Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala

The temple on the hill

The Sri Venkateswara Temple stands at Tirumala, on Venkatadri, one of the seven hills of the Seshachalam range, about 980 metres above sea level. The deity is Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, also called Balaji or Srinivasa. The gold-plated vimana over the sanctum is called Ananda Nilayam. The temple is run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and is one of the most visited temples in India.

How darshan works

All darshan goes through the Vaikuntam Queue Complex beside the temple. The free Sarva Darshan queue runs on tokens and can take many hours. Pilgrims who walk up the Alipiri or Srivari Mettu footpaths can collect free the temple's faster-darshan arrangement tokens on a daily quota. the temple's faster-darshan arrangement is a paid slot booked online through TTD, and it sells out early. ID is checked, and fingerprints or a photo may be taken.

Before you queue

Phones, cameras and bags go into the deposit counters or stay in your room. Shoes are left at the stands. The dress code is enforced: dhoti or trousers and shirt for men; saree, half-saree or salwar kameez with dupatta for women. Non-Hindus sign a short declaration of faith. By tradition, pilgrims visit the Bhu Varaha Swamy temple on the north side of the Swami Pushkarini tank before the main darshan.

After darshan

Collect your laddu at the counters, and eat at the free annaprasadam hall. Many pilgrims also have their heads tonsured as an offering, at the tonsure halls near the temple.

Photographs

You cannot photograph inside. From the mada streets you can photograph the Maha Dwaram, the main gateway, and the open area in front of it where coconuts are broken. TTD has warned that it will act against people filming reels here.