Tirupati to Srikalahasti: A Tale of Two Pilgrimages

MANISH KUMAR
4 days ago
7 min read

Long earlier than the 2025 headlines surrounding the Tirupati laddu, my connection to this iconic prasad dates back to 2001, a time when its sanctity remained unquestioned. The controversy was sparked by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on September 18, 2025. His allegations of substandard components—even animal fat—being used in the sacred laddu by his predecessor, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, led to public outrage. These claims were backed by a National Dairy Development Board lab report, casting a shadow over this cherished offering. I still remember checking the live train status indian railway during my train journey to Tirupati that year, unaware that such a storm was brewing around something so sacred.

My first pilgrimage to Tirupati befell nearly 24 years in the past, at some stage in a quick work stint in Chennai. Driven through a naive belief in a “magic treatment” to absolve ancestral sins, my siblings and I hired a taxi for an early morning adventure. Our itinerary protected each the famed Tirupati temple and the Srikalahasti temple, a mere hour’s drive away.

Armed with not anything but hearsay, we 3 novices launched into this pilgrimage, in search of freedom from karmic debts and patterns. Little did we know then that the true knowledge of karma and its repercussions could unfold over the many years that followed. As I’ve come to recognize, prayers don’t always supply the answers we are looking for, however rather the insights the divine intends for us to interpret.

Upon accomplishing the bustling temple premises, we were right now faced with the aid of serpentine queues. A nearby price tag window provided an answer: tiered pricing for quicker entry. For INR 1,500, my siblings and I secured a faster passage to the shrine, accomplishing the internal sanctum within an hour. However, as is regularly the case with renowned temples, our time inside became fleeting. We have been swept in conjunction with the throng, barely afforded a second to surely soak up the architecture or provide a prolonged prayer. The lots-expected praise have been 3 of the legendary Tirupati laddus, each so generously sized that a unmarried one should without difficulty serve a circle of relatives of five.

We explored the temple grounds, witnessing the poignant practice of devotees donating their hair. Exhausted from the early start and rutted roads, we found a gap at the ground and succumbed to sleep, for some other good sized pilgrimage awaited us.

My second visit to the sacred hills befell in 2018, this time under the guise of a resort evaluate. In retrospect, my recognition turned into much less on the religious and greater on the professional. The imposing queues and the sheer extent of the group led me to offer a respectful bow from the periphery, experience a quick meal, and promptly go away.

History Etched in Stone: The Tirupati Temple Laddu Prasadam

Given these short and fairly inattentive visits, a file from The Hindu detailing historical inscriptions on the walls of the Lord Venkateswara temple concerning the making of the laddu prasadam made me experience a pang of remorse. I had overlooked an opportunity to hook up with records. The temples of Tirumala and Tirupati residence about 1,a hundred and fifty inscriptions, with 700 adorning the walls of the Lord Venkateswara temple alone.

These historic writings, dating from the eighth to the 18th centuries, are etched in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. They meticulously detail the measures taken to ensure the proper packaging, transportation, and handling of ghee—an important ingredient for the laddu and various temple rituals. One inscription, dating back to 1019 CE, particularly mentions King Rajendra Chola I’s efforts to maintain the purity of ghee used in temple rituals and lamps. It’s fascinating how logistics mattered even then—much like how we now check the current train status to ensure timely and secure delivery during temple festivals.

The lifestyle of presenting laddus at the Tirumala temple formally commenced on August 2, 1715. The laddu advanced from an in advance sweet called ‘Manoharam’ and is now prepared in the temple’s devoted kitchen, Laddu Potu, under the auspices of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

Tirupati Temple, Andhra Pradesh, India

Sacred tank, Tirupati Temple, Andhra Pradesh, India

The Enduring Legend of Tirupati

Sri Venkateswara Swamy, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, reigns best in Tirumala, Tirupati. A critical legend narrates Lord Vishnu’s borrowing of wealth from Lord Kubera to finance his marriage to Goddess Lakshmi. Devotees agree with that their beneficiant donations make contributions to repaying this divine debt, a exercise expected to retain until the end of Kaliyuga.

The Sacred Tirumala Hills: A Symbolic Landscape

Tirumala’s seven peaks are believed to symbolize the seven heads of Adisesha, therefore the call Seshachalam.

These seven peaks are Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri, and Venkatadri, with the temple situated on Venkatadri, the seventh height.

The temple graces the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a sacred water tank.

The temple complicated encompasses the traditional temple constructing along side hotels for pilgrims.

Journeying to the Mystical Srikalahasti

A quick, about one-hour power from the bustling non secular hub of Tirupati lies the serene Srikalahasti Temple, devoted to Lord Shiva. The sacred white shivalinga inside the sanctum sanctorum is assumed to be Swayambhu, self-manifested. Revered as Bholenath, Lord Shiva is assumed to possess the power to forgive even the maximum grievous transgressions.

Astrologers often advise acting unique pujas right here to pacify the planetary alignment known as Kalsarpa Yoga, where all planets are located among Rahu and Ketu. However, as cited astrologer K.N. Rao points out in his book, Kaal Sarpa Yoga: Why Such Fright? Hindu Astrology Series (2011), this precise yoga reveals no mention in historic astrological texts.

My own motivation for touring Srikalahasti leaned much less in the direction of seeking redemption and more closer to a feel of interest. Parvati, worshipped here as Gnana Prasunambika Devi, stocks my name – a coincidence that sparked a non-public intrigue. Yet, as many believers attest, temple visits frequently sense like a calling from the divine itself.

Sri Kalahasti aerial view, photograph By Kalyan Kumar - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0,

Inside the Ancient Walls

The Vayulinga, symbolizing the element of wind, is a special function of this temple. Uniquely, it remains untouched even via the leader priest. A truely mesmerizing sight awaited us in the internal sanctum: the lamps flickered constantly notwithstanding the absence of any discernible air movement.

The temple walls themselves function historic data, bearing inscriptions that narrate the contributions of the Pallava and Chola kings to its construction. As we walked thru the complicated, those historical scripts supplied glimpses into the temple’s rich past. Despite a language barrier, the legends shared by way of the priest in his damaged English proved captivating.

The Heartwarming Legend of Srikalahasti

The origins of this temple are traced returned to the devotion of 3 unlikely creatures: Sri (a spider), Kala (a snake), and Hasti (an elephant). Each, of their own manner, unknowingly worshipped the linga: the spider spun its net to protect it, the elephant cleansed it with water, and the snake decorated it with its treasured gem. Pleased by way of their unwavering devotion, Lord Shiva granted them salvation, and for this reason, the temple of Srikalahasti was born.

Moments Missed, Yet Cherished

I had was hoping to witness the abhishek ceremony, a sacred ritual in which the utsava murti is bathed in a aggregate of water, milk, camphor, and panchamrita earlier than being decorated with aromatic sandalwood paste and vibrant plant life. Unfortunately, the limitations of time averted this experience.

Fascinating Facts About Srikalahasti Temple:

The complete temple is ingeniously carved out of a massive stone hill.

It is extensively believed to possess the strength to relieve even the most challenging existence curses.

Even Goddess Parvati is stated to have attained awareness and redemption within those sacred grounds.

The temple commemorates the unwavering devotion of Kannappa, who was willing to provide his own eyes to Lord Shiva, most effective to have his vision miraculously restored.

The implementing Gopuram, the principle front tower, stands at an impressive a hundred and twenty toes and become constructed by using Krishnadevaraya in 1516.

The temple actively runs a loose meal programme, supplying sustenance to approximately two hundred devotees on a each day foundation.

With our spirits feeling somewhat multiplied, if not absolutely absolved of ancestral burdens, we began our go back adventure to Chennai, our minds already anticipating the train trip lower back to Delhi.

Plan Your Visit: Best Time and How to Reach

Best Time to Visit:

The most great time to go to Tirupati and Srikalahasti is between September and March, characterised with the aid of cooler and more comfortable climate.

Brahmotsavam, the grand annual festival in Tirupati, usually occurs in September or October, drawing huge crowds of devotees.

It is beneficial to keep away from the height summer season months (April to June) because of the acute and potentially uncomfortable warmness, mainly whilst navigating long queues and temple visits.

How to Reach Tirupati:

By Air: Tirupati Airport (TIR) gives properly connectivity to essential Indian cities which includes Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.

By Train: Tirupati Railway Station is a vast railway junction with frequent trains coming back from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore.

By Road: Tirupati enjoys super street connectivity and can be effortlessly reached via buses and taxis from close by fundamental cities like Chennai (133 km), Bangalore (250 km), and Hyderabad (558 km).