I am an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and a history buff. I had these two prominent reasons to plan a trip to this ancient city of Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati. As I live alone in Bangalore, I opted for a solo trip and was excited and nervous at the same time.
Finally, the day of my journey came, and as I was traveling on my own for the first time, I ditched taking a train or bus and booked a reliable and affordable cab from Bangalore to Tirupati for a comfortable journey. It was around noon when I reached Tirupati, and I can’t explain the divinity and spirituality the place holds. Immediately after checking in at my hotel, I headed out straight to explore the city. Here is a brief overview of my solo trip to Tirupati.
Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple
Being an adherent of Lord Tirupati Balaji, the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple was my first stop. As soon as I entered the temple premises, I heard non-stop chants of |Om Namo Venkatesaya| that filled my heart with spirituality and faith. Spread over 2.2 acres of land, this wealthiest temple in India is situated on the seventh hill of Tirumala Hills.
While waiting for my turn in the queue, I witnessed the magnificent temple architecture and different donation centers serving free food to all the devotees who come to this temple. After completing my darshan at the temple and offering prayers, I relished on the Laddoo prasadam and went out to explore the rest of the city.
Talakona waterfalls
As Tirupati has much more to offer than its famous temples, I planned to visit the majestic Talakona Waterfalls. The captivating sight of the water plunging deep into the valley from around an altitude of 270 is breathtaking. Speaking to a few locals, I realized this is the highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh.
So along with attracting the trekkers from far and wide due to its beautiful terrains, this place amuses animal and nature lovers equally. It’s a base of many endangered animal species like Indian Giant Squirrel, Slender Loris, Mouse Deer, Panther, Golden Gecko, Chital and Sambar that I explored via a safari ride.
Chandragiri
The next stop on my travel list was Chandragiri, and as a history buff, this place was undoubtedly a paradise for me. Popularly known as the Raja and Rani Mahal, Chandragiri is a famous fort constructed in the 11th century.
The ancient place holds a marvelous history and surrounds eight majestic temples and the Raja and Rani Fort. One of the most stunning examples of the magnificent Indo-Saracenic architecture of the Vijayanagara era, this place is now an archaeological museum that exhibits the rich history of Chandragiri.
Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple
As it was time for evening Aarti and prayers in temples, I went to Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple, another famous temple in Tirupati. Situated in the complex of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, this is an abode of Lord Govindaraja Swamy.
The evening prayer chants, the clapping sounds of the devotees, the massively adorned idol and the mesmerizing Dravidian-style ancient architecture of this temple amazed me with its beauty.
I am sure the vibrant tale of these spiritual and adventurous places at Tirupati will excite and tempt you to plan a trip. So why wait? Just pack your bags, book a Bangalore car rental service with a local driver and get set to experience the serenity and divinity of Tirupati.
