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TIRUMALA TEMPLE HISTORY

Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is the most well-known Vaishnavite temple in the world. Sri Venkatachala Mahatyam provides the history of the temple across the various yugas. Many Puranas have also referred to this divine place We can phrase the Tirumala temple history from all these sources. 

 

How the Tirumala temple was created and why Lord Maha Vishnu came down to Earth from Vaikuntam and settled in Kaliyuga Vaikuntam that is Tirumala. To know all this information we have to go through the Venkatachala Mahatyam which gives the Tirumala temple history in detail. So let’s go through the Tirumala temple history briefly.

KALI YUGA DAIVAM

Five thousand years ago, Lord Sri Venkateswara, also known as Srinivasa, Balaji, and Venkatachalapathi signified his residence to Tirumala. Located in the Tirumala hill town of Tirupati in the Tirupati District of Andhra Pradesh, India. Lord Venkateswara is Lord Vishnu’s incarnation and is thought to have appeared here to save mankind from KaliYuga’s trials and troubles.

 

TIRUMALA TEMPLE HISTORY STARTS FROM HERE: BHRIGU MAHARSHI VISITED TRILOKAS

During KaliYuga, Narada advised Rishis to perform Yagna to decide who among Trimurtis could be given the yagna fruits. Bhrigu, who had an extra eye on his foot’s sole, was sent to Trimurtis for testing. 

 

The sage visited Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva and went unnoticed in both places. He finally visited Vishnu and the Lord acted as if Bhrigu had not been noticed.

Sage Bhrigu was angry at this act and kicked Lord Vishnu in the chest, to whom Lord Vishnu did not react and instead apologized by massaging his feet. He squashed the extra eye present in Bhrigu’s footsole during this act. But Lakshmi finds it an insult and leaves Vaikuntam to Kolhapur on Earth and begins to meditate.

LORD VISHNU COMES DOWN TO EARTH AS SRINIVASA

In search of Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu bore human form as Srinivasa left Vaikuntam, reached Tirumala Hills and began meditating. Lakshmi knew about Srinivasa’s condition and prayed to Lord Siva and Brahma. 

Then Lord Shiva and Brahma turned into Cow and Calf and Goddess Lakshmi handed over the cow and calf to the then ruling Chola king over Tirumala Hills. The Cow would supply Srinivasa daily with milk while it was being taken for grazing. 

One day Cowherd saw this and tried to beat the Cow with staff, but the injury was borne by ‘L0ord Srinivasa. Being angry with this Srinivasa had cursed the king of Chola to become a demon as dharma says that Kings should bear the sin of servants.

The king prayed for mercy after which Srinivasa told him that the king should take the next birth as Akasaraja and be married to Srinivasa with his daughter Padmavati.

 LORD VARAHADEVA

Varaha Purana says that Lord Vishnu saved the Earth from Hiranyakha, which was taken to the underworld I.e. Patala Loka during Satya yuga. Lord Vishnu in the Adhi Varaha Avatar ( a wild boar with tusks) killed Hiranyaksha and brought back the Earth on his tusks, and re-established the Earth as before. 

 

Lord Adhi Varaha then rest on Tirumala hills along with Bhudevi on the Eastern part of the Swami Pushkarini in Tirumala to protect people and grant boon.

Lord Srinivas meets Lord Varahadeva. It was a very pleasant and loving gathering of these two Supreme Persons. Lord Varahadeva asked about the condition of Srinivas on Earth, and Srinivas told the entire story.

Then Lord Srinivas asked Varahadeva, “I know that you are the owner of this land tract. You have saved the Earth, so you are truly the owner of the Earth, and especially this place where you live. So I ask that you kindly rent me a place to stay.

The Lord further said, “But I don’t have money since I was left by the goddess Laxmi. I don’t know what I’m going to rent you out.”

WHY WE SHOULD WORSHIP LORD VENKATESWARA SWAMY ONLY AFTER VISITING LORD VARAHA SWAMY

Lord Varahadeva replied, “I know many hundreds, thousands and millions of people will come here to have your darshan in the future. “whoever comes to see You should worship Me first before you .” give me this as a rent.

The Lord decided, Yes, before they come to worship Me, all My devotees will give their prayers to you and worship You first as “Varahadeva”.

This is the reason while going to Lord Venkateswara Swamy darshan in Tirumala, we must first darshan Lord Varaha Swamy and then go to the Lord Venkateswara Swamy darshan. This is how our ancients followed darshanam in Tirumala.

BIRTH OF SRI PADMAVATI DEVI

Chola King took rebirth as Akasha Raja after the curse he had no heirs, and therefore, he wanted to perform a sacrifice. He was plugging the fields as part of the sacrifice as his sack came up with a Lotus. 

The king discovered a woman kid in it when examining the lotus. Akasa Raja discovered the kid gladly. He brought her to his palace and introduced her to his queen. The king named her Padmavati, as the child was discovered in a Lotus. She was born in Padmapushkarini, located in Andhra Pradesh at present Tiruchanur.

It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi was born as Alamelu to Akasha Raja, who is the ruler of this region and married to Tirupati Venkateswara. Lord Venkateswara was given darshan by Goddess Lakshmi on a red Lotus flower in Alamelu Mangapuram, after 12 years of profound penance.

MEETING OF SRINIVASA AND PADMAVATHI

One day Lord Srinivasa met Padmavati by saving her from the herd’s attack, and both of them liked each other. Then Srinivasa explained the incident to Vakula Devi and told his desire to marry Sri Padmavathi.

However, Vakula Devi has no hope for this marriage as Padmavati is the princess of the kingdom.

VAKULA DEVI

Yashoda, the foster mother of Lord Sri Krishan, was reborn as Vakula Devi, the foster mother of Lord Srinivasa, to witness the marriage of Srinivasa and Padmavati.

 

 

In the Drupa yuga, Yashoda complains to the Lord Sri Krishan (the avatar of Lord Vishnu ), that she could not see any of his marriage, then Krishna replies that she will get such an opportunity later in kali yuga. This is the reason for the marriage of Srinivasa was done by the hands of Vakuladevi.

SRINIVASA KALYANAM

Vakula Devi leaves her hermitage to approach Akasa Raja with her proposal of marriage between Lord Srinivasa and Padmavathi.

The overjoyed king agreed, and his advisor, Bhrihaspati, wrote the invitation for the wedding between the two avatars.

When Lord Srinivasa had no money Kubera lent money to Lord Srinivasa to meet the expenses of the marriage. Lord Srinivasa married Padmavati at present-day Narayanavanam in Andhra Pradesh and will return to Tirumala.

SRINIVASA TURNED AS VENKATESWARA

After six months of this heavenly marriage of Srinivasa and Padmavati, Mahalakshmi won’t believe that her husband is married again and comes to see him. It is believed that the Lord turns into stone, which is Lord Venkateswara when he is encountered by Mahalakshmi and Padmavathi. 

Lord Brahma and Shiva appeared before the Queens and clarified the primary objective behind all this. The willingness of the Lord to be in Seven Hills to emancipate mankind from the permanent problems of Kali Yuga.

Goddesses Lakshmi and Padmavathi are willing to be with their Lord, so they decided to turn into stone idols. Lakshmi stays on his left Chest while Padmavathi rests on his right chest.

THONDAMAN BUILT A TEMPLE

After the marriage of Srinivasa and Padmavati Devi, King Akasha Raja died, and the battle for the throne started between his brother Thondaman and the son of Vasudeva. 

Srinivasa interfered and split the kingdom among the two disputants. Thondaman received part of Tondaimandalam, and Vasudana received part of the kingdom of Narayanavanam. 

In his earlier years, Thondaman was Rangadasa (a loyal devotee of Vishnu). Thus, the Lord appeared in the dream of Thondaman and ordered him to build a temple where he became stone. Thondaman built a temple on the seventh hill, named Venkatadri (Venkata Hill), present-day Tirumala. The Lord was very happy with it.

 

 

Several utsavas were made for the Lord, and the king had made several vahanas to perform the utsavas. Later The Chola Dynasty improved the temple considerably and gave rich donations.

 TIRUPATI BALAJI TEMPLE FACTS: MUST KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT 

SRI VARI BRAHMOTSAVAM

Srivari Brahmotsavam is Sri Venkateswara’s most significant annual festival. The event will take place during the Hindu calendar month of aśvina for nine days during September and October. 

According to the legend, Lord Brahma is supposed to come to the Earth to perform this festival, and hence the festival has the name Brahmotsavams, that is, an utsavam conducted by Brahma. 

To be similar to this, a tiny vacant chariot is moving ahead of the processions of Venkateswara’s processional deity, Malayappa

 TIRUPATHI HISTORY

Lower Tirupati did not have any human settlements until the year 1500. With the growing importance of Upper Tirupati, a village formed in today’s Kapilatheertham Road area and was named “Kotturu.” 

It was later moved to the neighbourhood of Govindarajaswamy Temple, which was consecrated around 1130 CE. The village later grew into its present form around Govindaraja Swamy Temple, now the heart of the city. 

It has now become very popular as a devotional destination.

 

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This is how the Tirumala temple evolved; it all started with the sage Bhrigu Maharshi. Lord Mahavishnu came down to Earth in search of Mahalakshmi as Lord Srinivas, with no money or power. Lord Srinivas lived as a common man on the Earth and became the Lord Venkateswara Swamy

From a spiritual point of perspective, for the Hindus, Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala is important and this place is also referred to as Kaliyuga Vaikuntam. It is believed that Lord Maha Vishnu has transformed into stone to assist people in Kaliyuga.

Devotees often have a state of happiness after visiting the temple.

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