Tatipatri Chintala - Venkataramanaswamy Aalayam

The emergence of the archamurti of this mandir has fascinating background and affords an elevating experience at its very mention. It is at the bidding of Bhagawan Venakataramanaswamy, this sacred shine came into existence. And created an unenviable record of ministrations to the genuine bhaktas. It was built by one feudal lord called Timmaraya, ruling over this territory under the hegemony of the celebrated Vijayanagar emperors. The sixteenth century was the golden period for the Dakshinapatha, when almost all the land between Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal and from Vindhyas to Vaigai enjoyed the benign rule of the illustrious history makers - Vijayanagara emperors. Arts and architecture reached new dimensions, inaugurating the lavishly praised Vijayanagara style of construction that won laurels to silpakalamatalli. This temple is a typical example of that.

This exquisite piece of the sculptural gift was materialised only with the direction of Balaji in a dream to the devout Timmaraya saying - "I am abiding in the tamarind tree for centuries. This place is dear to me and I want a temple to be built for me to lift the duhkartis from the sea of grief." Deeming it a bolt from blue, he started searching operation for and securing it and found an enchanting icon of Venkateswaraswamy in a hollow of the trunk of the tamarind tree. Sooner than finding the hidden fortune, he began building a great temple befitting the divine ordinance. And installed the icon with due rituals and fanfare when huge crowds participated with unprecedented zeal. 

Now let us enter to feat our eyes with the grandeur of the temple.

It is fairly a big temple with sturdy broad prakaras adorned with tall towers on three sides embellished with excellent sculpture. The garbhagriha, antarala, mukhamandap, etc., are quite extensive and the walls and ceilings are beautified with elegant sculptural pieces illustrating the epic stories. The mukhamandap built with 40 solid, durable granite pillars is an architectural marvel. The icon of the Chaturbhuja Balaji installed on the two-foot-high dial with conch and disc in right and left hands, lower right hand revealing abhaya, and the left lower reaching the knee, transports the viewers to Vaikunta at its first sight itself. The architect's artistry of making the stone chariot placed opposite the mulavirat springs a surprise. It is so designed that it allows the Sun's first rays pass through it and fall on archamurti, on important festival days, like Rathasaptami, Eakadasi. It is a star-attraction and lures huge crowds. There is another mini separate mandir for Mother Mahalakshmi to the right of the main mandir. This is equally enticing with its rare sculpture and posture of icon. The entire campus serves a royal banquet to such degree that the District Collector Sir Thomas Munro renovated in 1802 and added a Kalyana Mandap for the public benefit, besides arranging for uninterrupted regular worship.

It lies on the bank of Penna in the town of Tadiparti of Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, enjoying bus convenience from many towns around it.

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