15

Places to Visit near Tirupati

The TTD gardens in Tirupati is a slice of lush retreat with manicured landscapes and ornately decorated gardens. The garden sprawls over an area of 462 acres in Tirupati and Tirumala and provides flowers to all the temples in Tirupati from its cultivation. It is believed that the great Vaishnav saint Sri Ramanuja and his disciple Sri Anandalwar first started planting trees in this garden in the 14th century. Legends have it that the flowers of this garden were cultivated by Sattada SriVaishnava under the guise of Dasa Nambis who made flowered wreaths for the temple in Tirumala-Tirupati. The massive garden hosts an array of colourful hybrid varieties of bougainvilleas, hibiscus, crotons and other flowers that is certainly a sight to behold. The park houses nurseries at four different areas namely Tirumala at Travellers Bangalore, Gogarbham Dam, Padmavathi Guest House and Divyanamam where approximately 10 lakh plants are cultivated annually. It also hosts annual flower shows and Pushpa Yagnam where rare and exotic varieties of flowers are kept for public display. Best time to visit: You can visit the garden round the year as different flowers bloom in different seasons which makes the garden look beautiful. Timings: Everyday between 6AM- 6PMLocation: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh-517504

Located at a proximity to the Tirumala temple, Akashganga Theertham is of great religious significance to the devotees. It is also a picturesque tourist destination which is visited by nature lovers from different parts of the country. Followers believe taking a dip in the plunge pool of this holy waterfall washes one of their sins. Akashganga Theertham is known for retaining its water throughout the year. The main abhishekam (bathing) ritual of the deities of Tirumala temple is performed in the waters of the Akashganga waterfall. According to popular belief the waters of Akash Ganga waterfall originates from the lotus feet of Ananda Neelayam.Best time to visit: You can visit this place at any time of the year as water flows down the cataract at equal speed in all seasons.Price: There is no entry fee. Timings: Timings of visit are 9m -6pm every day. Location: Akashganga Dam, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh- 517504

Located at a stone's throw distance of 4 Km from Tirupati Kapila Theertham is a fascinating waterfall at the base of the Seshadri Hills. Glistening white waters plunging down a height of 100 metres to form a pool inside the premises of the Kapileshwar Temple is a spectacle to witness. Kapeela Theertham is the main temple of Lord Shiva in Tirupati in which the Shiva Lingam is made of metal. As you enter the sanctum of the temple you will be awestruck to see the massive stone effigy of Nandi- Lord Shiva’s bull. Kapila Theertham is visited by a large number of followers on special occasions like Annabhishekam, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayaga Chaturthi and Brahmotsavam. Among these festivals Kapileswara Swamy Brahmotsavam is the most significant one which is celebrated throughout the span of February. Best time to visit: During the rainy season between November- February.Timings: Timings of visit are from 5 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. everyday.Location: Srinivasa Nagar, NGO Colony, Tirupati Andhra Pradesh- 517507.