Temples in and around Tirupati

• Lord Venkateswara temple is located on the Tirumala hill. Tirupati is at the foot steps of the Tirumala hills.
• Sri Padmavathi Devi temple is at Tiruchanooru / Tiruchanoor, also known as Alamelumangapuram about 5 km from Tirupati. Visit to Tirumala is fruitful only after visiting Sri Padmavathi Devi temple.
• Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple is at Srinivasa Mangapuram. According to legend, Lord Venkateswara stayed here after His marriage with Sri Padmavathi Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala.
• Govindarajaswamy temple is in Tirupati next to the railway station Here, Lord Vishnu is in Anantasayanam pose. Saint Ramanujacharya consecrated this temple in 1130 AD. It has an imposing gopuram which can be seen from a distance.The annual Brahmotsavam here is celebrated in the month of Vaisakha. The annual float festival is also celebrated.
• Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple, Tirupati Kapila Teertham is in Tirupati town at the base of Tirumala hills dedicated to Lord Siva. It is situated about 3 km North of Tirupati. The sacred waterfall Kapila Teertham also called Alwar Teertham is here. Annual Brahmotsavams and festivals like Vinayaka Chaturthi, Mahasivaratri, Skanda Shasti and Annabhishekam are performed here.
• Sri Kodandaramaswami temple, Tirupati was built by Chola kings during the tenth century AD. The presiding deities are Sita, Rama and Lakshmana.
  The temple of Anjaneyaswami is a subshrine of this temple. According to legend, this temple commemorates the visit of Sri Rama to Tirupati. Ugadi and Ramanavami are celebrated grand here. Brahmotsavam is also celebrated every year.
• Sri Kalahasteeswara temple is at Srikalahasti, 60 kms from Tirupati. The initial structure of this temple was constructed by the great Pallava dynasty. Tamil Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings also developed this temple.
• Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple at Narayanavanam is 40 kms from Tirupati. Lord Sri Venkateswaraswami and Sri Padmavathi Ammavaru, the daughter of Akasa Maharaja were married here.
• ISKCON- Krishna Temple is located at the foot of the holy hills. It is a place of peace and tranquility.
• Sri Veda Narayanaswami Temple is located in Nagalapuram, 70 km south-east of Tirupati. It is believed that Lord Sri Maha Vishnu, in the form of Matsya, killed the rakshasa (demon) Somakudu here, and retrieved the Vedas from him. The temple was built by the emperor of vijayanagaram, Sri Krishnadevaraya.
  

Nava Tirupathis / Nav Tirupati

All nine Vaishnavite temples are in Tuticorin district, Tamilnadu, India, about 40 km from Tirunelveli and 25 km from Tiruchendur. They form a cluster around Sri Vaikundam and Alwar Tiru Nagari, which straddle the north and south banks respectively of the River Thamiraparani.

The Nava Tirupathis are:

·        Sri Vaikundam: It is believed to have been so named by Lord Brahma, when He came here to do penance as He found the place similar to Vaikunda.

·        Then Tiru Perai: Tiru Perai in south Pandya Nadu(then means therku, that means south). Bhoomi Devi had taken bath here.

·        Tiru Puliangudi:This is the place, where Lord Brahma helped Lord Indra to obtain redemption.

·        Alwar Tiru Nagari: Alwar Thirunagari houses the Lord "Adi Nathan (moolavar) and "Polindu Nindra Piran" (Utsavar). Its old name was Thiru Nagari. The place got the prefix`Alwar' as the great Vaishnavite saint Nammalwar attained salvation here. Swami Nammalwar did penance inside the trunk of a tamarind tree (it is still available). The railway station of Azhwar Tirunagari is on the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur line. All the passenger trains stop here. The Temple is about a mile from the Railway station. Buses, boarding and lodging are available. Nava Tirupathis can be visited conveniently from here.

·        Tiru Kulandai (Perungulam): Here Kamalavathi performed penance to marry the Lord and fulfilled her desire.

·        Tiru Kolur: Here Lord Kubera regained the Nava Nidhi, the nine types of wealth, he had lost after being cursed. Regaining lost wealth through a visit here remains an article of faith.

·        Tiru Tholai Villi Mangalam (Irattai Tirupathi):Here pair of scales and a bow were transformed into a young woman named Thulai and a man called Villi. Lord Perumal is worshipped in two forms in two neighbouring temples.

·        Tiru Varagunamangai (Natham): Here the sage Romasa did penance.

·        Two Thaayars in all these Nava Thirupathi Divyadesams is the speciality.