Overview
The Venkateswara Swami Temple, also known as the Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, or Tirupati Balaji Temple, is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, within Tirupati Urban Mandal in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who in tradition is believed to have appeared on earth to relieve mankind from the trials of the Kali Yuga. For this reason, the site is also referred to as Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, and the deity is venerated as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam. Venkateswara is additionally known by the names Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.
The Tirumala hills form part of the Seshachalam range and rise to about 853 metres (2,799 ft) above sea level. The range comprises seven peaks, traditionally described as representing the seven heads of Adisesha. The temple stands on the seventh peak, Venkatadri, on the southern bank of the holy water tank Sri Swami Pushkarini, and is thus also called the "Temple of Seven Hills". The Tirumala town covers an area of about 10.33 sq mi (26.75 km²).
According to tradition, the temple was originally built by a Tondaiman king and was subsequently reformed by the Cholas, Pandyas and the rulers of Vijayanagara. Constructed in the Dravidian style, it is believed to have developed over a long period beginning around 300 CE. The Garbhagriha, or sanctum sanctorum, is known as Ananda Nilayam. The presiding deity stands facing east within the sanctum. Worship at the temple follows the Vaikhanasa Agama tradition. The temple is regarded as one of the eight Vishnu Swayambhu (self-manifested) Kshetras and is listed as the 75th Divya Desam among the 108 sacred sites mentioned in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.
The temple is administered by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), an autonomous body under the Government of Andhra
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