Tirumalagiri - Sri Venkateswaraswamy Aalayam

This much-visited and zealously adored Venkataramanaswamy temple of Tirumalagiri shares many striking resemblances with the temple of Tirumala Balaji, occupying the highest place in the temple map of any religion for that matter. To begin with, he is dwelling atop a hill of modest altitude; secondly, the archamurti is claimed to be the Swayamvyakta like that of Tirupathi Balaji; thirdly, there is no Deve ri in the garbhagriha as at Tirumala; fourthly, there is a separate well-built temple for Mother Mahalakshmi in Mangollu also called Mangaprolu as it is with Balaji having a big shrine for Mahalakshmi at Mangapuram.

Embodying such unique features this holy Vaishnava kshetra is luring a steady stream of devotees throughout the year. Its past too is quite exciting. According to sthalapurana, Bharadwaj maharshi, propitiating Lord Mahavishnu did penance in the Tretayuga for long. When that Greatest appeared to fulfill this desire, he earnestly prayed that the Lord must dwell here on the hill for ever. Granting his request, he is here staying in the form of Venkateswara since then. So the hill is called Tirumalagiri and the village the village too bearing the same name. Another awe-some feature of this hill temple is, there is a pond here resembling human foot and it is believed that the Lord pressed a boulder here with his left foot which instantly formed into a Konvru-pond. Hence sanctity.

The annual festivals, like Kalyanotsav, Krishnaashtami and Devinavaratri celebrations are the star-attractions, when people in lakhs congregate to offer special prayer services to the Lord. It is popularly known as mini-Tirupati in this parts.

It lies 5 km Jaggayyapet of Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh commanding train and bus facilities round the clock.

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