Tirupati

Tirupati City is located in the southeastern part of Andhra Pradesh, in Chittoor district. It lies about 152-km northwest of Chennai in the Palkonda Hills. Tirupati is known as the abode of the Hindu god Venkateshvara (also spelt as 'Venkatesvara'), "Lord of Seven Hills". About 10-km northwest of Tirupati, at an elevation of 750m, is the sacred hill of Tirumala, which was considered very holy. One of the most important pilgrimage centers in India, the temple draws millions of  pilgrims and is believed to be the busiest pilgrimage centre in the world.

The Tirumala Hill is 3200 ft above sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the name, Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri.

Lord Venkateswara, with the income of the temple, is actually maintaining the University called ‘The Venkateswara University’ in which sciences and arts are taught. In addition, there is an ‘Oriental Manuscripts Library’ at Tirupati, where research into ancient manuscripts is carried on. The Temple is still very active and live, and is probably the richest temple in Andhra Desa, and perhaps in the whole of India.

Tirupati lies in the midst of seven peaks or groups of hills in the Eastern Ghats Range, and lies in the North Latitude 13’41’ and East Longitude 79’24’. The Eastern Ghats break up into a number of parallel ranges in the region south of the river Krishna. The central group is called Nallamalais in the Kurnool District, and these meet the Eastern Range, round the group of hills at Tirupati. The top of the Tirumala Hill is two thousand feet above sea level, and the great temple of Lord Srinivasa or Venkateswara, as he is otherwise called, is on the top of the peak. The group of hills is also called Seshachalam Hills and these seven peaks are said to represent the seven hoods of Lord Adisesha the king of serpents. The consort of Lord Srinivasa is not with him on the top of the hill, but is worshipped at Alamelumangapuram, at the foot of the hills. The shrine of Lord Venkateswara stands over a ciuster of seven hills, which are said to form the Meruparvatha.