Tirupati History and Growth

About Tirupati

About Tirupati, Its History and Growth

Tirupati is the ancient Holy city in Andhra Pradesh.  Many Sacred Temples are located In and Around Tirupati. One of them is Tirumala Temple, Pilgrims destination. The temple of Tirupati is built in the foothills of the Tirumala Seven Hills. This temple is very popular among the devotees.

Some say that Tirupati Originally Called as Tripathi, Tiru derived from Tri a Sanskrit Word.

“Venkatesaya Vidmahe, Tripathi Nadhaya Dheemahi, Thannoah Srinivasa Prachodhayath”

Here in this phrase Lord Venkateswara is referred as Lord of Tripathy.

Some other Scholars says that Sanskrit husband is called as Pati or Pathi means Husband and Tiru or Thiru literally means ‘Holy’ or ‘Sacred’ in Tamil and together the temple is called as Tirupati.  Tirupati is the Gateway to Tirumala- The abode of Lord Venkateswara.

Around 1500 years ago, there was no human habitation below the Scared Hill, there was a Huge forest that extended all around the Hill stretching up to the Bay of Bengal in the EAST and the River Pinaki or Penna in the North and extending miles towards WEST and SOUTH.

Gradually, with the growing importance and popularity of the Tirumala Temple, a village came up at its foot. It gradually grew into the town and the Town acquired the name of the Hill. Even today, many devotees refer Tirupati as Keel Tirupati or Lower Tirupati and Tirumala as Upper Tirupati or Mel Tirupati.

As per the earliest of Tamil literature (dated between 500 B.C to 300 A.D) mentions Tirupati as Thrivengadam which used to form the northernmost frontier of the Tamil Kingdoms.

Literature which was composed roughly around the post-Mauryan and early-Gupta era also refers Tirupati as the Aadhi Varaha Kshetra. 

 

Tirumala was maintained and upgraded by various kingdoms. These include the Pallava Kingdom around 9th Century AD, Chola Kingdom around 10th century AD and the latest one being Vijayanagara Empire around 14th to 15th century AD.It was during the rule of Vijayanagara Empire that the temple received contributions.

In the period of Vijayanagara emperors, the temple attained its current opulence and size. The emperors of the dynasty, in particular, Krishna Deva Raya lavished on the temple numerous objects of priceless value, ranging from diamond studded crowns to golden swords.

Tiruchanoor Temple History

Tiruchanoor is a small village which is about 5 Km from Tirupati Bus station. It is also known as Alamelu Mangapuram, where the Temple for Sri Padmavathi Amma Varu, is located. Inscriptions on the walls of ancient Temple of Tirupati indicate the existence of an equally old Temple here known as Ilan Koil. It is said that there was an Ilan Koil important to Saivities at Tiruchanoor before 7th Century when Saivism thrived here.

This Temple was called either Thiruvengadathu Perumanadigal, Thiruvilan Koil Perumanadigal or Thirumantrasalai Perumanadigal. Inscriptions here reveal that it was built towards the end of the 8th Century.

Tiruchanoor was the last point on the old highway known as Vadakkuvazhi that connected the Tamil Country of Thondaimandalam with the region towards the north of the Hills known as the land of the Vadugars.

 

Chandragiri History

Chandragiri lies to the South-West of Tirupati. It gained prominence in the period of Saluva Mangideva, the great-grandfather of Saluva Narasimha, one of the generals who served under the command of Vira Kumara Kampanna in the second quarter of 14th Century.

Later, it grew up when the Saluva and Vijayanagara Kings built their forts and palaces here. Chandragiri as the second Capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.

 

Tirupati City View

 

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