures and stored in categorised bins at a TTD warehouse in Tirupati. It is broadly divided into six grades depending on the length and texture. Remy hair — which is long and uniformly trimmed — has a big market in Europe and the US, where it is woven into wigs. There is huge demand for non-remy hair — broken and short — in China, where wigs are made and sold to the American and African markets. Some 650 barbers work for the TTD, including 60 women. Each of them is trained to shave about 60 heads during a six-hour shift. Rural women of coastal Andhra and Tamil Nadu grow long hair and offer it to Lord Venkateswara in a custom called “Niluvu Dopidi”

In ,hinduism the underlying concept is that hair is a symbolic offering to the gods, representing a real sacrifice of beauty, and in return, are given blessings in proportion to their sacrifice.

Hair cutting (sanskrit chuda karma, chuda karana) is one of traditional saṃskāras performed for young children:

"According to the teaching of the revealed texts, the Chudakarman (tonsure) must be performed, for the sake of spiritual merit, by all twice-born men in the first or third year."

In some traditions the head is shaven completely while in others a small tuft of hair called sikha is left.

He lifted his right hand and I thought, here goes !He lifted his right hand and I thought, here goes !

In some South Indian temples likeTirumala, Palani and Tiruttani it is customary for pilgrims to shave their heads in or near the temple of the god they are visiting.

Me when my turn comes i was exited for it because i have lost many hairs (locks) from middle some one who is the follower of lord Bala ji said me if you cut your hairs here u don't need to take tension and worry about your hairs your hairs(locks) will come automatically ,now time comes for my locks cut call the thunder and get the answer.

I could hear the scrape-scrape on the back of my head - top to bottom.Immediately, I could feel the coolness of the air on my scalp. I feltgreat. I could feel wet tufts of my hair falling on my back and neck.

In one minute, the back of my head was totally bald ! The barber liftedmy head slightly and adjusted it to get the correct angle so that hecould started on the front. He started from the top of my head towardsthe front...scrape-scrape....

More tufts of hair fell on the ground in front of me and to my side. In another minute, I was completely tonsured.

The barber took another look all around my head to check if there wasany place not fully done. He ran his razor in the opposite directionnow to make sure it was smooth all over. I could feel my head lighter.

He ran his hands over my bald head brushing off any remnant strands of hair and motioned for me to get up.

Now I ran my own hands over my freshly tonsured head and the palms ofmy hands felt warm against the skin of my head. It felt good !

It was not untill I was back on the road leading back to my cottagethat I saw my reflection on the window of a car parked on the road. Icouldn't recognize myself ! Was this really me ?? Wow. I looked sodifferent.

Visit to Triputi

we are travelling to lord Balaji what i have listened from friends its remarkable for its Darshan We are now four friends Atul kapoor , Ankur Arora , Ajay Kapoor, Iqbal singh . WE choose the way to reach to lord balaji via train first we get reservation to new delhi via Greeb Rath and after than we will catch Rajdhani Express at 4 o clock in the evening. Iam just reached at Ludhiana here is very rush in train and the winter season does not allow me to go outside to watch the morning beauty of nature i know i miss it along with my friends but all decided to stay in train and wait for the train to run .Here people sit on their chair cars and stared playing cards . Train is late and every one is expressing his views some one is saying line problem and some one is accident problem but exactly no one actually knows what happed its the time to reach delhi is 10.45am and we have to catch Rajdhani express at 4 o CLOCK in the evening and iam pretty much sure with myself that the train will leave Ludhiana so-MY FATHER IS ALWAYES SAYING TRUST IN GOD AND THINK RIGHT THE RIGHT WAY WAIT FOR YOU"
Tiruchanoor, also known as Alamelumangapuram, is about 5 km from Tirupati. The temple of Sri Padmavati Devi, the consort of Lord Sri Venkateshwara is situated here. It is said that a visit to Tirumala is fruitful only after visiting the Sri Padmavati Devi temple. You may wonder why Sri Padmavati Devi's temple is away from Lord Sri Venkateshwara's. Legend has it that the Lord (Sri Maha Vishnu, who later took on the incarnation of Sri


Venkateshwara) showed his reverence towards the sage, Bhrigu Maharshi, even though the sage had insulted Vishnu by kicking Him on the chest. In anger, Sri Maha Lakshmi (the Lord's consort) reached Patala Loka, where she heard a divine voice stating that a pushkarini was dug on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi, and here She immersed herself in penance for 12 years. In the 13th year (during the month of Kartika, on Panchami day in the last fortnight, highlighted by the nakshathram Uttarashadha), Sri Padmavati emerged from a golden lotus. It is believed that Goddess MahaLakshmi herself emerged as Sri Padmavati. Tirupati yatra is incomplete without a visit to this temple. Sri Padmavati is the divine consort of Lord Venkateshwara. 'Kalyanotsavam' is performed here as in Tirumala between 10.30 a.m. and 12 noon every day. Five members are allowed (Rs. 500/-). Special darshan (Rs. 5/-) is advisable. Darshan starts from 6.30 a.m. on Weekdays and from 8.00 a.m. on Fridays. Tiruchanoor (also known as Alarmelu Mangapuram) is 4 km from Tirupati. Buses ply throughout the day.





Sri Govindarajaswami Temple

Sri Govindarajaswami is the elder brother of Lord Balaji. His temple is the main landmark of Tirupati town. It has an imposing Gopuram that can be seen from a distance. Saint Ramanujacharya consecrated the temple in 1130 AD. The festivals and functions are similar to those conducted in the Sri Govindarajaswami is the elder brother of Lord Balaji. His

temple is the main landmark of Tirupati town. It has an imposing Gopuram that can be seen from a distance. Saint Ramanujacharya consecrated the temple in 1130 AD. The festivals and functions are similar to those conducted in the Sri Venkateshwara temple. The annual Brahmotsavam in this temple is celebrated in the month of Vaisakha every year. Pilgrims must visit this temple without fail. This temple complex includes museum and a cluster of shrines like those of Sri Parthasarathy, Godadevi Aandal and Pundarikavalli. The principal deity is an impressive Sayanamurti (the Lord in a sleeping posture). Buy special Darshan tickets (Rs. 5/-) to avoid the long queue. The timings for Sarva Darshan are 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. to 8.45 p.m.



Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple

This temple is situated in the heart of Tirupati town. The presiding deities are Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. A Chola king built this temple during the tenth century AD. The temple of Anjaneyaswami, which is directly opposite, is a sub shrine of this temple. According to legend, this temple commemorates the visit of Sri Rama to Tirupati. The festivals of Ugadi and Sri Ramanavami


are celebrated in this temple on a grand scale. Every year the temple celebrates the Brahmotsavams to the Lord Sri Rama.





Sri Kapileshwaraswami Temple

Sri Kapileshwaraswami Temple is the only temple dedicated to Lord Siva, in the pantheon of Vaishnava temples in Tirupati. It is situated about 3 km to the north of Tirupati, at the foot of the Tirumala Hills. The sacred waterfall called Kapila Teertham (also known as Alwar Teertham) is located here. Annual Brahmotsavams and festivals like vinayaka Chavithi, Maha Shivaratri, Skhanda Shasti and

Annabhishekam are performed in a grand manner. This is the only Siva Temple in Tirupati. The temple enshrines Sri Kapileshwaraswami. Waterfalls in this place are an attractive sight (especially in rainy season). One can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, as this place is located a little away from the town. City buses and autos are a means of conveyance to reach the Kapila Teertham.




Sri Kalyana Venkateshwaraswami Temple, Shrinivasa Mangapuram

Sri Kalyana Venkateshwaraswami temple is at Shrinivasa Mangapuram situated 12 km to the west of Tirupati. According to legend, Lord Venkateshwara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavati Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala. Annual Brahmotsavam and Shakshatkara Vaibhavam are celebrated in


grand manner. Sevas performed are and the fees mentioned here are per person, unless otherwise specified. Nithya Archana - permanent for Rs 542.00, Nithya Archana - one year for Rs 42.00, Abhishekam for Rs 100.00, Thomala Seva for Rs 10.00, Archana for Rs 10.00, Archana & Aarti for Rs 5.00, Abhisheka Darsanam for Rs 5.00, Vahanam Puja (for a 4-wheeler) for Rs 50.00, (for a 2-wheeler) for Rs 25.00, Kalyana Utsavam for Rs 500.00.




Sri Kalyana Venkateshwaraswami Temple, Narayanavanam:

Sri Kalyana Venkateshwaraswami temple at Narayanavanam is 40 km from Tirupati. Lord Sri Venkateshwaraswami and Sri Padmavati Ammavaru, daughter of Akasa Maharaja were married here. Sri Kalyana Venkateshwaraswami is the main deity here. The four sub-temples are,

1) Sri Padmavati Ammavari temple,
2) Sri Andal Ammavari temple,
3) Sameta Ramulavari temple,
4) Sri Ranganayakula Swami temple,
5) Sri Sita Lakshmana temple,
In addition, there are five other temples attached to Sri Kalyana Venkateshwaraswami temple. They are,
1) Sri Parashareshwara Swami temple,
2) Sri Virabhadra Swami temple,
3) Sri Shakti Vinayaka Swami temple,

4) Sri Agasthishwara Swami temple,
5) Sri Avanakshamma temple,
The annual Brahmotsavams are conducted every year in the main temple, Sri Virabhadraswami temple and Sri Avanakshamma temple. Navaratri festival is also celebrated at the Sri Avanakshamma temple every year. Giri Pradakshina (Konda Chuttu Thirunallu) is one of the important festivals conducted during the end of Sankranti, once a year, with the utsava murthis of Sri Parashareshwara Swami and Sri Champakavalli Ammavaru, and Sri Agastheeshwara Swami and Sri Markathavalli Ammavaru. The other festivals conducted here are Andal Neeratotsavam, Panguni Uttarotsavam, Vara Lakshmi Vratham, and Float festival, Anivara Asthanam, Ratha Sapthami, Ugadi Asthanam, Srirama Navami, Chaitra Pournami, and Periodical Sevas.




Sri Veda Narayanaswami Temple, Nagalapuram:

Sri Veda Narayanaswami temple is located in Nagalapuram, 70 km southeast of Tirupati. It is believed that Lord Sri Maha Vishnu, in the form of Matsya, killed the Rakshash (demon) Somakudu here, and retrieved the Vedas from the latter. The sanctum sanctorium houses an image of the Matsya form of Vishnu, with Shridevi and Bhudevi on either side. A peculiar feature of the idol is that it holds the Sudarshana Chakra in prayoga (ready for release). The temple was constructed by Sri Krishnadeva Raya, the Vijayanagara emperor, and is a fine specimen of the Vijayanagara style of architecture. The most important annual festivals in this temple are Brahmotsavam, and Surya Puja along with the Float festival, conducted on the 12th, 13th and 14th days of the month of Phalguna. During these three days, the sunrays fall on the main deity between 0600 hrs and 0615 hrs. On the first day, they fall on the feet, on the second - on the chest and on the third - on the forehead, depicting worship by Sri Surya Bhagavan (the Sun God) himself. The annual Brahmotsavam is conducted in the month of Jyeshtha.




Sri Venugopalaswami Temple, Karvetinagaram:

Sri Venugopalaswami temple is situated in Karvetinagaram, 58 km from Tirupati.The main deity of the temple is Sri Venugopalaswami with His consorts - Sri Rukmini Ammavaru and Sri Satyabhama Ammavaru. There is a sub-temple with the idol Sri Sita Ramula Pattabhishekam.




Sri Prasanna Venkateshwaraswami Temple, Appalayanagunta:

Sri Prasanna Venkateshwaraswami temple is located in Appalayagunta, 14 km from Tirupati. It is believed that Sri Venkateshwaraswami, after marrying Sri Padmavati Ammavaru, blessed Sri Sidhdheshwara and other sages here. The temple, constructed by the Rajas of Karvetinagar, consists of a shrine for Anjaneyaswami. Devotees for relief from chronic diseases worship the imposing image of the wind-god. There are also idols of Goddess Padmavati and Sri Andal here. Brahmotsavam is celebrated once a year.




Sri Chennakeshavaswami Temple, Tallapaka:

Sri Chennakeshavaswami Temple is located in Tallapaka village at a distance of 100 Kms. from Tirupati, which is the birthplace of Sri Annamacharya, the Sankeertana Acharyulu who was born to Sri Narayanasuri and Lakkamamba. According to legend, the temple was constructed and administered by the Matti Rajahs about 1000 years ago.




Sri Kariyamanikyaswami Temple, Nagiri:

Sri Kariya Manikyaswami temple (also called Sri Perumala Swami temple) is located in Nagiri, 51 km from Tirupati. It is believed that Lord Sri Maha Vishnu killed Makara (a crocodile) and saved Gajendra (an elephant) at this place. This episode is referred to as the Gajendramoksham in the Mahabhagavatam.




Sri Annapurna Sameta Kashi Vishweshwaraswami Temple, Bugga Agraharam:

Sri Annapurna Sameta Kashi Vishweshwaraswami Temple is located in the Bugga Agraharam village, 56 km from Tirupati. The temple is on the banks of Kushasthali River. The main deities are Sri Kashi Vishweshwara Swami, Sri Annapurna Ammavaru, Sri Kamakshi Ammavaru, and Sri Devi Bhudevi Sameta Sri Prayaga Madhava Swami. The important annual festivals in the temple are Maha Shivaratri and Kartika Somavaramu.
posted by GreatLondonPubs @ 14:04 0 comments
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Balaji is near cluster of seven hills
Among all the pilgrimage destinations of south India, Tirupati-Balaji has an inimitable position and is recognized for the much popular Lord Venkateshwara deity, which is visited by numerous tourists all the year round. The meaning of the name Tirupati-Balaji is ‘lord of Lakshmi’. The renowned shrine of the deity is located on a hill at Tirumala, which is a cluster of seven hills. When you travel to Tirupati-Balaji, you must pay a visit to this temple, which is one of the lively cultural and philanthropic institutions with an impressive history. The Dravidian architecture depicted through this shrine will take you back to the ancient times.

There are numerous places to see in Tirupati-Balaji and the Lord Venkateshwara temple is the best known among these. This temple is a Mecca for the Hindu pilgrims and devotees line up in long serpentine queues to offer prayers and offerings to the deity. The other leading places of tourist interest you will come across here are Sri Govindrajaswamy Temple, Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple, Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple and Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple. Due to the presence of these hallowed shrines at this picture perfect town, tourism in Tirupati-Balaji is increasingly growing in popularity.

Apart from these attractions, further excitement awaits you when you embark on the weekend excursions. On a fine day, you can set out for a journey that will take you to the interesting sites such as Chandragiri, Sri Kalahasthi, Agastyaswamy Temple, Kalyani Dam, Horsley Hills and Kailasakona Waterfalls. The fun and excitement get enriched when your tour covers the festive seasons. The entire town pulsates with a festive spirit. Brahmotsavam is the most prominent among the festivals here. The temple car festival is also marked with great excitement and enthusiasm.





Another festival that is also characterized by the same degree of fervor and zeal is the Vijayanagar Festival which is held at the famous Chandragiri Fort. To be a part of these festivals is equally an exciting experience.

Tirupati-Balaji offers a number of excellent lodging facilities for the travelers. You can put up in any choice of accommodation you like and expect the finest hospitality and world class facilities and services. There are many luxury and budget category hotels that are located in and around Tirupati-Balaji.

Tirupati-Balaji is well-linked by air, rail and road. The nearest airport and railhead is Chennai and the town can be easily reached from Bangalore and Hyderabad by road.

For more information on Tirupati-Balaji, just log on to the website touristplacesinindia.com which offers valuable inputs on tourist attractions in Tirupati-Balaji.
posted by GreatLondonPubs @ 18:10 2 comments
HISTORY OF TEMPLE
History of the Temple

Ample epigraphic testimony about the antiquity of the temple is available and has been collected and published by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. The temple itself is believed to have existed from very ancient times and it is said Sri Venkateswara is referred to even in the Rigved.

'Sri Venkatachala Mahatmayam' contains Puranic lores form the twelve Mahapuranas. The puranic legends say that after the Pralaya kalpa preceding the great Deluge, the Supreme Being Maha Vishnu, revealed Himself in the form of a White Boar, Sweta Varaha, rescued the earth and recreated it and having re-established the universe, He decided to stay on the earth for some time to protect the good and destroy the evil. Thus God Vishnu revealed Himself earlier, in the previous incanation as Varahaswami on the bank of the Varaha Tirutham i.e., northern portion of Pushkarini at Tirumala. This manifestation as the White Boar is enshrined in the Adj Varahaswami temple on the Northwestern bank of the Pushkarini at Tirumala. This temple is believed to be older than the temple of Lord Venkateswara and claims precedence in worship and Nivedana.

There are many more legends about the Venkatachala Hills and Lord Venkateswara in The Varaha and Bhavishyottara Puranas.

The meritorious benefits acquired by a pilgrimage to Venkatachala are mentioned in the Puranas and Sri Venkateswara is described as the great giver of boons.

References to the temple seems to be a hoary one, all the great dynasties of rulers of the southern peninsula have paid their homage to this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century A.D.) Cholas, Padyas and the kings, chiefs of Vijayanagar (14th -15th Century) were devotees of Lord Venkateswara and they vied with each other in endowing the temple with rich offerings and benefactions. It was during the Vijayanagar dynasty that; the number of benefactions increased. The statues of Sri Krishna Devaraya and his consorts were installed in the temple at the portals, in his own life-time and they can be seen even today. There are also statues of Achyuta Rava and Venkatapati Raya. Sri Krishna Deva Raya visited the sacred shrine seven times with his consorts during his reign.

After the decline of the Vijayanagar dynasty the nobles and chieftains from all parts of the country continued paying their homage and gifts to the temple. The Maratta general, Raghoji Bhonsle, visited the temple and set up a permanent endowment for the conduct of worship in the temple. He also presented valuable jewels to the Deity, including the great emerald which is still preserved in a box named after him. Among the later rulers who have endowed large benefactions are the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.

After the fall of the Hindu kingdoms, the rulers of Karnataka and the Britishers stepped into their shoes and many of the temples came under their supervisory and protective control.

In 1843 when the East India Company divested itself of the direct management of non-Christian places of worship and of native religious institutions, the administration of the shrine of Sri Venkateswara with a number of estates was entrusted to Sri Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala as Vichranakarta and for nearly a century, till 1933 the temple was under the administrative charge of the mahants.

In 1933 by a special Act passed by the Madras Legislature, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Committee was invested with the powers of administration and control through a Commissioner appointed by the Government of Madras. This committee was assisted by a Religious Advisory Council in regard to religious matters and a Ryots Advisory Council in regard to the management of the estates of the TTD.

To-day, T.T. Devasthanams which maintain 12 temples and their sub-shrines is a conglomerate of temples brought under the first schedule 2 of the Act 20 of 1987 enacted by Andhra Pradesh government. It is managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the state government. The Executive Officer is the Chief Executive of the administration. He is assisted by two Joint Executive Officers, Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer, Deputy Executive Officers, Security and Vigilance Officer, Conservator of Forests and Chief Engineer in various spheres of activity. Besides, there are other officials like Law Officer, Welfare Officer, Public Relations Officer, Marketing Officer, Educational Officer and others to look after several wings of administration.

JABALAJI
There are as many as 330 million deities in Hindu religion but most significant are the ‘Avatars’ of Trinity - ‘Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva’. In a Hindu scripture called Sri Varah Purana’, is mentioned about the Deity Sri Venkateshwara Swami who was the re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu of the 'Trinity’. Lord Venkateshwara Swami is more commonly known as Bala ji or Tirupati Balaji. In fact, one can even say that he is loved by the followers and devotees as Balaji. Legend goes that Lord Vishnu took an Avatar in form of Venkateshwara Balaji on the request of ‘Naradji’, the saint to destroy the sins of human-beings in Kalyug.

Balaji dwells in the ‘Venkatam’ hills near ‘Tirupathi’. The temple there called ‘Tirupati Balaji’ witnesses no less than 30,000 devotees each day coming for the ‘Darshan’ and to pay homage to Lord Bala ji. The famous temple is considered to be one of the wealthiest temples across the world. It is said that a secret donation of 50 gold bricks worth 1,100 crore rupees was dropped in front of Tirupati Balaji temple by a devotee. Such is the faith of devotees on Balaji. Tirupati Balaji is situated in the Chittoor district of Sothern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Chilkur Balaji temple in Hyderabad is also very popular. It is also called the Visa temple because of the belief that devotees looking for approvals of visas should pay their homage to the deity here and Lord Bala ji will bless them so that they get their much-wanted Visas... This Temple is also known as the Visa BalajiTemple. Devotees have such a great faith in the Visa temple that around 1 lakh devotees visit here every week.

Hindu God ‘Hanuman’ is also known as Bala ji in some parts of the country. He is considered to shield his devotees and save them from the evil and negative mystic powers. ‘Mehndipur Balaji’ temple in Rajasthan is where Lord Hanuman resides in his Balaji form. Many mentally unwell people are brought here under the shade of Lord Balaji so that he saves them from the evil spirits and magical powers.

Many non-followers find it odd that a religion has two Gods by the same name, but both Tirupati Balaji of South and Mehndipur Bala ji of Rajasthan have different identities and also have innumerous number of followers too.

Venkateshwara is another form of Lord Vishnu who is the most popular deity among GSBs in Kerala. He is also known as Venkatachalapathi or Venkataramana or Tirumal devar or Varadaraja or Srinivasa or Balaji or Bithala. He has a dark complexion and four hands. In his two upper hands he holds a discus (a symbol of power) and a conchs hell (a symbol of existence). With his lower hands extended downward he asks devotees to have faith and surrender to him for protection. The supreme temple of Venkateswara is at Tirupati and every GSB wants to visit this temple at least once in life.

The temple town of Tirupati is situated at the foot of Tirumala hills in the Chandragiri Taluka of the Chittor district in Andhra Pradesh. The sacred spot on the hill about 2,800 feet above sea level is known as Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara. The hill forms part of the Eastern Ghats and is also known as Venkatachala and Seshachala. It is said that the Eastern Ghats on this side along with their curves, heights and falls resemble the serpent Adisesha and that the seven hills of Tirupati are its seven heads and Ahobalam where Lord Narasimha murthy is worshipped, representing the centre of Adisesha, and Srisailam representing the tail end of Adisesha. That is why Tirumala is called Seshachala. According to the legends, this has been a sacred place in all the four yugas, and was known as Vrishabhachala in the Krithayuga, Anjanachala in the Tretayuga, Seshachala in the Dwaparayuga and Venkatachala in the present Kaliyuga.

In this temple, unlike other Vishnu temples, we find no minor shrines or idols of Vaishnava saints. Apart from the Lord Venkateswara temple, the other important places at Tirumala and Swami pushkarini, Papavinasam and Akasaganga waterfalls, Varahaswamy temple, and Shila Toranam a very ancient rock formation supposed to be over 10,000 years old.

The Venkateswara Temple	Akasaganga	Papavinasam	Swami Pushkarini

Legend of Lord Venkateswara

Once some rishis headed by Kasyapa began to perform a sacrifice on the banks of the Ganges. Sage Narada visited them and asked them why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it. Not being able to answer the question, the rishisapproached Sage Bhrigu. To reach a solution after a direct ascertainment of reality, Sage Bhrigu first went to Satyaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma. At Satyaloka, he found Lord Brahma, reciting the four Vedas in praise of Lord Narayana, with each of his four heads, and attended upon by Saraswati. Lord Brahma did not take notice of Bhrigu offering obeisance. Concluding that Lord Brahma was unfit for worship, Bhrigu left Satyaloka for Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. At Kailasa, Bhrigu found Lord Siva spending his time pleasantly with Parvati and not noticing his presence. Parvati drew the attention of Siva to the presence of the sage. Lord Siva was furious at Bhrigu's intrusion and tried to destroy him. The sage cursed Lord Siva and left for Vaikuntam.

At Vaikuntam, Lord Vishnu was reposing on Adisesha with Sri Mahalakshmi in service at His feet. Finding that Lord Vishnu also did not notice him, the sage was infuriated and kicked the Lord on His chest, the place where Mahalakshmi resides. At once, Lord Vishnu hastened to apologise to the angry sage and pressed his feet to allay the pain caused to Bhrigu's leg. In doing so the Lord removed the eye in the foot of the sage, stripping of his special powers.Thereupon, the sage concluded that Lord Vishnu was the most supreme of the trimurthis and told the rishis the same.

Sri Mahalakshmi was angered by the action of her Lord in apologising to Bhrigu who committed an offence. Out of anger and anguish she left Vaikuntha and resided in Karavirapur now known as Kolhapur. After the departure of Mahalakshmi, a forlorn Lord Vishnu left Vaikuntam and took abode in an ant-hill under a tamarind tree, beside a pushkarini on the Venkata Hill, meditating for the return of Lakshmi, without food or sleep. This was the place where Lord took the form of Varaha to rescue Mother Earth form the deep ocean.

Taking pity on Lord Vishnu, Brahma and Maheshwara decided to assume the forms of a cow and its calf to serve Him. Surya, the Sun God informed Mahalakshmi of this and requested her to assume the form of a cowherdess and sell the cow and calf to the king of the Chola country. The king of the Chola country bought the cow and its calf and sent them to graze on the Venkata Hill along with his herd of cattle. Discovering Lord Vishnu on the ant-hill, the cow provided its milk, and thus fed the Lord. Meanwhile, at the palace, the cow was not yielding any milk, for which the Chola Queen chastised the cowherd severely. To find out the cause of lack of milk, the cowherd followed the cow, hid himself behind a bush and discovered the cow emptying her udder over the ant-hill. Incensed over the conduct of the cow, the cowherd aimed a blow with his axe on the head of the cow. However, Lord Vishnu rose from the ant-hill to receive the blow and save the cow. When the cowherd saw the Lord bleed at the blow of his axe, he fell down and died of shock.

The cow returned, bellowing in fright and with blood stains all over her body, to the Chola King. To find out the cause of the cow's terror, the King followed her to the scene of the incident. The King found the cowherd lying dead on the ground near the ant-hill. While he stood wondering how it had happened, Lord Vishnu rose from the ant-hill and cursed the King saying that he would become anAsura because of the fault of his servant. The King pleaded innocence, and the Lord blessed him by saying that he will be reborn as Akasa Raja and that the curse would end when the Lord will be adorned with a crown presented by Akasa Raja at the time of His marriage with Padmavati. With these words Lord turned into stone form.

Thereafter, Lord Vishnu in the name of Srinivasa, decided to stay in Varaha Kshetra, and requested Sri Varahaswami to grant Him a site for His stay. His request being readily granted, Srinivasa ordained that a pilgrimage to His shrine would not be complete unless it is preceded by a bath in the Pushkarini and darshan of Sri Varahaswami, and thatpuja andnaivedyam should be offered to Sri Varaha swami first. Vishnu built a hermitage and lived there, attended to by Vakuladevi who looked after him like a mother.

Yasoda Reborn : Yesoda brought up Sri Krishna, the son of Devaki, in his early years. However, Yasoda was not blessed to witness the marriage of Sri Krishna with Rukmini and she felt very sad. Sri Krishna promised to fulfil her desire in her next birth as Vakuladevi in his next incarnation as Srinivasa. In Rukmini's next birth as Vakuladevi, she was serving Lord Varahaswami when He sent her to serve Srinivasa.

Sometime later, a King named Akasa Raja who belonged to the Lunar race was ruling over Thondamandalam. Akasa Raja had no heirs, and therefore, he wanted to perform a sacrifice. As part of the sacrifice, he was ploughing the fields when his plough turned up a lotus in the ground. On examining the lotus, the King found a female child in it. The king was happy to find a child even before he performed a sacrifice and carried it to his place and gave it to his Queen to tend it. At that time he heard an aerial voice which said "O King, tend it as your child and fortune will befall you". As she was found in a lotus, the king named her Padmavati. Princess Padmavati grew up into a beautiful maiden and was attended by a host of maids.

One day, Lord Srinivasa, who was hunting, chased a wild elephant in the forests surrounding the hills. In the elephant's pursuit, the Lord was led into a garden, where Princess Padmavati and her maids were picking flowers. The sight of the elephant frightened the Princess and her maids. But the elephant immediately turned around, saluted the Lord and disappeared into the forest. Lord Srinivasa, who was following on horse back, and saw the frightened maidens. However, He was repulsed with stones thrown at Him by the maids. He returned to the hills in haste, leaving His horse behind. Vakuladevi found him lying on his bed, not interested in anything. The Lord informed her that unless he married Princess Padmavati. The Lord then narrated the story of her (Padmavati’s) previous birth and his promise to wed her. After listening to Srinivasa's story of how he had promised to marry Vedavati in her next birth as Padmavati, Vakuladevi realised that Srinivasa would not be happy unless he married Padmavati. She offered to go to Akasa Raja and his Queen and arrange for the marriage. On the way she met the maid-servants of Padmavati returning from a Siva Temple. She learnt from them that Padmavati was also pining for Srinivasa. Vakuladevi went along with the maid servants to the Queen.Meanwhile, Akasa Raja and his queen Dharanidevi were anxious about the health of their daughter, Padmavathi. They learnt about Padmavathi's love for Srinivasa of Venkata Hill. Akasa Raja consulted Brihaspati about the marriage and was informed that the marriage was in the best interest of both the parties. Kubera lent money to Lord Srinivasa to meet the expenses of the marriage. Lord Srinivasa, along with his consorts and Lord Brahma and Lord Siva started the journey to the residence of Akasa Raja with his vehicle Garuda. At the palace entrance, Lord Srinivasa was received by Akasa Raja with full honours and taken in procession on a mounted elephant to the palace for the marriage. In the presence of all the Devas, Lord Srinivasa wed Princess Padmavati, thus blessing Akasa Raja.Load venkateshware had took loan of one crose 400 gold coins from kubera for his marriage and fail to deliver the same amount that why devotees pay donations here so that lord will pay his his instalemnets either in form of hairs gold sliver and in cash. Everyday at Tirupati temple, a kalyana utsavam celebrates the divine union in a celebration that stretches to eternity.

What we learn from journey

When iam a student of 12 th class i have learned one thing in m y college "Neither a barrow not a lender Be" I tried my self and trying to convince the massage to all this is the right saying if you don't fallow as a Principal-in your life the life will land you in danger the same line i remembered in Triputi when i learned story of Lord Venkateswara barrow money from Kubera --written in this blog already. People come here to help Lord Venkateswara Because they still that he is still under debt.

iskon temple in triputi

it was well known over the years that ISKCON has grown in the matter of spiritual popularly throughout the world and to-day it is widely recognized by theologians, scholars, students and laymen as a genuine and important organization for protecting and preserving the spiritual welfare of all. The reason for this is twofold: first and foremost, the spiritual master and Founder Acharya of ISKCON. His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a spiritual leader of substantial and purity. As the representative of the unbroken chain of disciplic succession from Lord Sri Krishna Himself, Srila Prabhupada is celebrated as the leading exponent of Vedic knowledge and culture of this age. Secondly, the philosophy and lifestyle of the devotees in Krishna Consciousness movement is grounded firmly as per the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam- As it is and Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. It was in the year 1974-75; His Divine Grace SrilaPrabhupada made a visit to Tirupati-Tirumala as a special guest of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. During his stay at Tirumala, Srila Prabhupada was extremely pleased to have Darshan of Lord Sri Venkateswara. He was also pleased to see hundreds and thousands of pilgrimage devotees visiting the divine place daily. During the course of his discussion with the then Endowments Minister of A.P., Sri Sagi Suryanarayana Raju, Srila Prabhupada pointed out that T.T.D.should take steps for propagating and reviving the message of Bhagavad-Gita, immediately on large scale. His Divine Grace said it is the only way to bring peace and harmony throughout the world. Since T.T.D. has the basic infrastructure it should work out some program and take the assistance of the devotees of the ISKCON to conduct vigorous preaching for the benefit of all.

The 13-kilometre long Marina Beach forms the city's east coast, from Fort St. George all the way to Mahabalipuram and is one of the longest beaches in the world. The Marina Beach is a sandy beach and is the most sought-after beach for many. A visit

G. Ramachandran, the former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and also a former film hero. The tomb has an imposing memorial Pillar and an eternal flame.

The main road along the Marina is Kamarajar Salai. Many old and historic buildings adorn the side of the road opposite to the beach. The monumental buildings are Senate House of the University of Madras, Chepauk Palace (now P.W.D office), 19th century Presidency College building, Ezhilagam and the Director General of Police office. The beach has new artificial fountains and parks which adds to its beauty.

There is a swimming pool and an aquarium located opposite to the Presidency college which is a great attraction for tourists. The swimming pool is run by the State Government. The pool offers swimming classes at nominal charges. The aquarium has good collection of marine and fresh water fishes.

Marina Beach

At the southern end of the Marina Beach is the new Light House. It stands 48m above sea level and offers a panoramic view of the city. The light house is open to visitors from 2pm to 4pm.

The recent Tsunami (December 26, 2004) claimed a lot of lives in the beach. Despite the destruction caused by the Tsunami waves, the beach has regained its pristine beauty because of the hardworking community.

The beach can be visited in early mornings or in the evenings. There are many food stalls, hawkers and many entertainers line the beach at these times to entertain the visitors. Kite flying is a major sport for children at the beach.