INTRODUCTION

"So listen to legends! Though they are many and strangerly at variance with one another, I will stick on to the very popular and highly acclaimed legends only. The Seven Hills termed as 'Paramapada', means thereby Sri Vaikuntam on earth is believed to remove all sins by mere smarana - act of remembrance even. Further, mythologies extol the glory of the Hills tracing their antiquity to the time immemorial and they are called by different names in different yugas, like Vrishabhachala in Kritayuga, Anjanachala in Tretayuga , Seshachala in Dwaparayuga and finally Venkatachala in Kaliyuga. And the Lord has been abiding here in Tirumala amidst seven peaks of the Nallamalai Hills, an integral part of the Eastern Ghats.

This Seshachala with its seven peaks bears sembance to the seven hooded Adisesha of Vaikunta, the divine couch of Srimannarayana. Strange to see that the Nallamalai hills in this region with its ups and downs numbering seven is possessing seven peaks and the go by the names of Sechachala, Garudachala, Simhachala, Vrishabhachala, Narayanachala, Anjanachala and Venkatachala.

Each peak has a distinct and appropriate name. Their legends too are quite fascinating and awe-inspiring. The pouranic background of each peak is quite fantastic in origin, elevating in content and glorifying in nature. It is discribed that the pilgrim town Kalahasti is deemed its mouth; Ahobalam, its back; Srisailam  its tail; and lastly Tirumala its head. All these are the parts of the Nallamalai range beginning from Kurnool district to this place in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

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