The shrine receives offerings from devotees in cash, jewellery, gold, silver, property deeds, and Demat share transfers and the per day offering is around The main idol of Balaji is alive! People believe it because when you place your ear on the back of the main idol, you can hear the sound of a roaring ocean. All the garlands, flowers, milk, butter, holy leaves, everything which is offered to Balaji, comes from a secret village.
The only information the outsiders have, about this village, is that it is located somewhere around 20 kms away and nobody is allowed to enter or visit this village except the residents.
Indian Goddess Laxmi still lives in the heart of Balaji. According to the priests in Tirupati Balaji, during NijaRoopa Darshanam on every Thursday, the main idol is decorated with white wood paste. After the paste is taken off, the imprint of the Goddess is left. A strong belief on a legend about the actual existence of Swamy is found in the region. The incident goes like there was a king of unknown name who killed 12 people for a crime they committed and hanged them on the gates of this temple.
The temple got closed for 12 years and Swamy made an appearance. The surroundings of this temple appear normal but when you explore it, the place becomes fascinating.
Not far, the Garuda Hill in Tirumala is quite interesting to sight. The hill got its name because of the shape of a Garuda An Eagle. Another similar fact about hills is, one of the hills have a face of Swamy. It appears as if he is sleeping and you can actually see the face. The entrance of the Tirumala hills has a rock formation which appears to be like a serpent hood. The distance of this formation is same as the height of the main idol.
At the main gate of the temple Mahadwaram one could find a stick. According to the beliefs, that stick was used by Ananthalwar to beat Swami when they were children. During this, one day swami got hit on his chin which oozed blood. The idol is stronger than any material.
Even after the application of Green Camphor, which is known as the strongest material that could initiate a crack in any stone, the idol of Swami is unaffected. The structure of the temple was constructed around AD.
All couples begetting children with the blessings of the Lord, offer money in the form of coins, silver, candy and camphor equivalent to the weight of their children, as avowed by them. Even the patients, who are cured of their diseases, express their gratitude similarly. This Tulabharam is arranged in front of the Ranganayakalu Mandapam. At about hundred feet from the flagstaff, there are three copper statues of devotees, facing the Lord and saluting him with folded hands.
One is that of Lala khemaramu, the other is that of his mother Mata Mohana Devi and the third one is that of his wife Pita Bibi. Lala Khemarumu is a kshatriya known as Raja Todaramallu. He courageously protected Tirumala both from the invasions of Muslims and the British during the seventeenth century.
The Lord blessed this family and bestowed them with a place in His temple. Dwajasthambham, -the golden flagstaff is located in the middle of a twenty-pillared square pavilion. This pavilion is said to have been constructed in the fifteenth century. Adjoining the flagstaff is the Bali Peetam or altar. After offering Naivedyam to the Lord and other deities and after exiting through the silver gate, the Prasadam is kept on this altar. It is believed that this food offering is accepted by deities, the angles and the elemental forces.
To the north east corner of the altar, under the flagstaff porch, there is a one and half feet high stone slab. It is said that this stone slab marched around the temple for providing security to the Shrine at night. The grand circumambulation passage outside the temple is not considered for this purpose. Earlier Sampangi flower plants gold flowers, Michelia Champaka were grown in this pathway for decorating the Lord and hence, the name. With the increase in the number of the devotees attending the events, these festivities started being held for some time in Ranganayaka Mandapam.
Now, the celestial wedding is performed in this Kalyanotsava Mandapam. All the pavilions on western side are now being used as store houses. As per the legend, Viraja, a sacred river of Vaikuntam flows below the lotus feet of the Lord.
The well of water in the temple complex is believed to be a part of that holy river. This well is located in front of the Ugranam or store house. Idols are sculpted on the stones used for the inner walls of this well. The temple kitchen is located in the route of Sampangi Pradakshinam.
Sweets and savouries like laddoo, vada, appam, dosa, poli, sukhiya, jilebi, and so on, which are offered to the Lord are prepared here in large quantities. Every morning and evening the Jiyyangars collect the flower garlands prepared in the flower chamber and carry them over their heads to the Lord, after circumambulating the flagstaff amidst blowing trumpets and umbrellas for shading. These flower garlands are presented to the Sanctum for performing the various rituals and poojas to the Lord.
All the flowers used for the worship of the Lord are deposited in this well. Offerings to the deity are prepared here thrice a day. This is the second entrance leading to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Inscriptions say that the construction of the fortifications of this second entrance was started in the 12th century and completed in the 13th century.
The doors of this entrance were silver plated on October 1st A. Inscriptions in Hindi and English are found on this entrance. Hence, it is also called Angapradakshina marg. As soon as we enter the temple through the silver door, we can witness Sri Ranganadha kneeling on Adisesha serpent. The angapradakshina commences from here, moves round the Vimana Pradakshinam and comes to an end here. In the Vimana Pradakshina pathway and at a distance of nine feet to the south of the silver door, is the Varadarajaswami temple.
The idol is five feet high with a single pagoda over the shrine. The period in which this idol was installed is not known. It symbolises the glory of Varadaraja who is ever merciful and grants boons to the devotees! Opposite to the golden gate, there is Garuda Mandapam. Just opposite to the golden gate and facing the Lord there is a six feet high statue of Garuda saluting the Lord with folded hands. Every day at the pre-dawn hour, Suprabhatham is recited in the place between the golden gate and the statue of Garuda.
The Lord sitting on the golden throne in this mandapam, listens to the recital of almanac and the submissions of receipt and expenditure account of the previous day.
On either side of the golden gate, there are Jaya and Vijaya, the chief guards of the Lord, holding a conch, a disc and a mace respectively. There is a ten feet high wooden grill around these statues. These two devout servants guard the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord round the clock. The most important entrance for going into the sanctum sanctorum is this golden gate.
Here, the stone frame of the entrance and the porches of Jaya - Vijaya on either side are gold plated and hence this name. Every day after Thomala Seva, the idol of Koluvu Srinivasa Murthy is brought here and placed on the golden throne and his court is held. During this court, almanac is recited; the affairs of the day, the details of income and the expenditure of the previous day are reverentially presented to the Lord. The golden throne that is used during this court is stored in the adjacent grilled chamber.
There are two raised platforms on either side of this passage. Earlier, idols were kept on these platforms. At present these idols are placed inside the room.
Yet the name has remained the same. In this room the offerings are kept in front of the Lord. These offerings are never taken beyond this threshold of the Sanctum. The threshold in front of the Lord is called Kulasekhara Padi. Kulasekhara was a Vaishnava devotee. He had made a humble request to the Lord, to transform him to a stone threshold in front of Lord so that he will have a glimpse of divine beauty every day!
Hence, this threshold was named after him. Earlier there used to be a Pradakshina circumambulation passage around this Ananda Nilayam.
A wall was built around this sanctum and the Vimanam in between A. She rejoiced in decorating the idol with many ornaments. That means, Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy acts as presiding deity since the main deity is huge and immovable.
Every morning Koluvu Sreenivasa Murthy is seated on the golden throne in Snapana Mandapam and almanac Panchangam is read out to him. All the details of the day like tithi, nakshatra, yoga and the information about different sevas are given to him.
Then the treasury clerk humbly presents to him, the income and expenditure account of the previous day. This is done is Snapana Mandapam before the dusk and it is done in Ghanta Mandapam after dawn. In the bygone days, the processional deity of Ugra Sreenivasa Murthywas taken out for procession during festivals. When this idol was taken in a procession on a particular day, strange, unusual and alarming incidents took place.
After these incidents, procession with this idol was stalled from A. There is a popular anecdote regarding Malayappa Swami being made a processional deity in place of Ugra Sreenivasa Murthy. The Vijaynagara Empire donated diamonds and jewels in significant amount. Vijayanagara Emperor Krishnadevaraya visited the temple in multiple occasions and donated on one occasion donated gold and jewels which enabled the inner shrine, i. Ananda Nilayam to be gilded.
King Krishnadevaraya had also constructed statues of himself and his consorts inside the temple portals. After the decline of Vijayanagara Empire, kings from different regions like the Kingdom of Mysore and Gadwal Samsthanam worshipped the temple as its pilgrims and offered valuables to the temple.
A permanent administration was also set up by Maratha General Raghoji I Bhonsle which organized worship procedures and operations.
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