Tirupati

Tirupati as Thrivengadam which used to form the northernmost frontier of the Tamil Kingdoms. Sangam literature such as Ilango Vadigal's Silapadikaram and Satanar's Manimeghalai bear testimony to the existence of a shrine at Tirupati. Puranic literature which was composed roughly around the post-Mauryan and early-Gupta era also mentions of Tirupati as the Aadhi Varaha Kshetra. The Puranas associate the site with Lord Varaha one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

The Imperial Cholas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara emperors were just some of the contributors for building the temple and donating gold and other ornamanents for the temple. During the invasions, the idol of Sriranganatha, the deity of Srirangam was brought to Tirupati for safekeeping. To remember this event a hall in Tirupati is still known as the Ranganatha mandapa. It was under the regime of the Vijayanagara emperors that the temple attained its current opulence and size.

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. Sri Venkateshwara, the presiding deity of Tirumalaor engadam, is revered by lakhs of people all over the country who visit His famous temple throughout the year, traveling long distances. There are five well-known paths leading to the Temple. Of them, two routes start from the town of Tirupati, the stepped pathway, seven miles long and the motor road, twelve miles long. The third route is from Chandragiri.