[realactivex]

Originally Posted by realactivex

A brief update on my impromptu trip to Tirupati. Left Bangalore Friday afternoon via Malur route hoping to touch kolar and take the highway from there.
However got a bit lost (mapmyIndia - in-vehicle map faltered) and went towards Bangarpet. Had to take a village potholed road to return back to Kolar and eventually get on to the Highway. Was an uneventful trip beyond that.
Beautiful 2+2 lane road till Chittoor, and a 2+3+3+2 lane road (different highway) from Chittoor to Tirupati.
Overall journey time around 2.5 hours from Kolar to our hotel in Srinivasa mangapuram. (Srinivasa hotel - ok place to spend a night if you plan to take the steps from srivari mettu). Food is expensive and average, but again ok if you are not complaining
(part 2 in next post)

--Part 2---
That evening we walked (500m) to the kalyana venkateswara temple in mangapuram. Nice place with wonderful ambience and a great darshan of the lord. Add to it, the wonderful and famed pongal prasadam

We were in a great dilemna for the next morning - whether to take a rick to the footsteps of Srivari mettu (6.2kms) or drive and park. we eventually drove our car and parked at the foothills of srivari mettu. (small haphazard random parking space for maybe 30 cars). The parking gets taken after 6.30Am. Be there by 6.

We took the stairs hoping that the Divya darshan tickets will be available to us (5000 per day at srivari mettu and 10k per day at Alipiri path)

Our next worry was abt how to find the place where tickets are given (it was at the 1200th step, but what if we lost count and missed the place since it happened to be hidden from sight) . All our worries were set to rest since there are step numbers on the stairs and on notice boards at regular interval. so it was easy to find the ticket office. (around 70 minutes of climb time)
Show aadhar and get tokens for divya darshan (1 free laddu prasadam included in the token)
The second stage or 1200 steps was more steep and takes a lot more effort to get through. overall we were up by 8.30am and were hungry.
After the climb and a 100 meters later, we looked left at a double road intersection, and saw a restaurant Sarangi. Went there for breakfast. Bit expensive again, but a hungry stomach is always grateful.
We then saw our tokens in detail and noted that the darshan entry time was 12PM.
That made us worried since we were told that the parking closes at 6PM to get the car back.

we briefly toyed at the idea of me going down (too tired to take the stairs, so had to take a bus to alipiri and then a private transport to Srivari mettu. Then pick the car and come over to tirumala and park it somewhere. Idea was that even if we got delayed in darshan we wouldn't have to worry abt the car.

However, we realised that it might take well over 2 hours for the entire thing and we could miss our place in the queue.
So, we just spent some time loitering and when it was 10AM we went to the start of the Divyadarshan queue (it is just called sarva darshan queue with token.
We were let in and were taken to a waiting room (number 9) until around 11AM. Next we were taken to the luggage room where you deposit your mobiles and big bags (small handbags are ok). it took us well over 30 minutes to submit the bags/ mobiles and get a token. My suggestion - go light - with no mobiles/ no bags/ no footwear.
Next we were taken to the VQC (vaikuntham queue complex) and stationed there for another hour.
By 1PM we were left out and the queue was very smooth. We had the divine darshan of Lord Venkateswara by 2.15PM.
Stepped out of the temple complex and went to get laddus/ prasadam. Now with your token, you can buy as many laddus as you please.
Post that, we walked back to get our mobiles from a location called PAC-4 (this is a 15 minute walk and involves climbing stairs)
And finally our footwear - we had left our footwear near the entrance of the Divya darshan queue. That was a mistake since it took us almost a 30 minute walk from the mobile collection area to fetch the footwear.
Finally done, it was around 3.15PM - we hadn't eaten anything after our breakfast (apart from the prasadam at the temple)

We took a cab to Srivari mettu (he started by asking 2500, and then agreed to 1500. Midway he started bargaining for 2000. Eventually ended up for 1700)

It was cloudy and the sky was ready for a big thunderstorm. We picked our car in the nick of time and proceeded to our next destination which was a nice hotel to relax our sore bodies.
Spent the night there and returned back to Bangalore next morning (today).

[shipnil]

Frequent visitor pilgrims, quick question on dress code of Arjitha Sevas. Has there be any relaxation with respect to compulsory Dhotis for male pilgrims? Last month I had gone for Suprabatham. I saw couple of people in Kurta-Pajamas for the same seva and did not see anyone objecting to them.

[Aviator_guy]

Any idea when will the senior citizen ticket booking be open?

[rendezvous3850]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

Any idea when will the senior citizen ticket booking be open?

https://online.tirupatibalaji.ap.gov.in/home/dashboard

Please check above link. For May 2023, quota opens on 21/4 at 3pm.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by rendezvous3850

https://online.tirupatibalaji.ap.gov.in/home/dashboard

Please check above link. For May 2023, quota opens on 21/4 at 3pm.

I can see a change to the website for the darshan bookings. Also the May and June quota is going to be opened on 24th April at 10 am.

[shipnil]

Guys,

Any idea if Ola/Uber cabs are available between Tirupati-Tirumala? If not, what would be the expected charges for a normal local cab between the two?

[saisree]

Originally Posted by shipnil

what would be the expected charges for a normal local cab between the two?

Local cabs are available between Tirupati and Tirumala and they might charge you around 3K. Depends on your bargaining skills.

[AppyS]

Originally Posted by udayjani

Despite availability of tickets, unable to book them due to the below error. Refreshing the slots shows the available tickets decreasing, so not sure how the tickets are getting booked or the error selectively affecting only few users.

Attachment 2433687

I tried booking slots for 2 people and couldn't book due to the same error, surprisingly when I tried for single it allowed to go to payment page. However by then the probability of getting the 2nd ticket after again waiting in queue was minimal and so was my faith in the website. Gave up thereafter.

[AppyS]

Originally Posted by ravib

HI Rajeev,

1) You can very well drive up to Tirumala in your own car and keep the electronic items/phones/smart watches safely. Thus you don't have to end up spending time in depositing/recollecting these items in big queues. There are lot of safe parking available in Tirumala. So no worries.

2) You can park near Ahobila Mutt (https://goo.gl/maps/2jhVLJMnWm6p8YHx9) which will minimize walking after finishing up the darshan when you are exhausted. I suggest you drop aged people, family and kids at ATS circle (https://goo.gl/maps/w2jRyb9AFDvZU2Ei8) seegradarshan entry queue point, let them wait there, you can go to Ahobila mutt parking area, park the car there, keep all things and walk back to join the queue.

3) Yes, its okay to carry small back bag with water (no plastic water bottles allowed), medicine and few biscuits etc. Don't carry any electronics , smart watches, mobiles, umbrella etc.

And hope you are aware of the dress code to enter the temple. Only traditional dress is allowed , for Men its shirt and dhoti and for women it is sari/chudi/salwar with duppatta. Modern dresses or revealing dress are not allowed.

Have a great darshan.

-Ravi

Do they allow Car keys?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by AppyS

Do they allow Car keys?

Yes, and wallets (even if leather), pocket combs, handkerchiefs, hand towel etc.

Be ultra careful of smartwatches - it MAY escape the first check but at the second check, they inspect them carefully to confirm that it's not a smartwatch in any way.

If found, they will give you the option of surrendering it on the spot or going back out of the line.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by AppyS

Do they allow Car keys?

Yes they do allow car keys including remote fob. Not a problem.

-Ravi

[asmr]

Hello friends, I am going to Tirumala soon via the TTDC day package from Chennai. Has anyone here used the service recently?

I am the only person traveling and will have only a sling bag like the one in picture.




Since I must wear a dhoti, the sling bag will help carry my smaller wallet (with my IDs) inside it, my phone and a wad of cash to drop in to hundi inside the main sanctum.

My understanding is that the phone will have to left behind in a jute bag that TTDC will provide (I will have no other electronic items on me) to be put in to security locker. The question I have is whether the sling bag is allowed to be taken in to the Rs.300 queue.

I have seen ladies handbags being allowed in my previous trip (before covid). Just wanted make sure that I can carry the sling bag inside with me, with just my wallet and the cash for hundi.

As always, thanks for the help in advance!

[ravib]

Originally Posted by asmr

Hello friends, I am going to Tirumala soon via the TTDC day package from Chennai.


I have seen ladies handbags being allowed in my previous trip (before covid). Just wanted make sure that I can carry the sling bag inside with me, with just my wallet and the cash for hundi.

As always, thanks for the help in advance!

Yes, you can take the backpack bags, and should not be a problem. You can also carry a small water bottle (non-plastic one and avoid any Bisleri/Aquafina type) as it is hot summer.

Just ensure you really don't have any electronic items including any smart watch.

-Ravi

[Aviator_guy]

Special Entry Darshan booking (300 Rs ticket) opened today (10 AM) for July and August.

[aston_martyr]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

Special Entry Darshan booking (300 Rs ticket) opened today (10 AM) for July and August.

Thank you very much.
I was able to book mine. However i was only able to book 1 ticket at a time, i had to resort to using 2 different phone numbers to get both tickets booked. Not sure if anyone else is facing a similar issue when trying to book more than 1 ticket at a time.