Why do people write their wish on a stone inside the Tirupati Temple?

(Lord Venkateswara's feet)

Devotees only put stones at Srivari Padalu (feet of Lord Sri Venkateswara) at Narayangiri hills.

They can’t write anything inside Tirupati temple.

Prayer : Many devotees put stones with a prayer at Srivari Padalu.

They believe , it is a way to reach Lord’s heart.

Devotion : Devotees climb nearly 300 steps with a silent prayer to reach Srivari Padalu.

They offer Tulsi Mala to Lord Srinivas and make a wish.

Facts : Devotees don’t scribble anything on walls of main Tirupati shrine.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is strictly against any kind of vandalism.

Prayer : Sri Ganeshaya Namah Namo Narayanaya Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Namo Parvatipataye Har Har Mahadev Jai Jai Jai Hanuman Gosai Kripa Karo Gurudev Ki Nai

Pic Credits : Google Images / Web

What's so special about the Thirupathi Temple in India?

1. “The Temple of Seven Hills”

The Tirumala hill shrine comprises of seven hills named as Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri, and Venkatadri.

2. Stick at the right side of main entrance

At the main entrance of Tirupati Balaji Temple, there is a stick to the right side which was used by Ananthaalvar to hit Venkateswara Swamy when he was a small boy and once his chin was hurt by that stick and since then the tradition and practice of applying Sandalwood powder on Swamy’s chin started.

3. Ritual of hair sacrifice, Mokku or Kaanikai

There’s a small old story related to this hair sacrifice ritual .

Story - Once Balaji lost some of his hair after getting hit by a shepherd, Neela Devi who was a Gandharva princess. After realizing this, Neela Devi cut a small portion of her hair to implant it on Balaji’s head and Lord Balaji promised her that all his devotees who will ever come to his shrine and render their hair to him will ultimately be received by her. And since then many devotees render their hair to the Lord later they are auctioned at the time of dense gathering due to special occasions.

4. A secret village is the source of flowers, milk and butter

The villagers are the only people who are allowed to that village which is 22 km away from the temple. Not only flowers, other items like ghee, butter, milk, bilva leaves, banana leaves are also provided by that secret village.

5. Rama and Sita have visited Thirupathi

According to Varaha Purana, during Treta Yugam, Lord Sri Rama resided here along with Sita Devi and Lakshmana on his return from Lankapuri.

6. 2nd largest zoo in Asia.

Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park covers an area of 5,532 acres (22 square kilometers). It is said to have been built on the concepts of the Hindu Mythology, and is home to some of the animals that exist in ancient texts like Ramayana and Mahabharata.

7. The richest temple in the world

The major source of its income is Kanuka or Hundi offerings.
Besides this, the sale of prasadam, darshan tickets, sale of seva tickets, sale of human hair, and receipts from choultries (places of accommodation) are the other significant sources of income.

The gross income of TTD for the year 2014-15 is estimated to be Rs.2359.2 crores($385.33 mn). So, that is about Rs.6.34 crores($1.036 mn) per day. Whoooaaaa!

8. Thirupathi Ladoo

It got the patent rights under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act; to counter the black market that was developing.

Around 150,000 laddus are made daily. Each laddu weighs around 100gms, and is said to be made by a group of priests called “Archakas” in a special temple kitchen called “poku”.

Not to forget the Annadhanam served to nearly 1 lakh people everyday.

Engapa Ladoo/Elli Ladoo/Ekada Ladoo/Evide Ladoo

9. Most visited holy place on earth

Visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily; while on special occasions and festivals like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000 and more, making it the most-visited holy place in the world.

10. Lighted lamps and real hair

Needless to mention, the lights lit in front of the Swamy are said to be lit since thousands of years.

Also, it remains a miracle that there is real hair on the main idol of Venkateswara Swamy. The authorities say that this hair never tangles and is silky smooth always.

Govinda. Govinda. Govindaa.!

When was Tirumala Tirupathi built?

• Origin: Some cultural historians believe that Lord Venkatshwara has been mentioned in Rigveda and Ashtadash (18th) Purana. It is believed;it was constructed around 300 AD
  [1]

• Krishnadev Raya :Nevertheless, it has properly constructed by Krishna deva Raya
  [2]
   - a popular king . As a mark of respect; Tirumala Tirupati Deva Sthanam has placed idols of Krishna Deva Raya and his two consorts inside shrine
  [3]

• Tirupati Devasthalam : In 1932, British administration established Tirumala Devasthalam act 
  [4]
   for administration and proper management of this legendary and very sacred shrine.Ever since, TTD is looking after it.
• Pic credit: Google
• Om Namo Venkatesaya !

Disclaimer:

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Footnotes

[1] Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala - Wikipedia

[2] Krishnadevaraya - Wikipedia

[3] TTDTempleHistory

[4] Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams - Wikipedia

What are some unknown facts about the Tirupati Balaji Temple?

 Hare Krishna!

When we search for ‘Top secrets/facts about Venkateswara swamy', we get a list of 10 or 12 facts (which are not actually facts). Let's see about those in this answer.

1. Flowers offered to the Lord, after removing are thrown behind the mulamurty without seeing that side which appear somewhere else. Also, archakas do not see behind the deity that day after throwing (similar to some sampradayam that is followed after one's death)

How far is it true? It is not at all! Because there is a flower well(poola bavi) inside the temple itself which was meant for throwing the nirmalyam (flowers offered to the Lord and other deities) of the temple. But as so many flowers are offered in temple, that well was almost full. So, they are throwing somewhere else in a good place where no one steps on the flowers. Even that has become a problem for TTD as flowers are decorated twice everyday. There are many temples under TTD and flowers of that temples. So, they are doing innovative things with nirmalyam like paper weights, photo frames, etc. Having all these proofs how can we say that they throw flowers behind the mulamurty? Comparing it with some sampradayam followed after one's death is not at all correct.

2. Secret village from which milk, butter milk, flowers, etc are brought to Tirumala and no outsider is allowed to that village except that villagers

TTD has Goshala and gardens. Milk and milk products are from Goshala and flowers from TTD gardens & Anantalwar garden. But flowers are also offered by many devotees. There are different sources of flowers for alankaram. For pushpayagam, flowers are offered by many. During brahmotsavam, Malayappa is decorated with the garland of Andal sent from Tamilnadu (probably Srivilliputtur). As said by one of the archakas at Tirumala temple, there is no such village.

3. The main deity is not in the middle of the garbhalayam!

Some say that the mulamurty is not in the middle of the garbhagriham but slightly to the right corner! No, he is in the Brahmasthanam (middle of the garbhagriham)!

4. The Lord has real hair and nails😅

His mulamurty is not like of ours. It is divine. Does that mean archakas cut his nails, if it grows!?? No, it is not. He is Avyaya, Achyuta. He doesn't have all those like our human body. It is totally wrong.

5. The temple was closed for 12 years!

No, the temple was not closed for 12 years. Vyasaraya tirtha performed pooja for that 12 years in the temple and that is the reason there is a small room type construction to the North of pushkarini where he did sandhyavandanam, etc.

6. Chandanam is applied to the chin of the Lord

Anantalwar went to Tirumala with his wife to grow a garden there and offer garlands to alankarapriya Venkatachalapati. But he didn't want to take the help of others. Only he and his wife wanted to do. Though his wife was pregnant then, she helped him. Venkateswara felt pity on them and went to help as a child. Even after Anantalwar refused his help, silently he helped. After knowing this, Anantalwar got angry on that child and ran towards him. He threw the crowbar on the child and later he got to know that it was Venkateswara! Then he applied karpooram to his mulamurty. So, it is actually paccha karpooram that is applied to chin of the Lord and not chandanam.

7. The upper body of the idol is covered with saree and the lower body is covered with a dhoti and this alankaram is done daily.

No, it is not true. Vastralankaram is not done daily to the main deity. It is done only on Fridays. It is not done with a saree. Two clothes with different measurements are used for vastralankaram.

8. Sound of ocean that is being heard at the back of the mulamurty is also not true.

I don't know why and who told all these. Maybe, because of devotion many believe these as true. But those facts which are believed to be true are not true. The reason I posted this is just to clear some misconceptions but not to hurt any devotee who feels these as true..

Om Namo Venkatesaya!!!

What are the miracles of Tirupati Balaji temple?

 Many miracles and mysteries are believed to exist in Tirupati Balaji temple. Some of these miracles are:

• The hair on the idol of Lord Venkateshwara is real. This hair never gets tangled and always remains soft.
• There is a stick on the right side of the temple door. It is believed that an attempt was made to kill the child form of the Lord with this stick.
• A lamp is always lit in the temple.
• If you listen to the idol of Lord Venkateshwara by putting your ear on it, the sound of the waves of the sea can be heard.
• The idol of Lord Venkateshwara sweats.
• The temperature in the temple is always kept low.
• The items offered in the temple such as flowers, fruits, curd, ghee, milk, butter etc. come from a village. Outsiders cannot enter this village.

Tirupati Balaji Temple is built on Tirumala mountain in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.