[aramosfet]

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

Thanks Vnabhi for the detailed description!

• Planning to take the usual Mulbagal-Chittoor-Tirupati route. Which is the best place for breakfast on this route?
• Is the above timing good or should I reach Tirumala earlier than this?
• Best Parking spot and how far is it from the main temple?

As mentioned by suresh_gs, Vasudev Adigas is a good place for breakfast.
I had been to Tirumala couple of weeks back and parked next to Ram Bagicha. Assuming you have taken the online ticket for Rs 300, It is a walkable distance from the parking lot to the SMC-211 entry point though slightly uphill. If you prefer not to walk, you can also take one of many Jeeps/Tata Sumos waiting there for Rs 100 or less.

[MSMILES]

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

Thanks Vnabhi for the detailed description!

We have booked e-darshan at 5pm to 6pm slot on 27th Feb (coming saturday). Will be driving with family (Mom, Dad, wifey and 5 year old son) and plan to start early from Bangalore on 27th and check into Fortune Grand Ridge by 12pm. Leave for Tirumala by 3pm after lunch and some rest and reach before 4:30pm for the darshan time at 5pm. Few queries for frequent travellers:

• Planning to take the usual Mulbagal-Chittoor-Tirupati route. Which is the best place for breakfast on this route?
• Is the above timing good or should I reach Tirumala earlier than this?
• Best Parking spot and how far is it from the main temple?

Many Thanks!


Regards
Vinay

Vinay

Since your Darshan timings are between 5 and 6 PM, I recommend you be there at the entrance by 4 pm. They would not allow you before 4 pm. Also, there is nothing called as a good parking spot since the place you enter and the place you come out will be completely different. You will need to walk some distance either ways. Parking near Karnataka Guest House would be an ideal choice. Please reach tirumala by 3 pm and you can park your vehicle and you will need approximately 20 minutes to reach the 300 Rs entrance.

[vinayrathore]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

You can break for lunch/tiffin at Vasudev Adigas / Woodys . Both are pretty close to each other.

Originally Posted by aramosfet

As mentioned by suresh_gs, Vasudev Adigas is a good place for breakfast.
I had been to Tirumala couple of weeks back and parked next to Ram Bagicha. Assuming you have taken the online ticket for Rs 300, It is a walkable distance from the parking lot to the SMC-211 entry point though slightly uphill. If you prefer not to walk, you can also take one of many Jeeps/Tata Sumos waiting there for Rs 100 or less.

Originally Posted by MSMILES

Vinay

Since your Darshan timings are between 5 and 6 PM, I recommend you be there at the entrance by 4 pm. They would not allow you before 4 pm. Also, there is nothing called as a good parking spot since the place you enter and the place you come out will be completely different. You will need to walk some distance either ways. Parking near Karnataka Guest House would be an ideal choice. Please reach tirumala by 3 pm and you can park your vehicle and you will need approximately 20 minutes to reach the 300 Rs entrance.

Thanks a lot for the quick revert guys!!

Will do as advised.

[null]

They don't allow us close to the idol nowadays. I had been there last Wednesday (after 10+ years) and was disappointed that we just have to see it from outside the garbhagudi/inner sanctum unlike before. The divine feeling what we used to feel before (at least me) is not there any more.

Is there any specific ticket/puja which will allow us close to the idol like before?

@Vinay: For a slightly better/closer view, stick to the right most queue in front of the deity. As you enter the main temple (post the dwajastamba/flagpost), you will be diverted to the left to enter into the main area. Here, as you enter in, there are 3 queues. Stick to the right one for a better view. We took the middle queue as it was relatively empty and people in the right most queue blocked the view majorly & the shorter ones could not see the god :(

Also, our ticket was for 6pm. But we were allowed into the queue at 5pm itself since there was very less crowds at SMC 211 (the place where you enter the queue for 300rs tickets). The baggage & mobile collection center works well (a bit slowly though) and you can hand over your bags & phones for collection later. Even footwear can be handed over provided it is put in a bag. They will crib if you multiple bags.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by null

(at least me) is not there any more.

Is there any specific ticket/puja which will allow us close to the idol like before?

@Vinay: For a slightly better/closer view, stick to the right most queue in front of the deity. As you enter the main temple (post the dwajastamba/flagpost), you will be diverted to the left to enter into the main area. Here, as you enter in, there are 3 queues. Stick to the right one for a better view. We took the middle queue as it was relatively empty and people in the right most queue blocked the view majorly & the shorter ones could not see the god :(

This is what even my parents complain about. However I have heard that they allow you inside on Tuesdays. Not sure about it.

The reason people are now not allowed inside the first door is it slows down the queue since the doors are small. Only one person can go in and another come out at any given point of time. In contrast, with the current setup the throughput is higher, at least three people can pass simultaneously.

Try getting an arjitha seva ticket like nijapada darshana or suprabhata seva. That should send you inside at least one or two dwaras since people are limited in number.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by null

They don't allow us close to the idol nowadays. I had been there last Wednesday (after 10+ years) and was disappointed that we just have to see it from outside the garbhagudi/inner sanctum unlike before. The divine feeling what we used to feel before (at least me) is not there any more.

We have the Jeer seva. If you accompany the Jeer of the Ahobila Math, you can have very close darshan of the lord. My father has had darshan through this seva every time we go to Tirumala.
For this one has to remove the mustache and the side burns from the ear onwards.
The other option is Suprabatha Seva

[srimath]

Originally Posted by null

They don't allow us close to the idol nowadays. I had been there last Wednesday (after 10+ years) and was disappointed that we just have to see it from outside the garbhagudi/inner sanctum unlike before. The divine feeling what we used to feel before (at least me) is not there any more.

Is there any specific ticket/puja which will allow us close to the idol like before?

..

Arjita Sevas like Suprabhatam, Thomala, Archana, Sahasra Kalashabishekam, Thiruppavada, Nipapada Darshanam allow you to go near the Garbha Griha. Tickets for Suprabhatam, Thomala, Archana, Nijapada Darsanam for a month are released on the 1st friday of the preceding month. For example, you can but tickets for April on the first friday of March at www.ttdsevaonline.com

They tickets for Thomala ad Archana are very limited(10 per day). Suprabhatam is easy to obtain.

Suprabhatam Daily
Thomala / Archana Tue / Wed / Thurs
Nijapada Darshanam Firdays

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

Thanks Vnabhi for the detailed description!

We have booked e-darshan at 5pm to 6pm slot on 27th Feb (coming saturday). Will be driving with family (Mom, Dad, wifey and 5 year old son) and plan to start early from Bangalore on 27th and check into Fortune Grand Ridge by 12pm. Leave for Tirumala by 3pm after lunch and some rest and reach before 4:30pm for the darshan time at 5pm. Few queries for frequent travellers:

• Planning to take the usual Mulbagal-Chittoor-Tirupati route. Which is the best place for breakfast on this route?
• Is the above timing good or should I reach Tirumala earlier than this?
• Best Parking spot and how far is it from the main temple?

Many Thanks!


Regards
Vinay

I'm very sorry for not responding earlier. I was out of town with limited net connectivity. I did read your post, but could not respond to it.

As others have already chipped in with their responses, I don't have anything to add. I hope you've had a good darshan and journey.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by srimath

Arjita Sevas like Suprabhatam, Thomala, Archana, Sahasra Kalashabishekam, Thiruppavada, Nipapada Darshanam allow you to go near the Garbha Griha. Tickets for Suprabhatam, Thomala, Archana, Nijapada Darsanam for a month are released on the 1st friday of the preceding month. For example, you can but tickets for April on the first friday of March at www.ttdsevaonline.com

They tickets for Thomala ad Archana are very limited(10 per day). Suprabhatam is easy to obtain.

Suprabhatam Daily
Thomala / Archana Tue / Wed / Thurs
Nijapada Darshanam Firdays

Thanks for the details. Surprised to hear that Suprabhatam tickets are easy to obtain! I have been trying it for several years and all the time i am unlucky. When i see the website it is always full. I will try your suggestion to get it on 1st friday for Suprabhatam tickets.

BTW, i too was in Tirumala last saturday 27th Feb. Me and 3 other friends climbed up via Srivari mettu footpath. It took 1 hour 15 minutes to reach Tirumala. After short refreshment, we entered the Queue at 12.45 pm and had darshan in 2 hours at 2.45 pm. It took another 30+ minutes to exit the temple. Being a Saturday, we felt 2 hours was great time to get darshan and were happy.
However, god had different plans It took close to 1.5 hours to get laddus which is unusual. Their entire Sever network was down, so they cannot verify the online tickets to distribute laddus. Had to wait for long and finally when the crowd increased, they ended up giving it manually. Surprised that they didn't had a fallback/manual process to distribute laddus when computerised system fails.

-Ravi

[vinayrathore]

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

Thanks a lot for the quick revert guys!!

Will do as advised.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I'm very sorry for not responding earlier. I was out of town with limited net connectivity. I did read your post, but could not respond to it.

As others have already chipped in with their responses, I don't have anything to add. I hope you've had a good darshan and journey.

Thanks a lot everyone for the advise! Here is a detailed account of our trip. Hope it helps.

Although the plan was to start before 7am, we could only start at 8:20am from Koramangala. Took Indranagar>Old Madras Road>KR Puram route and encountered heavier than normal traffic at KR Puram. I had selected Vasudev Adigas as a pitstop on the Google maps. However, just as we reached Kolar, it asked me to get off the highway and take right onwards a state road. Upon rechecking, it turned out that it was wrongly marked in a field 7 Kms off the highway. Anyways I asked a local and he suggested its 5 kms ahead on the highway. Took a 40 min break there.

Just as we crossed the KA-AP border after Mulbagal, the real shocker came in the form of the two laned highway. Not sure whether it was higher than normal traffic, but it was a nightmare compared to the triple digit speeds we were doing on the 4 laned highway. The average speed reduced to as low as 20~30 Kmph. Lots of Buses/trucks coupled with very high local 2 wheeler traffic meant overtaking was a big pain.

Reached Hotel Fortune Grand Ridge which is on the outskirts at 1:30pm. Freashened up, had lunch and started for Tirumala at 3pm.

Took 20 mins at Alipiri Check post. For the first timers, it’s a one way 10 laned checking cum toll plaza where as you join a queue, all passengers would get off the vehicle along with all the luggage and the driver should stay in the queue. Passengers would get frisked along with x-ray scanning of the luggage while the vehicle is thoroughly checked and a double leaf Rs. 30/- toll ticket is issued. Passengers get in the vehicle on the other end. This toll ticket is scanned at the entry when you reach, its again scanned at the exit point when you go back and again when you reach the final exit gate at the foot of the Tirumala. They also calculate the time you took and if its earlier than the calculated 28 mins up (not sure the average time down), they reprimand you and tell that you should not speed. We reached 7 mins early while on way back and had to hear an earful from the attendant there and he did not even give the slip back to me. There are big LCD screens that announce your vehicle number and the time you took. Screen background becomes red if you have breached the time limit. A good system IMHO.

As we start from the check post, you feel you are in a different country. Feeling is the same as you cross over to Bhutan if anyone has visited. Clean roads, clear signage, very well maintained road fittings and curbs. Road condition and lane markings are A class. This is what happens when Govt. is not involved.

We reached Tirumala at 4:20pm and took us 15 mins to find the correct parking just opposite to SMC-211. Walked around a KM before we joined the exact queue where our booking slip print out was examined and our dress code was checked. We might have walked close to 2 kms in the enclosed path before we reached the Halls. Took our seats, and waited close to an hour there. They serve hot milk there. We start again and it’s here that you encounter the real crowd. I had to make my 5 year old son sit on my shoulders all throughout after this point due to all the push and pull in the crowd. Walked another km inching ahead in that crowed which took another 1 hour. Entered the main temple complex and took the right most line and had a very good Darshan. Truly divine feeling.

As we came out, it was already 7:25pm. Then went to the Laddu counters where it took us 20 mins to get the same. A note here that you should book all your Laddus online along with your darshan tickets as in case you would want to buy more there, there is a separate counter and have a very limited window.

Came out of the complex, had hot idlis and wadas at a snacks stall and reached our car in another half hour. Reached back to the hotel tired but satisfied.

Visited Prasanna Venkateshwara Swamy temple at Appalayagunta the next morning and started for Bangalore. Drive way back was even tougher as we encountered very heavy traffic on the two laned stretch. Reached home at 7:30pm on the Sunday evening.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

We start again and it’s here that you encounter the real crowd. I had to make my 5 year old son sit on my shoulders all throughout after this point due to all the push and pull in the crowd.

I agree, once you leave the halls and walk on the corridor that connects them, the movement becomes painful. There is actually a design flaw. The width of the corridor drastically decreases between halls, forcing a 4-lane walking path into a 2-lane one. This is wheres people are forced to squeeze in. I remember the trauma old people and kids face at this point. Something needs to be done to set right the anamoly.

When I last visited 3 years back, I felt like not returning only for this reason.

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

Drive way back was even tougher as we encountered very heavy traffic on the two laned stretch. Reached home at 7:30 on the Sunday evening.

As you had a harrowing time due to traffic on your onward journey, you ought to have tried the Madanapalle route on your return, like I did. In my case, it was accidental because we missed the left turn towards Chittoor, but after realizing it, had decieded to explore the other route. And that rewarded us with fantastic hill and forest views for some distance. That route was 10 kms shorter, but as it is throughout an undivided highway till Hoskote, it took us around half an hour more (4.5 hours compared to 4 hours of driving time).

Thanks for your detailed explanation. Will surely help someone who's not familiar.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by vinayrathore

Took 20 mins at Alipiri Check post. For the first timers, it’s a one way 10 laned checking cum toll plaza where as you join a queue, all passengers would get off the vehicle along with all the luggage and the driver should stay in the queue. Passengers would get frisked along with x-ray scanning of the luggage while the vehicle is thoroughly checked and a double leaf Rs. 30/- toll ticket is issued. Passengers get in the vehicle on the other end. This toll ticket is scanned at the entry when you reach, its again scanned at the exit point when you go back and again when you reach the final exit gate at the foot of the Tirumala. They also calculate the time you took and if its earlier than the calculated 28 mins up (not sure the average time down), they reprimand you and tell that you should not speed. We reached 7 mins early while on way back and had to hear an earful from the attendant there and he did not even give the slip back to me. There are big LCD screens that announce your vehicle number and the time you took. Screen background becomes red if you have breached the time limit. A good system IMHO.

.

Glad that you had a good darshan. While climbing the ghats, time limit is 28 min and for the return, it is 40 min.
Next time I would recommend you to climb by walk by the ancient route Srivarimettu

[shipnil]

Guys, is the road from Tirupati to Tirumala closed in the night? What is the timing? If one has ticket for Nijapada Darsanam and wishes to stay in Tirupati then would it be possible to report at 4:30 am for the above mentioned darsanam by driving up from Tirupati to Tirumala?

[smsrini]

Is it advisable to take the Chittoor byepass or go via the town ?

thanks
Srinivas

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by smsrini

Is it advisable to take the Chittoor byepass or go via the town ?

thanks
Srinivas

To go to Tirupati, taking the Chittoor by pass makes sense. No need to enter Chittoor town