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Sunday, May 13, 2007

Trip to Tirupati Tirupathi Thirupati Tirumala Balaji Venkateswara temple,travel,visit,tour,Seva


The above is the leaflet for going to Tirupati from chennai (std code 044) by bus by APSRTC ph no 65439987, cell 9840580577 and fax 24353373.
CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGES AND USE FULL BRIGHT SCREEN MODE TO SEE CLEARLY
THe tour covers kalahasthi also on weekends when it starts at 6.30 pm instead of 5 am.
They also arrange the dharshan ticket with a guide to take you.

Trip to Tirupati Tirupathi Thirupati Tirumala Balaji Venkateswara temple

TTD Tirumala Tirupati devasthanam devasthanams link to know more on the temple..

http://www.tirumala.org/








By Tirupati we mean the lower foot hill..and Tirumala refers to the top of the mountain..

Please see the link below to know on Tirupati and Tirumala it is exhaustive…

The link below is for knowing on Tirupati though the link says tirumala at the end..

http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/India-Guide/IndianStates/Andhra/Tirumala.htm

The link below is on the temple on top of the hill tirumala

http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/India-Guide/IndianStates/Andhra/Triumala.htm

From Chennai you can reach here by bus or car (approx 3 hrs drive) or by train which is what I find convenient..people coming from north etc can alight at Renigunta junction very near tirupati

Important Note: There are enough share jeeps busses frm renigunta and lower tirupati to go to tirumala(hill top). lower tirupati to hill top jeep charges are rs 25 per person and nearly same by bus. lower tirupati station to bus stand is rs 20 by auto. renigunta is just 20 minutes drive from lower tirupati. for visiting tiruchanur and govindraj perumal temple from lower tirupati after you finist the hill dharshan it is rs 80 by auto as a package. for going to kalahasti(famous shiva temple where you can do pooja for rahu) and back you can hire a jeep or auto at rs 400 to and fro from lower tirupati. for any tour of many temples in lower tirupati you can engage an auto for rs 300 or so. car will be costlier. my sugesstion is auto as long a syou are 4-5 persons.

For people who wish to stay at lower tirupati ie foothills(from here main tirupathi temple on the hill is about half hr drive by share jeep @ rs 25 or by local busses at same cost) u can stay at
Bhimas Deluxe Hotel 34-38 G. Car Street Tirupati - 517501 Phone:+91-877-2225521 Fax:+91-877-2225471 .THey have non ac and ac rooms at Rs750 & Rs 950(respectively) + taxes. Another hotel nearby is Mayura ph no 0877 2225925. APart from this there are so many hotels for stay and all are not even 25 meteres from station. So you can come here without any fear on availability of rooms.

I normally plan to see the lord as he is Vishnu on Wednesday which is his day..

Have been here many times..this is a trip that I am blogging on..Prahalad (son) and I got up at 4 am on 3rd Tuesday… had a bath and went to Chennai central station and boarded the 6.25 sitting train (low fare) (u get enough tiffen to eat breakfast on train so you don’t need to carry)

Station code Chennai MAS and Tirupati TPTY..have given the trains starting from Chennai with time blow similarly have given the return train timings from tirupati to Chennai in the table below that

S#
Select
Train No
Train Name
Departure
Arrival
Runs on
1
6053
TIRUPATHI EXP
13:50
17:00
M T W TH F S SU


2
6057
SAPTHAGIRI EXP
06:25
09:30
M T W TH F S SU


3
6203
TIRUPATHY EXP
16:35
20:05
M T W TH F S SU



S#
Select
Train No
Train Name
Departure
Arrival
Runs on
1
6054
MADRAS EXPRESS
10:05
13:20
M T W TH F S SU


2
6058
SAPTAGIRI EXP
17:20
20:35
M T W TH F S SU



Reached tirupati at 9.30 am..there is a seva called arjitha seva at 5.30 in the morning..you can book for that in Chennai t nagar office (phone 044 std code-24343535..you can enquire on which date it is available from..this also entitles you to a room booking at tirumala from chennai itself by having your photo and right hand fore finger print (biometric) for a date generally 20 days ahead onwards.. …generally I land at tirupati like I did at 9.30 am and then immediately go to srinivasa complex rs 20 by auto from tirupati station..there you have counters where generally arjitha seva booking is available for the next day at 5.30 am..i have always been able to get it..generally I also call the numbers below to find if the day I propose to visit is some special day at tirupati like rama navami etc..if they say it is a normal day then you will get the seva ticket..if it is a special day then there is going to be lot of crowd and I generally avoid it…it is also best to avoid visiting here in vacation time ie april may june..it will also be very hot here…real sweltering heat…
Updated Aug 2010:NOW THEY HAVE OPENED ANOTHER ROUTE FOR CLIMBING DIRECTLY WITH 2000 ODD STEPS IN 2.5 HRS CALLED CHANDRAGIRI ROUTE..NOW ALL SEVAS HAVE BEEN RATIONALISED AND IF U WANT QUICK DARSHAN U JUST GO UP THE HILL AND GO TO VAIKUNTAM COMPLEX BETWEEN 9 AM AND 6PM AND GET A RS.300 SEEGHRA(means fast darshan) DHARSHAN TICKET AND HAVE A DARSHAN AND COME OUT IN 1 -1.5 HRS.
Postal Address
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams TTD Administrative BuildingK.T. Road Tirupati 517 501Andhra PradeshIndia.
Phone/Fax
STD Code of Tirupathi 0877

Phone: +91-877-2231777 (Tirupati)Phone: +91-877-2277777 (Tirumala)Fax: +91-877-2230358
Rate of arjitha seva ticket is Rs.200 children below 12 years need not buy it…otherwise any adult has to buy one for himself/herself..so if 2 adults are there you need two tickets and rs 400 will be the ticket cost and so on for every extra adult.. if u dont get this ticket in the same srinivasa comples ask where sudharshan tokens for rs 50 are issued and register there...i have also used this and seen lord balaji in 2 hrs time ...generally this ticket will give you a time of visit you can go upto 1 1/2 hrs before the time or after the time and join the que in vaikumdam complex.. for going to vaikundam complex ask any local jeeps to drop you near the entrance of the que ..they will tell u where to join the que...

So with the arjita seva ticket I am guranteed of a dharshan of balaji venkateswara with relative ease and peace the next day and an accomodation..after this from the srinivasa complex we hire an auto Rs 30 to drop us near the alipiri gate the starting place if you are going to climb up the mountain (others can go fron srinivasa complex to bus stand or just near the station to take a bus or take a jeep at rs 25 per head to reach the hill top tirumala in 25 minutes)..




some photos of the steps...






you can handover your luggage at counter near the start point( please ensure you have locks for the bags)..they(temple authorities) will transport the bags up free of cost and you can collect the same near the exit..)climbing is a tad difficult for old people..it is 16 km uphill and about 3800 steps..first 2000 are steep…after that it is 2-3 steps and a flat piece then again steps…you can always rest and climb..there are enough refreshments, water all along..the path is also covered on top so that rain or sun doesn’t hit you directly..asthmatic patients( I am slightly asthmatic especially during dec and jan) please be on light stomach and take your drugs and cortisol spray..if you are on full stomach you will find it difficult to climb..generally climb early in the morning 4 am or by 6 pm..(till then once you have booked your tickets for the dharshan you can go around tirupati or rest..)..the climb takes 4 hrs for me..am a fairly fit person…we reached up and immediately went to the centralized room booking counter very near the exit..your dharshan ticket entitles you to room you need to pay according to the room type and no of persons..generally get decent rooms at rs 100..SINGLE PERSON IS NOT GIVEN A ROOM..IF YOU ARE SINGLE YOU HAVE TO STAY AT LOWER TIRUPATI(FOOTHILS OF TIRUMALA)you can also ask for cottages which are independent houses..then there are ac rooms too..i normally ask for rooms very near the counter where they book since I find that easy.. just before rooms or cottages are allotted ask them if they are near the temple..if not from far away cottages it is a tad difficult to commute..normally many people come in car or va they take those cottages since they always have ameans of transport..the other thing is availability of different shopping things you require everyday like tea coffee etc is in plenty near the temple and not so near slightly far cottages..THERE ARE ALSO PRIVATE COTTAGES NEAR VYSRAJ MUTT APROXX COST AC WOULD BE 900 FOR A DOUBLE ROOM...AM GIVING ONE SUCH COTTAGE NO SRI VYASARAJ MUTT 0877 2270352, 2270096 U CAN BOOK YOUR ROOMS HERE BEFORE YOU START ON YOUR JOUNY FROM ANY PLACE...
during winter it will be very chill you can carry your own warm clothing or wollen carpets are available on rent in shops near by..every accommodation complex has hot water geysers from where you have to fetch hot water to your room…after this there is a hotel called mayura (they have the hotel in 3 places on the hill)where the food is tasty and very reasonably priced..we had our lunch..rested till 3 pm tonsured our heads mottai at places called kalyan ghatta you can enquire on which is the nearest place for tonsuring (hindi taklu) you get a free blade..i carry some blades with me as half blade cannot tonsure shave etc..i also carry my own rajor which fits the blade…you can tip the barber rs 10…they cant demand it..then had a nice bath enjoyed the feeling of freedom you have when you shave of your hair from the head..and then hired a taxi for 200 (sharing) to go to 6 places lords padam(feet) sila thoranam (http://www.tirumala.org/ptv_tm_others.htm) and chakra thirtha…then they will take you to papavinasam water falls, akash ganga, venugopalswamy temple etc..you can take bath there.. ensure you hit the forest gate to go to both the falls before 6 pm other wise you cant go as gates will be closed..only the entry is restricted you can have a bath and come back at 9 pm too..there are busses that take you here too..we came back and had a bath at swami pushkarni (temple tank)..http://www.tirumala.org/ptv_tm_teerth.htm the water is only chest deep for an adult so go down the steps and then it is flat and not slippery ..it appears deep near till the railing it is not..after railing it may be deep..so enjoy your bath…when you come out there are showers to bathe again…after this we ate again rested for the night…for generally travelling to places within tirumala you can take jeeps..the average fares are rs 20…

On 4th morning we got up at 3 am had a bath and took a jeep rs 20 to drop us near the arjita seva que ..each seva que starts at a particular place so ask on this..by 4 am we stood in the que ..you can also reach here by 4.45 am..your dharshan will be late..the que generally starts moving within half hour and please ensure that you don’t carry cell phones as you are screened for them..keep what you are carrying to the very minimal.the que lead you to the dharshan point by 5.45 am..this is not a jostling kind of que..you can be fairly free..have your dharshan and come out and see the gold plating on top of the temple from view point..drop money in hundi and exit..yout archanai ticket also gives you two free laddos to be collected..exit the temple entrance and ask some one on how to reach the counter…rs 2 per plastic bag is sold..buy this for collecting your ladoos..prasad..you can buy more too by paying…after this we vacated our rooms and took a jeep downhill…it leaves you near the station from there we went to tiruchanur padmavati temple by auto rs.60..it is customary to visit this temple after a dharshan of lord Balaji..after this we visited govindraja perumal temple again customery..this temple is 50 meters from station..after this we had a good breakfast at bhimas deluxe very near the temple and station which is a very good hotel to stay as well as have food..then we took our train back to Chennai at 10.05 am and reached Chennai at 1.20 pm.

So crux is whether you have a dharshan booking if so on which date and time..plan accordingly..ideally two to three day will be real good and the weather at tirupati in winter is awesome and fresh..if you want you can also do your room booking at tirupati (lower foothill) and be back there for the night stay go back up again jeeps are always available to go up…






Important: Please plan to go to Sri Kalahasti about 25 km from tirupati (lower foot hill) the temple of shiva and worship rahu raghu..this is a planet that requires propitiation...see link below










Online seva hotel hundi booking

Though I am a total net person I have never been able to get any seva booking on this as it is not available or quota not released..I think it is just used by the people in the know to book for themselves within the ttd…just giving the link…

http://www.ttdsevaonline.com/eseva/eSevaHome.aspx

Trip Tour to Kumbakonam and Navagraha Temple Temples -Part TWO

Please see the link below first to get a general idea on navagraha navagrah temple trip tour

http://templevisitsofashok.blogspot.com/2007/05/trip-to-navagraha-temple-temples.html

You can write to me on templeashok@yahoo.co.in for any clarifications /doubts..i shall try my best to be of use to u so that u have a good dharshan




I had taken a train to trichy on 7th aug 2006 and after visiting uchi ucchi pillayar there to seek his blessings embarked on my navagraha tour trip by coming from trichy to kumbakonam by 10 pm…put up at MSM Lodge phone no Std code (0435) phone.no. 2431512...other hotels in kumbakonam...please see links bellow for hotels in kumbakonam..have stayed in MSM lodge most times and in hotel rayas(near mahamaham tank)ph no 0435 2422545, 2423172, 2423170,fax2422479, site:www.hotelrayas.com ..msm is cheaper say rs 250you get singel room... msm also has a slightly newer hotel very near the tel no is 2433224,25..i stay in msm because it is very close to the bus stand where i get busess to go to various temples easily




you can alternatively take the direct train no 6177 rockfort express at 10.30 pm from Chennai egmore (and not Chennai central) to reach kumbakonam at 7.30 am.. if you want you can get town at tanjore thanjavur at 6.15 am traveling by the same train and visit brahadeeswarar temple big temple and then come to kumbakonam… station code chennai egmore (MS) Kumbakonam (KMU) Tanjore Thanjavur (TJ)

temples in and around kumbakonam


http://www.kumbakonamonline.com/abouttemp.html

Visited on Tuesday 8th Aug 2006

Mars Chevvai, Angarakan Mangal Navagraha Temple

This is doctor shiva and he helps in any health issues you have Came here at 6 am..there is a well maintained toilet and bath right near the east tower... had a bath in huge temple pond inside (it supposed to be very powerful pond for cleaning up your health)..you shld take bath here..buy salt pepper mustard and jaggery(gur) then put salt, pepper and mustard after circling your head with it 3 times clockwise in a box meant for it and take jaggery to teple pond and put a small piece inside pond and other pieces in a tub near by......after this did archanai to shiva and ambal..then to muthukumarasamy who is lord muruga and then archanai to lord mars who stands separately..then visited jatayu’s cremation place(kund)place inside where you get some round tablets(called thiruchandurundai) for good health…from here I proceeded to sirkali temple ...and then to ketu’s temple











Sirkali, Sirgazhi, seerkali, Seerghazhi


http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/placesofworship/sirgazhi.asp

http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s088.html

Ketu Navagraha Temple

Rahu kalam is between 3 pm and 4.30 pm..on tuesday i went..otherwise ask people for rahu kalam on the day of visit and go during this time...did pooja to shiva and ambal and then to lord ketu….you can pay for the pooja to ketu..rs 250 for dosha rectifying pooja and rs750 for abishek..it is done only during rahu kal..…it is very crowded on a Tuesday which is a day liked by ketu for pooja…


http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/Navagraha/keezhperum.html


http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/placesofworship/lordkethu.asp

The details below is of priests at the temple and the temple address.. the priests whose contact details are given below will be of help if you want to do a pooja..please mention Mr.Ashok of Chennai had referred


Keelaperumalpallm
04364 std code -phone 260582
9442860605
ManiPattu Gurukal
kethustalam,naganatankoil,kelaperumalpallam,Vanagiri 609105

04364 STD code -phone 260088
9443564643
Manikarthikeya Gurukal
kethustalam,naganatankoil,kelaperumalpallam,Vanagiri 609105

Please mention Mr.Ashok from Chennai had referred.

Visited on Wednesday 9th Aug 2006

Mercury Budha Budh Navagraha Temple

On Tuesday evening reached the lodge mentioned below right in front of the temple and slept over..got up at 5 am ..it is customary to take bath first in three temple ponds agni pond, soorya pond and Chandra pond..and then went to the temple..... did that…there is a ganesh near shiva lingam outside..first did pooja to him ..then did archanai to shiva..then proceeded to do archanai to ambal and lord mercury budha after this I had been asked by my guru to do an abhishekam to agoramoorthy agoramurthy aghoramoorthy aghoramurthy…lord shiva is in full form idol here and not a linga ..he is real tall..he is supposed to ward of all evil eyes etc.. left for kumbakonam…there is a very nice mess called Baskar mess nearby the budha temple where you get good breakfast and homely meals/lunch...
Ramalinga lodge-Tiruvengadu

4364 275410
9442398180
At tiruvengadu you may take the help of Priest T.A Dakshinamoorthy

04364-26631(info given by Mr. A.M Damodaran after reading my blog and visiting the place. Thanks a lot since any addition to this blog from different people with useful info is useful for people around the world. )






Visited on Thursday 10th Aug 2006


Jupiter Guru Navagraha Temple

Took a bus from kumbakonam to this place Aalangudi..ask in busses that go to mannargudi to drop you off there..tell the conductor...Got down and walked a kilometer to reach the temple pond this is not near the temple..u need to ask people there..dipped my feet and did proshadham(sprinkling water on head)..went to the temple and did archanai to lord shiva and ambal and then paid rs 750 to do an abhishekam (various offerings like tender coconust,turmeric water, rose water etc) poured on the main deity Jupiter dakshinamoorthy..only if you go at 6.30 am can you do to the main deity after that you can only do to the urchava moorthy separate idols that are not fixed in temple..returned to kumbakonam

http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s039.html











Mr Siva whose contact details are given below will be of help if you want to do a pooja..please mention Mr.Ashok of Chennai had referred

Alangudi
04374 std code-phone residence-269763 Mobile: 9442820658

Siva


Visited on Friday 11th Aug 2006

Venus Sukran Sukiran Navagraha Temple

Took a bus from kumbakonam to this place Kanjanoor kanjanur. Got down and took an auto..did archanai to shiva and ambal ..then lord venus is again shiva an ambal together..did my archanai lit lamp and went to tirunageswaram temple to do pooja to rahu…

http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s060.html







Also see my own blog on this temple using link below..



http://templevisitsofashok.blogspot.com/2007/05/trip-to-tirunageswaram-rahu-temple.html

ThirunageswaramOn 11th morning I reached this temple at 10 am. I had seen from the almanac that it was rahu raghu’ star sadhayam today ..This place is just 6 km from kumbakonam and regular mini busses can take you here if not auto charge is rs 60…..bus no 13,15,22,23,58,60 go here..This is the famous temple of rahu raghu…..I went to the temple tank inside the campus but very near the entrance to the temple and dipped my feet and did proshadam …ideally u need to have a bath in this tank..prayed to lord ganesh..and then prayed to lord shiva, ambal (godess ..there are two goddesses ..in one of them there are three godesses) and then to navagrahas in front. Thereafter lit 21 lamps… paid rs 100 to get a milk abhishekam done to rahu during rahu kalam between 10.30 and 12 am ..many people participate in this and milk is provided by the temple authorities..it is best to do it in rahu kalam (refer almanac for time for each week day)..and still more preferable to do it on one of the stars of rahu ie swathi, aridra or sadhyam sadabisha in rahu kalam…you can get a list of various schemes of temple to propitiate rahu year long…the milk turns blue when poured on rahu idol and then white again…they ask you to assemble after the ceremony in a corridor when they give Prasad in a bag along with a bottle of milk which was pored on rahu..please drink it immediately as it will not last longer than that and will curdle and become bad




is a temple guest house –phone-04352463354 where you can stay or there are many houses coverted for stay near the entrance..there is a nice brahmin mess about 25 meters from the entrance tower of the temple…forget the name ..wil write in later..I furnish below the phone number of chellappa gurukal who can organize for the pooja with sufficient notice ..he is one of the priests gurukkal at rahu raghu temple in tirunageswaram thirunageshwaram..mobile no 9443578604..you can refer my name and that I am from chennai..

Visited on Saturday 12th Aug 2006

Saturn Sani Shani Navagraha Temple

http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s160.html




http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/placesofworship/lordsani.asp

visit the link below for details

http://templevisitsofashok.blogspot.com/2007/05/trip-to-tirunallar-thirunallar.html

Visited on Sunday 13th Aug 2006

Sun Sooryanar Suriyan Navagraha Temple






Took a bus going to mayiladuthurai...you have come near the place when you come to aduturai...after that it is 5 minutes..you have to get down and walk or pay rs 20 and take an auto to drop you off there about a km walk..tell the condductor to tell you when you reach suriyanarkoil.









visit the link below for details

http://templevisitsofashok.blogspot.com/2007/05/trip-to-sooriyanar-soorianar-suryanaar.html

Visited on Monday 14th Aug 2006

Moon Chandra Navagraha Temple

Took a bus from kumbakonam to this place Tingaloor. Got down and took an auto..there is a temple pond outside the temple..u need to ask people there..dipped my feet and did proshadham..did archanai to shiva and ambal..then went to lord moon Chandra and did special poojas and archani to him..went back to kumbakonam

http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/Navagraha/tingalur.html








Took the train rockfort express at 7.30 pm from kumbakonam to Chennai ..thus ended my navagraha tour..