Tirupati () is a city in the Indian
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
and serves as the administrative headquarters of
Tirupati district
Tirupati district () is one of the eight districts of Rayalaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.The district headquarters is located at Tirupati city. This district is known for its numerous historic temples, including the Hindu ...
. It is known for its significant religious and cultural heritage, being home to the renowned
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
, a major Hindu pilgrimage site, as well as
other historic temples. The temple is one of the eight ''Svayam Vyakta Kshetras'' (self-manifested temples) dedicated to the deity
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
. Tirupati is situated 150 km from
Chennai
Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
, 250 km from
Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
, and 416 km from
Vijayawada
Vijayawada ( ), formerly known by its colonial name Bezawada, is the second largest city and a major commercial hub in the Andhra Pradesh state of India. The city forms an integral part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and is situated on th ...
Tirupati is the second largest city in the
Rayalaseema
Rayalaseema (IAST: ''Rāyalasīma'') is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It comprises four southern districts of the State, from prior to the districts reorganisation in 2022, namely Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, and ...
region, after
Kurnool
Kurnool is a city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It formerly served as the capital of Andhra State (1953–1956). The city is often referred to as "The Gateway of Rayalaseema". Kurnool is also famous for Diamond hunting as diamonds ca ...
. According to the
2011 census of India, Tirupati had a population of 287,035, making it the
ninth most populous city in Andhra Pradesh, while the larger urban agglomeration had a population of 459,985, ranking it the
seventh largest in the state.
The city functions as a
municipal corporation
Municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally o ...
and serves as the headquarters for the
Tirupati district
Tirupati district () is one of the eight districts of Rayalaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.The district headquarters is located at Tirupati city. This district is known for its numerous historic temples, including the Hindu ...
,
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
,
Tirupati Urban,
Tirupati Rural mandals, the
Tirupati revenue division, the
Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited
Power sector of Andhra Pradesh is divided into 4 categories namely ''Regulation'', ''Generation'', ''Transmission'' and ''Distribution''. ''Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC)'' is the regulatory body. ''APGENCO'' deals wit ...
(APSPDCL), and the
Tirupati Urban Development Authority
The Tirupati Urban Development Authority, also known as TUDA is a government agency and the principal planning authority for Tirupati and its neighbourhood areas in Tirupati District of the Indian state of Andhra pradesh. It was notified on 6 No ...
(TUDA).
In 2012–2013, Tirupati was recognized by India's
Ministry of Tourism as the "Best Heritage City". Additionally, it was selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed under the
Smart Cities Mission
Smart Cities Mission was an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with the mission to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen-friendly and sustainable. The Union Ministry of Urban Development ...
, a
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
initiative aimed at urban development and modernization.
Etymology
In
Dravidian
Dravidian, Dravidan, or Dravida may refer to:
Language and culture
*Dravidian languages, a family of languages spoken mainly in South India and northeastern Sri Lanka
*Proto-Dravidian language, a model of the common ancestor of the Dravidian lang ...
origin, ''tiru'' means sacred, Honourable, or ''
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
'' and ''pati'', a
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
word meaning abode, residence, or ''husband.'' Tirupati (
Tirumala
Tirumala is a Hindu religious temple town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the neighbourhoods of the Tirupati city. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupat ...
) is referred to as Pushpa-mandapa in ''Acharya-Hrdayam'' (13th century).
History
Puranas
According to ''
Varaha Purana
The ''Varaha Purana'' (, ) is a Sanskrit text from the Puranas genre of literature in Hinduism. It belongs to the Vaishnavism literature corpus praising Narayana (Vishnu), but includes chapters dedicated to praising and centered on Shiva and Sha ...
'', during ''
Treta Yuga
''Treta Yuga'' (IAST: ''Tretā-yuga'') (Devanagari: त्रेतायुग), in Hinduism, is the second and second-best of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Krita (Satya) Yuga'' and followed by '' Dvapara ...
'',
Rama
Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
resided here with
Sita
Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...
and
Lakshmana
Lakshmana (, ), also known as Laxmana, Lakhan, Saumitra, and Ramanuja, is the younger brother of Rama in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is considered as an incarnation of Shesha, the lord of serpents. Lakshmana was married to Urmila, and i ...
on his return from Lankapuri.
As per the ''
'', a loan of one crore and 11.4 million gold coins was sought by
Balaji from
Kubera
Kubera (, ) also known as Kuvera, Kuber and Kuberan, is the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yakshas in Hinduism. He is regarded as Guardians of the directions, the regent of the north (''Dikpala''), and a protector of the ...
for his marriage with
Padmavathi
Padmavati (), also known as Alarmel Mangai () or Alamelu Manga is a Hindu goddess and the consort of the deity Venkateshwara, a form of Vishnu. She is described as a daughter of a local king and an avatar of goddess Lakshmi, the consort of V ...
. To pay back the loan, devotees from all over India visit the temple and donate money.
Ancient history
Tirupati was developed by
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
Kings from 6th century onwards. The city became a great Vaishnava centre during the time of
Ramanujacharya
Ramanuja ('; Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmānuja; 1077 – 1157), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and social reformer. He is one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavi ...
in 11th century, from where Srivaishnavism spread to other parts of Andhra Desa.
Srikurmam Temple in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh bears the inscription, ''Tirupati Srivaishnavula Raksha''.
Tirupati survived the
Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
invasions by accepting to pay
Jizya
Jizya (), or jizyah, is a type of taxation levied on non-Muslim subjects of a state governed by Sharia, Islamic law. The Quran and hadiths mention jizya without specifying its rate or amount,Sabet, Amr (2006), ''The American Journal of Islamic Soc ...
to the Muslims. During the early 1300s
Muslim invasion
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraham (or ''Allah'') as it ...
of South India, the idol of
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
The Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha (a form of Vishnu) and his consort Ranganayaki (a form of Lakshmi). The temple is located in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Tamil Architectural style, th ...
was brought to Tirupati for safekeeping.
The temple town for most of the medieval era was part of
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
until the 17th century and its rulers contributed considerable resources and wealth, notable among whom are
Krishna Deva Raya
Krishnadevaraya (17 January 1471 – 17 October 1529) was emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1509 to 1529 and the third ruler of the Tuluva dynasty. Widely regarded as one of the greatest rulers in Indian history, he presided over t ...
and
Achyuta Deva Raya
Achyuta Deva Raya (r. 1529 - 1542 CE) was a emperor of Vijayanagara who succeeded his older brother, Krishnadevaraya, after the latter's death in 1529 CE.
During his reign, Fernao Nuniz, a Portuguese-Jewish traveller, chronicler and horse ...
,
Sadasiva Raya
Sadasiva Raya (reigned 1542–1570) was the last Emperor of Vijayanagara from the Tuluva dynasty, and reigned from 1542 until his death in 1570. During most of his reign, Rama Raya was the de facto ruler of the state and created strategic al ...
and
Tirumala Deva Raya
Tirumala Deva Raya (reigned 1570–1572) was the first crowned Emperor of Vijayanagara from the Aravidu Dynasty. He was the younger brother of Rama Raya and the husband of princess Vengalamba, making him the son-in-law of Emperor Krishna Deva ...
.
The city has many historical temples including the
Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban mandal, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated t ...
which bears 1,150 inscriptions in the Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.
Out of 1150 inscriptions 236 belong to
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
,
Chola
The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
and
Pandya
The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
dynasties, 169 belonged to
Saluva dynasty, 251 belonged to
Achyuta Deva Raya
Achyuta Deva Raya (r. 1529 - 1542 CE) was a emperor of Vijayanagara who succeeded his older brother, Krishnadevaraya, after the latter's death in 1529 CE.
During his reign, Fernao Nuniz, a Portuguese-Jewish traveller, chronicler and horse ...
period, 130 belonged to
Sadasiva Raya
Sadasiva Raya (reigned 1542–1570) was the last Emperor of Vijayanagara from the Tuluva dynasty, and reigned from 1542 until his death in 1570. During most of his reign, Rama Raya was the de facto ruler of the state and created strategic al ...
period and another 135 originated in
Aravidu dynasty
The Aravidu Dynasty was the fourth and last Hindu dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was establish ...
.
These mostly specify the contributions of the
Pallava Kingdom around the ninth century CE,
Chola Kingdom
The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cent ...
around the tenth century CE and the
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
in the 14th century CE. In the 15th century,
Tallapaka Annamacharya
Tallapaka Annamacharya () (09 May 1408 – 23 February 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a Telugu musician, composer, and a Hindu saint. He is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called '' samkirtanas.'' His devoti ...
sung many songs in praise of the holy town in Telugu. He termed it as divine, including the rocks, streams, trees, animals, and adds that it is heaven on earth. One example of such a song is:
''Kattedura Vaikuntamu Kaanachaina Konda''
''Thettalaya Mahimale Tirumala Konda'' , ,
''Vedamulae Silalai Velasinadi Konda''
''Yedesa Punya Rasule Yerulainadi Konda''
''Gadili Brahmadi Lokamula Konalu Konda''
''Sree Devudundeti Seshadri Konda'' , ,
There was no human settlement at lower Tirupati until 1500. With the growing importance of upper Tirupati, a village formed at the present-day Kapilatheertham Road area and was named "kotturu". It was later shifted to the vicinity of
Govindarajaswamy Temple which was consecrated around the year 1130 CE. Later the village grew into its present-day form around Govindaraja Swamy Temple which is now the heart of the city. It has now gained a lot of popularity as a tourism place.
Modern history
In 1932,
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
was handed over to
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
by the TTD Act of 1932. In 2006,
Tirupati Urban Development Authority
The Tirupati Urban Development Authority, also known as TUDA is a government agency and the principal planning authority for Tirupati and its neighbourhood areas in Tirupati District of the Indian state of Andhra pradesh. It was notified on 6 No ...
(TUDA) and
TTD together conducted "Tirupati Utsavam" which focused on the history of development of Tirupati town, kings who visited Tirumala and their contribution for development of the temple. The fourth
World Telugu Conference
The World Telugu Conference (WTC) is a conference for the furtherance of the Telugu language. Literary luminaries attend and share their views on spreading and preserving the language and advocating a Telugu language policy.
History
The first WT ...
, a conference for furtherance of
Telugu language
Telugu (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. Spoken by about 96 million people (2022), Telugu is the most widely spoken member of ...
, was conducted at Tirupati during December 2012 for three days. In January 2017, the 104th
Indian Science Congress
Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) is a premier scientific organisation of India with headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal. The association started in the year 1914 in Calcutta and it meets annually in the first week of January. It h ...
(ISCA) meeting was held in Tirupati.
Geography
Tirupati is located at in the
Tirupati district
Tirupati district () is one of the eight districts of Rayalaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.The district headquarters is located at Tirupati city. This district is known for its numerous historic temples, including the Hindu ...
of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
state in southern
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. Tirupati lies at the foot of
Seshachalam Hills
Seshachalam Hills are hilly ranges part of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh state, southeastern India. The Seshachalam hill ranges are predominantly present in Annamayya and Tirupati districts of the Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh.
G ...
of
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats is a mountain range that stretches along the East Coast of India, eastern coast of the Indian peninsula. Covering an area of , it traverses the states and union territories of India, states of Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Prade ...
which were formed during
Precambrian
The Precambrian ( ; or pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pC, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of t ...
era.
One of its suburbs,
Tirumala
Tirumala is a Hindu religious temple town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the neighbourhoods of the Tirupati city. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupat ...
, which is home to
Sri Venkateswara Temple, is located within the hills.
Tirupati Urban Development Authority
The Tirupati Urban Development Authority, also known as TUDA is a government agency and the principal planning authority for Tirupati and its neighbourhood areas in Tirupati District of the Indian state of Andhra pradesh. It was notified on 6 No ...
includes Tirupati (City),
Renigunta
Renigunta is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration. Tirupati Airport is located in Renigunta. It is also one of the mandals in Tirupa ...
,
Chandragiri
Chandragiri is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headquarter ...
, and census towns Akkarampalle, Avilala, Cherlopalle, Mangalam, Peruru, Settipalle, Thummala gunta (part), Timminaidupalle,
Tiruchanur
Tiruchanur (also known as Alamelu Mangapuram or Alarmel Mangaipuram) is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati and is located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration
An urba ...
, Tirupati (NMA). Tirupati is surrounded by
Srikalahasti
Srikalahasti is a town in Tirupati district located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the revenue division of Srikalahasti mandal and Srikalahasti revenue division. It is a part of the Tirupati Urban Development Au ...
towards the east,
Puttur towards the south,
Pakala towards the west and the Seshachalam hills (
Tirumala
Tirumala is a Hindu religious temple town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the neighbourhoods of the Tirupati city. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupat ...
) towards the north.
Swarnamukhi
The Swarnamukhi is a river in southern India. This is an independent river which rises at an elevation of 300 m above sea level in the Eastern Ghats ranges near Pakala in Tirupati district and flows through 130 km towards the Bay of Bengal. The ...
river originates in Chandragiri Hills and passes through the Tirupati City before reaching Srikalahasti in the east.
Environment
Geology
At the point on the Tirupati –
Tirumala ghat road, there is a major discontinuity of
stratigraphic
Stratigraphy is a branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification). It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks.
Stratigraphy has three related subfields: lithost ...
significance that represents a period of remarkable serenity in the geological history of the
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
. This is referred to as
Eparchaean Unconformity. This
unconformity
An unconformity is a buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that sediment deposition was not continuous. In general, the older layer was exposed to erosion for an interval ...
separates the Nagari
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...
of the
Proterozoic
The Proterozoic ( ) is the third of the four geologic eons of Earth's history, spanning the time interval from 2500 to 538.8 Mya, and is the longest eon of Earth's geologic time scale. It is preceded by the Archean and followed by the Phanerozo ...
from the
granite
Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
of the
Archean
The Archean ( , also spelled Archaean or Archæan), in older sources sometimes called the Archaeozoic, is the second of the four geologic eons of Earth's history of Earth, history, preceded by the Hadean Eon and followed by the Proterozoic and t ...
. In 2001, the
Geological Survey of India
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India. It was founded in 1851, as a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines, one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey ...
(GSI) declared the Eparchaean Unconfirmity to be one of the 26 "Geological Monuments of India".
Silathoranam, a
natural arch
A natural arch, natural bridge, or (less commonly) rock arch is a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, Cliffed coast, coastal cliffs, Fin (geology), fins or Stack ...
and a distinctive geological feature, is located in the Tirumala Hills at a distance of from
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
. The arch measures 8 metres in width and 3 metres in height and is eroded from quartzite of Cuddapah Supergroup of Middle to Upper
Proterozoic
The Proterozoic ( ) is the third of the four geologic eons of Earth's history, spanning the time interval from 2500 to 538.8 Mya, and is the longest eon of Earth's geologic time scale. It is preceded by the Archean and followed by the Phanerozo ...
(1600 to 570
Ma) by weathering agents like water and wind.
Flora and fauna
Sri Venkateswara National Park is a
national park
A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
and
biosphere reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...
which is part of Seshachalam hills. The total area of the park is . The park is home to about 1,500 vascular plant species belonging to 174 families. Some of the rare and endemic plant species like
red sanders
Henry Russell "Red" Sanders (May 7, 1905 – August 14, 1958) was an American college football player and coach. He was head footnall coach at Vanderbilt University (1940–1942, 1946–1948) and the University of California, Los Angeles (1949 ...
, ''
Shorea
Fruit of a ''Shorea'' species
''Shorea'' is a genus of about 47 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The timber of trees of the genus is sold under the common names lauan, luan, lawaan, meranti, seraya, balau, bang ...
talura'', ''
Shorea
Fruit of a ''Shorea'' species
''Shorea'' is a genus of about 47 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The timber of trees of the genus is sold under the common names lauan, luan, lawaan, meranti, seraya, balau, bang ...
thumburggaia'', ''
Terminalia pallida'',
sandalwood
Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sanda ...
, ''
Syzygium alternifolium
''Syzygium alternifolium'' is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is native to North Arcot, Cuddapah, Kurnool
Kurnool is a city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It formerly served as the capital of Andhra State (1953–195 ...
'', and ''
Psilotum nudum
''Psilotum nudum'', the whisk fern, is a species of fern in the order Psilotaceae, Psilotales. Like the other species in this order, it lacks roots.
''Psilotum nudum'', means "bare naked" in Latin, because it lacks (or seems to lack) most of the ...
'' occur in this region. ''
Cycas beddomei'', a species of
cycad
Cycads are seed plants that typically have a stout and woody (ligneous) trunk (botany), trunk with a crown (botany), crown of large, hard, stiff, evergreen and (usually) pinnate leaves. The species are dioecious, that is, individual plants o ...
in the genus
Cycas
''Cycas'' is a genus of cycad, and the only genus in the family Cycadaceae with all other genera of cycad being divided between the Stangeriaceae and Zamiaceae families. '' Cycas circinalis'', a species endemic to India, was the first cycad speci ...
, is found only in the
Tirumala Hills.
About 178 species of birds from this national park have been identified which includes the globally threatened
yellow-throated bulbul,
grey-fronted green pigeon
The grey-fronted green pigeon (''Treron affinis'') is a pigeon in the genus ''Treron''. It is found in the forests of the Western Ghats in India. Many authorities have split the species from the pompadour green pigeon complex.
Description
The m ...
, critically endangered
Oriental white-backed vulture,
large hawk-cuckoo
The large hawk-cuckoo (''Hierococcyx sparverioides'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It has a wide breeding distribution from temperate Asia along the Himalayas extending to East Asia. Many populations winter further south. They ...
,
blue-faced malkoha,
yellow-browed bulbul
The yellow-browed bulbul (''Acritillas indica''), or golden-browed bulbul, is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in the forests of southern India and Sri Lanka. The yellow-browed bulbul is mainly yellow on the ...
,
Indian scimitar-babbler and
Loten's sunbird. Among predators the
leopard
The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...
is quite common, along with the
wild dog
A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of whi ...
. Among reptiles, the most interesting species is the
gliding lizard
''Draco'' is a genus of agamid lizards that are also known as flying lizards, flying dragons or gliding lizards. These lizards are capable of gliding flight via membranes that may be extended to create wings (patagia), formed by a support struc ...
, found in some deep forested valleys. Another important reptile of this national park is the
golden gecko.
Established in 1987, Tirupati Zoo or
Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park
Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park is located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
History
It was established on 29 September 1987, and covers an area of . it is the largest zoological park in Asia.
The main features of the Zoo Park are:
* Mayu ...
is a zoo located at Tirupati and is Asia's largest zoo, with an area of 5500 acres. It is built on the concept of Hindu mythology. It exhibits only animals that are mentioned in the ancient epics like ''
Ramayana
The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
'', ''
Mahabharatha
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kurukshetra War, a war of succes ...
'', and ''
Panchatantra
The ''Panchatantra'' ( IAST: Pañcatantra, ISO: Pañcatantra, , "Five Treatises") is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, arranged within a frame story. ''. The enclosures are named based on Indian mythology. It hosts a wide range of animals such as deer, monkeys, lions, tigers, bears, elephants, peafowl, grey pelicans, marsh crocodiles, and starred tortoises.
Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana shala is a home for
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
received as a donation (Godanam). It was established in 1956 by TTD and renamed to S.V. Gosamrakshana Shala in 2004. It is located at Chandragiri road, Tirupati. It is maintained by
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
using the funds received through the Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala Trust. Activities of the trust include providing a good environment, management, and feeding for the cattle. The milk and its products produced here are used by TTD for daily rituals at Sri Venkateswara Temple and other TTD temples.
Climate
Tirupati has a
tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, specifically ''Aw'' (dry "winter"), closely bordering ''As'' (dry "summer"). During the
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
, which lasts from January to May, average minimum temperatures are between . The dry season is followed by the
rainy season
The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs.
Rainy Season may also refer to:
* ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King
* "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni
* '' ...
, which lasts from June until the end of December. The city experiences heavy rainfall in November during the northeast monsoon season. The highest rainfall in 24 hours () was on 16 November 2015, during the
2015 South India floods
The 2015 South India floods resulted from heavy rainfall generated by the annual northeast monsoon in November–December 2015. They affected the Coromandel Coast region of the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. More than 500 ...
. Cyclones commonly hit the Coast of
Nellore
Nellore, also spelt as Nelluru, is a city located on the banks of Penna River, in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India.[Census of India
The decennial census of India has been conducted 15 times, as of 2011. While it has been undertaken every 10 years, beginning in 1872 under Viceroy Lord Mayo, the first complete census was taken in 1872. Post 1949, it has been conducted by the R ...]
, the Tirupati city municipal corporation had a population of 287,035. The total population constitutes 145,977 males and 141,058 females — a sex ratio of 966 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 940 per 1000. There were 24,643 children in the age group of 0–6 years. It had an effective literacy rate (7+ copulation) of 87.55%.
The urban agglomeration had a population of 459,985, of whom males constitute 231,456, females constitute 228,529 — a sex ratio of 987 females per 1000 males and 41,589 children are in the age group of 0–6 years. There are a total of 356,558 literates with an effective literacy rate (7+ population) of 85.22%.
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India
** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language.
* Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
is the official and the most commonly spoken language (87.98%). It is followed by
Urdu
Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
(5.50%) and
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
People, culture and language
* Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka
** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
(3.40%),
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
(1.01%) which are spoken in small numbers.
Governance
Tirupati Assembly constituency
Tirupati Assembly constituency is a constituency
in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh that elects representatives to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in India. It is one of the seven assembly segments of Tirupati Lok Sabha constituen ...
is one of the 175 assembly constituencies of
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly ( Telugu: ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ శాసన సభ, ISO: ''Āndhra Pradēś Śāsana Sabha'') is the lower house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state, Andhra Pradesh.
...
, India. Tirupati is part of
Tirupati (Lok Sabha constituency)
Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency is one of the twenty-five Lok Sabha constituencies of Andhra Pradesh in India. It comprises seven assembly segments and belongs to Tirupati district.
Assembly segments
The seven Assembly segments of Tirupati ...
. Gurumurthy Maddela of
YSR Congress Party
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (, YSRCP or YCP), often shortened to simply the YSR Congress Party, is an Indian Regionalism (politics), regional political party based in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The party was initially registere ...
is the sitting
Member of Parliament for Tirupati (Lok Sabha constituency).
Under the administration of
YSRCP
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (, YSRCP or YCP), often shortened to simply the YSR Congress Party, is an Indian regional political party based in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The party was initially registered with Election Commissi ...
, Tirupati has seen continued emphasis on improving pilgrimage infrastructure, including the implementation of welfare schemes aimed at supporting devotees visiting the
Sri Venkateswara Temple.
Arani Srinivasulu of Janasena Party is the sitting
Member of Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. The term most commonly refers to members of the legislature of a federated state or an autonomous region, but is also used for several national ...
for Tirupati (Assembly constituency) and B. R. Sirisha Yadav of YSR Congress Party is the mayor for
Tirupati Municipal Corporation
Tirupati Municipal Corporation is the civic body that governs the city of Tirupati in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the three corporations in the state, alongside Kakinada and Visakhapatnam to feature in ''Smart City'' projec ...
. The
Tirupati Urban Development Authority
The Tirupati Urban Development Authority, also known as TUDA is a government agency and the principal planning authority for Tirupati and its neighbourhood areas in Tirupati District of the Indian state of Andhra pradesh. It was notified on 6 No ...
(TUDA) Chairman is Vacant. The Chairman Of
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
is Bollineni Rajagopal Naidu.
Civic administration
Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) oversees the administration of the city. Tirupati was constituted as a municipality on 1 April 1886; it was upgraded to a second grade municipality on 1 October 1962, to a first grade municipality on 12 December 1965, to special grade municipality on 13 February 1970, and to selection grade municipality on 7 October 1998. Tirupati Municipality was upgraded to a municipal corporation on 2 March 2007. The area of the municipal corporation at the time of formation was .
While, at present the area of the city is .
Tirupati has been ranked among the top ten cleanest cities in India as per Swachh Survekshan 2022 report.
Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) is the
urban planning
Urban planning (also called city planning in some contexts) is the process of developing and designing land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportatio ...
authority. It was constituted in the year 1981, with Tirupati town and 89 villages under its jurisdiction. In 2008, it included
Srikalahasti
Srikalahasti is a town in Tirupati district located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the revenue division of Srikalahasti mandal and Srikalahasti revenue division. It is a part of the Tirupati Urban Development Au ...
,
Puttur and 69 surrounding villages. At present TUDA covers an area of .
Law and order

Tirupati has the status of Urban Police District; it has 25 police stations. 100
Octopus
An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like oth ...
(Organisation For Counter Terrorist Operations) commandos are deployed at Tirupati temple for its security. This was formed by
Government of Andhra Pradesh
The Government of Andhra Pradesh, abbreviated as GoAP, is the Administrative division, state government and the administrative body responsible for the governance of the States of India, Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Amaravati is the capital ...
in the year 2012. The elite commando force has been specially trained for in-house intervention, hostage rescue and in the Israeli combat technique
Krav Maga
Krav Maga ( ; , ; ) is an Israeli Hand-to-hand combat, self-defence system. Developed for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it uses techniques derived from aikido, boxing, judo, karate and wrestling. It is known for its focus on real-world situat ...
.
At
Alipiri
Alipiri Padala Mandapam or Alipiri is the place at the foot of seven hills in Tirupati, near the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a neighbourhood of Tirupati city.
Alipiri is one of two pathways to rea ...
, a security zone was established to screen vehicles and pilgrims entering Tirumala, to safeguard the hills from terrorists and anti-social elements. To ensure more safety in Tirumala-Tirupati, the government of Andhra Pradesh started a project called "Safe City-Tirupati": the Tirupati temple and the city is under 24*7 CCTV surveillance with 3000 CCTV cameras, monitored from a command-and-control centre. Baggage scanners and Explosives detectors are installed at several places.
Utility services

Electricity to the city is distributed by
Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited
Power sector of Andhra Pradesh is divided into 4 categories namely ''Regulation'', ''Generation'', ''Transmission'' and ''Distribution''. ''Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC)'' is the regulatory body. ''APGENCO'' deals wit ...
(APSPDCL), headquartered at Tirupati.
The city mostly depends on
groundwater
Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and Pore space in soil, soil pore spaces and in the fractures of stratum, rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available fresh water in the world is groundwater. A unit ...
for its needs,
though it also gets water from
Telugu Ganga
The Telugu Ganga project is a joint water supply scheme implemented in India in 1980s by the then Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao and Tamil Nadu chief minister Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran to provide drinking water ...
canal and Kalyani dam.
There are dams in the vicinity:
Kalyani Dam
The Kalyani Dam is a gravity dam constructed across the Swarnamukhi river at Tirupati city and located in Tirupati District of Andhra Pradesh, India. This dam is one of the major sources of water supply for Tirupati city and its catchment areas ...
, Papavinasanam Dam, Gogurbham Dam, Pasupudara Dam, Kumaradara Dam, Akasa Ganga,
all in the Tirumala Hill ranges. Of these, Papavinasanam, Gogurbham, Pasupudara, kumaradara, and Akasa Ganga completely cater to the water needs of Tirumala and Venkateswara Temple while 49% of Kalyani Dam water is being supplied to Tirumala and remaining water is supplied to Tirupati.
Tirupati falls under the Tirupati Telecom District of the
Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (commonly known as BSNL) () is an Indian central public sector undertaking, under the ownership of Department of Telecommunications, which is part of the Ministry of Communications, Government of India with its he ...
Limited (BSNL).
BSNL is planning to establish 27 Wi-Fi hotspots in the city.
The city also has a Regional Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).
PSK-Tirupati will cover
Prakasam,
Nellore
Nellore, also spelt as Nelluru, is a city located on the banks of Penna River, in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India.[Chittoor
Chittoor is a city and district headquarters in Chittoor district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is also the mandal and divisional headquarters of Chittoor mandal and Chittoor revenue division respectively. The city has a popul ...]
,
Kadapa
Kadapa is a city in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located in the Rayalaseema region, and is the district headquarters of YSR Kadapa district. It is located south of the Penna River. The city is surrounded on three sides by ...
,
Kurnool
Kurnool is a city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It formerly served as the capital of Andhra State (1953–1956). The city is often referred to as "The Gateway of Rayalaseema". Kurnool is also famous for Diamond hunting as diamonds ca ...
and
Anantapur
Anantapur, officially Anantapuramu, is a city in Anantapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the mandal headquarters of Anantapuru Tehsil, mandal and also the divisional headquarters of Anantapur revenue division. The city ...
districts of Andhra Pradesh and will come under Visakhapatnam Passport Office.
The city ranked sixth in India among the 200 cities that competed during Swachh Survekshan – 2018 conducted by
Ministry of Urban Development Ministry of Urban Development may refer to:
* Ministry of Urban Development (Albania)
*Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, India, formerly the Ministry of Urban Development
* Ministry of Urban Development (Maharashtra), India
*Ministry of Urban D ...
,
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
, and the
Central Pollution Control Board
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Mo.E.F.C.C.). It was established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act, 1 ...
(CPCB) of India. According to the National Urban Sanitation Policy, the city was ranked 117th in the country in 2009–10, with a total of 39.363 points. As part of 'Swachh Tirupati', Tirupati Municipal Corporation has started household waste segregation programme.
As of May 2015, 150
Tonnes
The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton in the United States to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the s ...
of waste is being collected per day from households within the municipal limits.
The city is the 11th cleanliest city with 66 points in the cleanliness scorecard, published by Union Tourism Ministry of India.
Healthcare
Tirupati is a medical hub with major hospitals situated in its vicinity. Many of these are either run under State government or run/funded by
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
(TTD).
Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital
Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital (also Ruia Hospital) is a hospital in the pilgrim city of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the largest public hospital in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. It had 1500 beds, 2 ...
is one of the largest in the state of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
, and the main government hospital for the
Rayalaseema
Rayalaseema (IAST: ''Rāyalasīma'') is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It comprises four southern districts of the State, from prior to the districts reorganisation in 2022, namely Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, and ...
region. It was started in the year 1962 with a donation of Rs.5 lakhs from Sri Radha Krishna N. Ruia and 15 lakhs from TTD. At present it has 750 beds.
Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences
Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) is a medical state university and a specialty hospital in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. SVIMS was conceived along the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, and was ...
(swIMS) is another major medical institute, founded in 1986.

Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled (BIRRD) has 250 beds; it was established in 1985 by TTD to treat patients with polio myelitis, cerebral palsy, congenital anomalies, spinal injuries, and orthopaedic impairments. A non-profit organisation, it is run with funds from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and donations from the public.
Government Maternity Hospital (GMH) in Tirupati is the largest maternity hospital in the state in terms of number of deliveries.
Established over 50 years ago, GMH serves pregnant woman from Chittoor, YSR, Nellore, Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh and few areas of Tamil Nadu.
GMH was named "best hospital" under the "sterilization and institutional deliveries category" by the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is an Government of India, Indian government Ministry (government department), ministry charged with health policy in India. It is also responsible for all government programs relating to family ...
for the year 2013.
Economy
City economic overview
Tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
is the major industry in Tirupati.
The entire economy directly or indirectly depends on
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
(TTD). TTD is headquartered at Tirupati.
Established in 1932, TTD is an independent trust which manages
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
and
other temples in Tirupati and all over the world. It is also involved in several social activities. As Tirupati is a major religious tourist destination, the
hospitality industry
The hospitality industry is a broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, food and beverage services, event planning, theme parks, travel agency, tourism, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars.
Sector ...
is also a major industry which includes many 3 star hotels and lodges.

Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) is also headquartered at Tirupati. Gandhi Road, Prakasam Road, V.V Mahal Road, AIR Bypass Road are highly commercial areas in the city. Major brands of automobile, textile, mobile, electrical and electronic companies have their outlets in Tirupati.
APIIC
The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (APIIC) is an Andhra Pradesh Government initiative for providing infrastructure through development of industrial areas.
APIIC was established in the year 1973 for identifying and ...
Industrial Park is located at Gajulamandyam, Renigunta. Industries like Sri Venkateswara Cooperative Sugar Factory Limited, AshwiniBio Pharma Ltd and others are situated in this park.
Amara Raja factory is located at Karakambadi, Renigunta. Lanco cement factory is located at Eerpedu mandal. The majority of the city residents are employed under TTD.
Zoho Zoho can refer to:
Business
*Zoho Corporation, an Indian multinational technology company
:* Zoho Office Suite
Zoho Office Suite is a web-based online office suite containing word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, note-taking, ...
, an Indian software development company has an office in
Renigunta
Renigunta is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration. Tirupati Airport is located in Renigunta. It is also one of the mandals in Tirupa ...
and has been operating from this office since 2018.
IT/ITES and electronics industry
Sri Venkateswara Mobile and Electronics Manufacturing Hub
Sri Venkateswara Mobile and Electronics Manufacturing Hub is a dedicated mobile handset and electronics manufacturing facility located at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South ...
is a dedicated mobile handset and electronics manufacturing facility located at Tirupati. The hub is spread over Acres out of which Celkon is established in acres, Micromax in acres, Karbonn in acres and Lava in acres with a total investment of Rupees 2000 crores. Dixon Technologies has a manufacturing unit in this hub, where they are producing
Smart TV
A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV or, rarely, CoTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart T ...
s for
Xiaomi
Xiaomi (; ) is a Chinese multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Beijing, China. It is best known for consumer electronics software electric vehicles. It is the second-largest manufacturer of smartphones in the worl ...
.
Tourism sector
Tourism sector is of great importance to the city. It is because of the presence of
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
and a number of other temples in and around the city. It attracts large number of tourists which helps the tourism department of the state in generating revenue. Tirumala is said to be one of the most visited religious sites on earth, and Tirupati Temple is currently a Guinness World Record holder for most visited temple in the world.
Culture
Festivals
The city celebrates all major
Hindu festivals
Hindus celebrate a significant number of festivals and celebrations, many of which commemorate events from ancient India and often align with seasonal changes. These festivities take place either on a fixed annual date on the solar calendar ...
, including
Sankranti
Sankranti () refers to the transmigration of the sun from one zodiac to another in Indian astronomy. In ''Saurmana'' ''varsha'' (Hindu Solar year), there are twelve Sankrantis corresponding with twelve months of a year. The Sankrantis can be broa ...
,
Ugadi
() or (), also known as Samvatsarādi (), is the first day of the year on the Hindu calendar that is traditionally celebrated by the Telugu people and the Kannadigas in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Na ...
,
Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami (), also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. In certain Hindu texts, such as the '' Gita Govinda ...
,
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually to worship the deity Shiva, between February and March. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the first half (night start with darkness - ...
,
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi () or Vinayaka Chavithi () or Vinayagar Chaturthi (), is a Hindu festival celebrating the birthday of Hindu deity Ganesh. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's ''m ...
,
Deepavali
Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual ...
,
Rama Navami
Rama Navami () is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Rama, one of the most popularly revered deities in Hinduism, also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu. He is often held as an emblem within Hinduism for being an ideal king and h ...
, and
Kartik Poornima
Kartika Purnima (), also known as Kartika Pournami, is a Hinduism, Hindu, Sikhism, Sikh, and Jain cultural festival that is celebrated on ''purnima'' (full moon day), the 15th day of the lunar month Kārtika (month), Kartika. It falls on No ...
.
Srivari Brahmotsavam
Sri Venkateswara Swami Vari Brahmotsavam or Srivari Brahmotsavam is the most significant annual fête celebrated at the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala-Tirupati, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, India. which falls between the Telugu calendar ...
is a nine-day event, celebrated during the months of September–October, when the temple of Tirumala witnesses lakhs of devotees. During this festival, the processional deity
Malayappa of Venkateswara Temple, along with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, is taken in a procession in four mada streets around the temple on different
Vahana
''Vāhana'' () or ''vahanam'' () denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical entity, a particular Hindus, Hindu deity is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vāhana is often called the deity's "mount". Upon the partnership b ...
ms. Tirupati also celebrates a carnival named as
Tirupati Ganga Jatara
Tirupati Gangamma Jatara is the annual folk festival of Tirupati, India. It is a week long event which falls between the first and second weeks of May every year. This festival is to offer prayers to the Goddess Gangamma, the Gramadevata (th ...
, held during second week of May every year. This is a week long festival where Gangamma (
Gramadevata
A gramadevata () is the tutelary deity of a given locality in Hinduism, primarily worshipped in the villages of India.
Of diverse origins, gramadevatas are regarded to protect the inhabitants of their villages from bandits, epidemics, and natur ...
) is worshiped. The tank behind
Padmavathi Temple, Tiruchanur
Padmavati Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Padmavati (Hinduism), Padmavati (Alamelu Mangamma or Alarmelmangai), the consort of Venkateswara, Venkanna. The temple is situated in Tiruchanur (also known as Alamelu Mangapuram or Ala ...
has Padma Pushkarini, where Chakra Snanam is undertaken on last day of the annual Padmavathi Brahmotsavams (Panchami Teertham). It witnesses lakhs of Devotees taking a dip in the holy waters.
Vaikunta Ekadasi
Vaikuntha Ekadashi () is a Hindu occasion and festival. It is primarily observed by Vaishnavas, who regard it to be a special ekadashi. It coincides with Mokshada Ekadashi or Putrada Ekadashi. It is observed on the 11th lunar day of the waxi ...
, the day on which it is believed that Vaikunta Dwarams will be opened and the most important Vasihnavite festival, is celebrated in Tirumala and Tirupati with grandeur.
Rathasapthami is another festival, celebrated in February, when Venkateswara's processional deity (Malayappa swami) is taken in a procession around the temple on seven different
vahana
''Vāhana'' () or ''vahanam'' () denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical entity, a particular Hindus, Hindu deity is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vāhana is often called the deity's "mount". Upon the partnership b ...
s from early morning to late night.
Sri Krishna janmastami, also known as Gokulashtami, is celebrated with great fervour at Tirupati. The Lotus Temple belonging to
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, is a religious organization that follows the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. It was founded on 13 July 1966 in New York City by ...
(ISKCON) is illuminated with lamps and paintings displaying themes from
Srimad Bhagavatham. The celebrations include offering prayers to
Sri Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is w ...
, Utlotsavam,
Annamayya
Tallapaka Annamacharya () (09 May 1408 – 23 February 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a Telugu musician, composer, and a Hindu saint. He is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called '' samkirtanas.'' His devoti ...
Kirtana alapana,
Geetha Parayanam among others. On this day 'Gokulashtami Asthanam' is held at
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
. TTD also celebrates janmastami at Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala where prayers are offered to cows, horses and elephants.
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually to worship the deity Shiva, between February and March. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the first half (night start with darkness - ...
and
Kartik Poornima
Kartika Purnima (), also known as Kartika Pournami, is a Hinduism, Hindu, Sikhism, Sikh, and Jain cultural festival that is celebrated on ''purnima'' (full moon day), the 15th day of the lunar month Kārtika (month), Kartika. It falls on No ...
are the most auspicious occasions celebrated in
Kapila Theertham.
Cuisine
The city's
Tirupati Laddu is world famous among Hindu devotees around the world. It is the
prasad
200px, ''Naivedya'' offered to Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapur, India">Mayapur.html" ;"title="Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir, Mayapur">Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapur">Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir, Mayapur">Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandi ...
am at
Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
. Tirupati Laddu was awarded the
Geographical indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town or region). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, is inten ...
tag which entitles only
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
to make or sell it.
Arts, crafts and architecture
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkatesw ...
established Sri Venkateswara Museum, one at Tirumala and the other at Tirupati. It has a wonderful collection of Tirupati temple architecture and historical artefacts, such as ancient weaponry,
pooja items and idols. It has a comprehensive photo gallery that gives a unique insight into Tirupati region's culture and traditions. It also boasts a meditation centre. In 1988–89
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...
had established an archaeological museum in the
Chandragiri fort at
Chandragiri
Chandragiri is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headquarter ...
. It exhibits rich collection of stone and metal sculptures of Hindu gods and other cultural vestiges retrieved from other historical places like
Gudimallam
Gudimallam is a village near Tirupati, located in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh state of India. It is situated about 15 kilometers southeast of Tirupati city. It is especially famous for the Gudimallam Lingam
The Gudimallam Lingam is ...
,
Gandikota
Gandikota is a village and historical fort on the right bank of the Penna river, 15 km from Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The fort was the centre of power for various dynasties, such as the Kalyani Chalukyas, ...
and
Yaganti
Yaganti Temple or Sri Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple is a temple of Shiva in Nandyal district in the India state of Andhra Pradesh. It was built according to Vaishnavaite traditions.
History
This temple was constructed by King Harihara Bukk ...
. It also includes galleries for medieval weaponry of swords and daggers, coins and paper documents.
Cityscape
Temples
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...
is the most notable temple for being the worlds richest
Vaishnavite
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the majo ...
temple of
Venkateswara
Venkateswara (, ), also known as Venkatachalapati, Venkata, Balaji and Srinivasa, is a Hindu deity, described as a form or avatar of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. Hi ...
. Beside Venkateswara Temple, the city is known for many other ancient temples, such as
Padmavathi Temple
Padmavati Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Padmavati (Alamelu Mangamma or Alarmelmangai), the consort of Venkanna. The temple is situated in Tiruchanur (also known as Alamelu Mangapuram or Alarmel Mangaipuram area) of Tirupat ...
at
Tiruchanur
Tiruchanur (also known as Alamelu Mangapuram or Alarmel Mangaipuram) is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati and is located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration
An urba ...
,
Govindaraja Temple, Kapileswara Temple at
Kapila Theertham,
Kalyana Venkateswara Temple, Srinivasamangapuram
Kalyana Venkateswara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple at Srinivasamangapuram in Tirupati. It is located in Tirupati District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu and is referred to as Kalya ...
,
Thathayyaguntta Gangamma Temple of goddess Gangamma is the
Gramadevata
A gramadevata () is the tutelary deity of a given locality in Hinduism, primarily worshipped in the villages of India.
Of diverse origins, gramadevatas are regarded to protect the inhabitants of their villages from bandits, epidemics, and natur ...
of Tirupati,
Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple etc.
Hindu Temples in Tirupati
Tirupati is a city in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Tirupati district.
Tirupati is home to world-famous Vaishnavite shrine Venkateswara Temple and many other Hindu ...
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File:Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala in Chittoor district,Andhra Pradesh.jpg,
Besides historic temples, there are other tourist destinations in and around the city.
. The fort hosts an Archaeological Museum maintained by Archaeological Survey of India. Established in 1987,
in Asia, which covers an area of 5532 acres. Tirupati also hosts a Regional Science centre. A Space Exposition Hall, which has a digital Planetarium, the first of its kind in Andhra Pradesh, and an Innovation Space were added to this centre.
are the notable neighbourhoods of the city.
. National highways passing through Tirupati are National Highway 71 (which connects
. Within Tirupati Urban Development Authority Limits, there are two additional national highways, namely, NH 716 and NH 565. NH 716 connects Renigunta part of Tirupati to Chennai and Muddanur (via Kadapa and Rajampet). NH 565 on the other hand connects NH 71 to NH 65 - it starts from Yerpedu area of Tirupati and ends at Nakrekal in Nalgonda district.
There are two all-weather,
, one constructed in 1944 and the other in 1974.
There is a total of of roads within the Tirupati Municipal Corporation limits.
is the state owned transport service, which operates buses to various destinations from
. The bus station comprises three mini bus stations to various destinations, such as Srinivasa bus station for west-bound destinations, Sri Hari bus station for east bound destinations and Yedukondalu bus station is utilised for bus services to
. Balaji Link bus station at
is also used for bus services to Tirumala.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams runs free buses from the railway station and central bus stand to Alipiri for pilgrims. The buses to Tirumala are known as Sapthagiri Express.
Tirupati is in close proximity with the states of
. Hence, direct buses from
Sapthagiri Express.
also operates their services to Lower Tirupati. There are also private transport which operate in the city.
. These paths are called ''Sopanamargas'' and are mostly used by pilgrims. The first (and older) path starts from
and has 3550 steps, totalling . At Alipiri there is a temple dedicated to Venkateswara called Padalamandapam. There are four
s (temple towers) along the way. The other path, called ''Sri Vari Mettu'' starts from Srinivasa Mangapuram and is long. Both paths are completely roofed and pass through seven hills (part of
).
Tirupati has 6 railway stations. is classified as an ''A1 station'' in the
. and are the satellite stations, used for decongesting rail traffic at the main station. In addition to these, Tirupati also has Chandragiri, Yerpedu and
railway stations to serve the needs of the people of the city.
. The closest international airport is
which is from Tirupati. Tirupati Airport is being upgraded to an international airport. The new terminal was inaugurated on 22 October 2015.
The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided and private schools of the School Education Department of the state. Majority of them are named after presiding deity of Tirupati temple,
for Women.
to preserve, foster and promote oral traditions of Vedic, Agamic and Cognate Literature, with focus on right intonations.
, a university established for higher learning in Sanskrit studies, Traditional Sastras and Pedagogy.
to strengthen education and services in the fields of Veterinary Science, Dairy Technology and Fishery Science in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture (SVITSA) run by TTD is one of the two institutions in India offering courses in traditional sculpture and architecture to students. Seven diploma courses are offered in subjects such as
, stone sculpture, Sudai aculpture, metal sculpture, wood sculpture, traditional painting and traditional
art.
.
.
is a notable law college in Tirupati.
(NARL) is an autonomous research institute funded by the Department of Space of the Government of India. NARL is engaged in fundamental and applied research in the field of atmospheric sciences. It is around from Tirupati.
* Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupati is selected for establishment of Multidisciplinary Research Units (MRUs) and Model Rural Health Research Units (MRHRU) by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
. It has been established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, in order to promote Higher Scientific Learning and Research as well as Scientific Exploration at the Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels of education and to create Scientists and Academics. IISER Tirupati is recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India. This new institute started functioning from the 2015 academic year in the month of August.
*
. IIT Tirupati offers a 4-year Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) along with 2-years Master of Science (M.Sc.) Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Technology (M.Tech. - started in 2018), Master of Public Policy (MPP) & Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programmes in several engineering, science and humanities fields .
*
(SVIMS), Tirupati is selected for establishment of college level Viral Diagnostic Research Labs.
* A sub-centre for All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on the groundnut (
) is established at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Tirupati to conduct research activities on new high. The research will help to meet the needs of the country's 100 arid districts which receive less than rainfall. RARS has so far developed 12 groundnut varieties.
* A research centre for indigenous cows was established by TTD at its dairy farm named Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshanashala. The purpose of the centre is to protect the cows and also to share the rare breeds among similar organisations. The Gosamrakshanashala already had distinctive high-worth breeds like Ongole, while it is also trying to gather Sahiwal breed of cows from Punjab, Gir cows of Gujarat to the centre, Tharparker and Kankrej cows from Karnataka.
, the first 24-hour Telugu devotional TV channel dedicated to broadcast Hindu devotional programmes is telecast from Tirupati.
Started in 1949, ''
languages. Both SVBC and ''Sapthagiri'' are run by
.
'' are available in the city. The Hindu, Sakshi, Andhra Jyothi, Eenadu and other dailies have their printing and publication offices set up here.
Tirupati has
, and E-FM 104.