Shree Lord Venkateswara BALAJI (TIRUPATI) + Places To Be Visited Near Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

In june 26, I got placement in TCS , my father decided to go for darshan of LORD BALAJI.So along with my family i started my journy for tirupati from pune by 6th of july.first we went to chennai so that we get our booking for the darshan by "Tmilnadu Torism".but unluckly the book for next three days was full so we booked ac mini bus and then reached to Tirupati.i reached there by 4am then we have to line up for the que for the darshan.By 7:30 we were able to reach to the counter as que was too long.

"There is a wonderful uniqueness associated with Lord Venkateshwara, and His abode, Venkatadri".

The name Tirupati, meaning the ‘the Lord of Lakshmi’ should have been appropriately applied to the village on the Venkata Hill, the abode of the Lord.The town of Tirupati is one of the most ancient and spectacular places of pilgrimage in India. It is situated in the Chittoor district in southern Andhra Pradesh. The town owes its existence to the sacred temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara situated on the Tirumala Hill adjoining it.The Tirumala Hill is 3200 ft above sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the name, Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri.

Story of temple:- According one legend, as Saint Ramanuja born in 11th Century AD climbed the seven hills of Tirupati, Lord Srinivas- another name for Lord Venkateswara- appeared before him and gave him his blessings. And after that he is believed to have been blessed to live till the ripe age of 120 years to spread the gospel of Sri Venkateswara.

side seens:-Temples located in and around Tirupati include:
1. Sri Padmavathi Devi temple at Tiruchanooru(Alamelu angapuram) .

2.Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Srinivasa Mangapuram. According to legend, Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavathi Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala.

3.Govindaraja Swamy Temple in Tirupati adjacent to the railway station (Lord Vishnu in Anantasayanam pose). Saint Ramanujacharya consecrated this temple in 1130 AD.
4. Kapila Teertham in Tirupati town at the base of Tirumala Hills dedicated to Lord Siva .
5. Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple, Tirupati built by Chola kings during the tenth century AD .
6. Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple at Srikalahasti .
7. Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple at Narayanavanam (40 km from Tirupati). Lord Sri Venkateswaraswami and Sri Padmavathi Ammavaru, daughter of Akasa Maharaja were married here.

Darshnam:-

There are two categories of special darshan, with tickets costing Rs. 40.00 and Rs. 50.00 per head.
The entrance for Special Darshan is through the PPC (Queue Complex). The queue merges with the Sarvadarsanam queue at Bangaruvakili. Pilgrims who use this queue will have a shorter waiting time. .Sarvadarsanam, which means 'darshan for all', of Lord Sri Venkateswara begins from 07.30 hrs in the morning till the entrance queue is closed on certain days other than Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On lean days 18 hours are allotted for Sarvadarsanam and on peak days, it goes on for 20 hours. The entrance for Sarvadarsanam is through the Vaikuntam Queue Complex. There is now a computerized system in place which allows the pilgrims to book tickets and they are given a specified time slot. In addition, there are free darshans, and special darshans, which cost a bit more. There is a special darshan for the physically disabled and the aged through a separate gate at the Maha Dwaram - the main temple entrance. These pilgrims can ask for an escort.

TOKEN SYATEM:-The tokens are available free of cost at the First Choultry (opposite the TiruRailway Station), Second Choultry (behind the Railway Station), Alipiri Bus Stand, Tirupati, Vaikuntam Queue Complex, Pilgrim Amenities Centre (Near CRO) and near the Rambagicha Guest House in Tirumala.

• The time of darshan is indicated on the tokens.
• Pilgrims can enter the Vaikuntam Queue Complex at Tirumala at the time indicated on the tokens
• They can have darshan within two hours of entering the Queue Complex.
• As this system saves on waiting time, it provides pilgrims with enough time to visit temples in the vicinity like Sri Govindarajaswami Temple and Kapila Teertham at Tirupati, Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple at Tiruchanur and Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swami Temple at Srinivasa Mangapuram.
• To help TTD keep a track of the number of pilgrims and ensure their smooth flow, one token is issued per head. Collective tokens for groups are not issued

How to reach there:

Hydrabad:-Tirupati is 562 km from Hyderabad (via Kurnool, Cuddapah and Kodur).APSRTC runs daily buses between Hyderabad and Tirupati. The types of buses are: Express/ Luxury/ Hi-tech/ AC Sleeper Coach.The AC Sleeper Coach is comfortable as the bus is fitted with Air Suspension for effective shock absorption. Magazines and bedding are provided free of cost. Snacks, soft drinks and mineral water are provided against payment. There is an attendant to serve passengers. The fare is INR 450.00 per head.

Mumbai:-Tirupati is 1261 km from Mumbai (via Pune, Belgaum, Dharwar, Harihara,Tumkur and Bangalore).
APSRTC provides connecting bus services from the Renigunta Railway Station to Tirumala for all passengers arriving by train. Buses start from the Railway Station. The Renigunta-Tirumala bus fare is Rs 18.00. Bus frequency: every 30 minutes, from 03.00 hrs to 23.00 hrs every day.

Delhi:-Tirupati is 1800 km from New Delhi.
APSRTC provides connecting bus services from the Gudur Railway Sation to Tirumala, every day. The distance is 122 km. Journey time is 4 hours and the fare is Rs.43.00. The bus frequency is almost every half hour.

sources:-

http://www.sudarshana.org/balaji.jpg

Shiv Temple In Coimbatore, Dhyanalinga

Just sitting silently for a few minutes within the sphere of Dhyanalinga is enough to make even those unaware of meditation experience a state of deep meditativeness" - Sadhguru.

24th of June 1999, the Dhyanalinga was consecrated, blessing the world by its Presence. And on the 23rd of November 1999, Dhyanalinga was offered to the world.No other Dhyanalinga is known to exist in the world.

Dhyanalinga Temple is situated 30 kms west of Coimbatore at the foothills of Velliangiri Mountains, part of the Nilgiris Biosphere. Coimbatore, a major industrial city in South India, is well connected by air, rail and road. All major airlines operate regular flights to Coimbatore from Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Train services are available from all the major cities in India. Regular bus and taxi services are also available from Coimbatore to Dhyanalinga Temple.

Thousands of temples with lofty towers dot the skyline of the southernmost state of Tamilnadu in India. These temples are torchbearers of the glorious heritage of the Tamil speaking region, and are repositories of the magnificient art forms that evolved over several centuries. Several of these temples have been glorified by the ancient tamil hymns of the 1st millennium CE...

Dhyanalinga was consecrated by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, a realized master, mystic and yogi, after three years of intense process of prana prathista. Measuring 13' 9", Dhyanalinga is the largest mercury based live linga in the world. In the metaphysical sense, Dhyanalinga is a guru, an energy center of tremendous proportions. All the aspects of life are enshrined in the form of seven chakras energized to the very peak and locked. A doorway to enlightenment and spiritual liberation, Dhyanalinga offers a sadhaka  the opportunity to perform sadhana  in utmost intimacy with a live guru, - an opportunity which is traditionally available to a select few.

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Situated at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains, Dhyanalinga is a colossal entity of eternal vibrations. The earth colors, the natural granite, and the fusion of irregular surfaces and shapes that form the Temple creates an ethereal ambiance and an apt atmosphere to receive the grace of the Dhyanalinga


For Other Famous Shiva Temple :

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple : Varanasi
• Somnath Temple (Gujarat)
• India's Largest Temple- Sri Ranganathaswamy

For any query contact
Address
Dhyanalinga Temple, Isha Yoga Center, Semmedu (P.O), Coimbatore 641 114, India Telephone 091-422-2515345 Email:info@dhyanalinga.org

Places to Be Visit Near Pune, Mumbai: Mahabaleswar, Best Rainy Season Destination In India

Hi friends,myself along with my 5 friends decided to go mahabaleswar,the city of lord shiv.Mahabaleshwar is the highest hill station in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. It is situated at 1372mts around Lake Venna.

Mahabaleshwar in Sanskrit means God of Great Power. As a hot tourist spot, Mahabalipuram has 30 viewpoints with striking nature's galore all around. You could walk up and down the road meandering through Mahabaleshwar and feel the historical connections that the region had with the Maratha warrior king Shivaji. The Britishers built various mansions, cottages and bungalows around the town, adding charm and sophistication to the region.





charming landscape around the Lake Vena and the surging waters are ideal for boating in Mahabaleshwar.

Elephant Point

The Wilson Point happens to be the highest in Mahabaleshwar. There are special observation towers from where you could enjoy the spectacular views. Sunrise is simply heavenly from the Wilson Point.when we reach here there was sooting of some bhojpuri movie, don't know the name.the assistance project manager told us that they are going to to shoot the seen of car going down to valley so we waited there for nearly two hours to see that seen but due to actor and actoress the seen could not be completed within time so we left from there.

Mahabaleshwar also offers excellent option with Panchagni with its five hills making it all the more lucrative tourist spot. Panchgani is renowned for its strawberries, blackberries, jams and fruit jellies. These last three pictures have been taken from the table point,panchgani.


Babington Point, Northcote Point, Falkland Point, Carnac Point, Fitzgerald Point, and Bombay Point are some other famous peaks of Mahabaleshwar.


How to Reach Mahabaleshwar

By Air
The nearest airport is at Pune at about 120kms from Mahabalehswar. Pune airport has tourist services for those willing to visit Mahabaleshwar.

By Rail/Train
Pune is the convenient railhead to Mahabaleshwar. However the nearest railway station to Mahabaleshwar is at Wathar, at a distance of 62kms.

By Road
There is excellent road network accessibility to almost all parts of Maharashtra. Regular buses of the state transport link Mumbai and Pune ply to Mahabaleshwar. Further from Mahabaleshwar buses are available for excursions and sightseeing trips to places like the Pratapgad Fort. For intra-city ride, Mahabaleshwar has taxis, rickshaws, bicycles and horses.

Other Top Rainy Season  Destinations:

• Lonawla 
• Udaipur, City of lakes
• Nagarjuna Sagar Dam
• Bhandardara Hill Station

 

 

space & sky through my eyes...

my journey snaps from the train.