Friday, June 11, 2010

Temples of India - Part 1 by CD Mohatta

India is a multi-cultural and multi-religious country. There are thousands of temples in India. In every nook and corner of India, there are temples. A temple is the place of worship of Hindus. Each temple is dedicated to different Gods like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Hanuman, Durga, etc. Some temples are not only known as places of worship but are also very famous for their architecture and stories. Some temples are hundreds of years old and have lots of historic significance. Because of these reasons, many temples have become the famous destinations for tourists. Lets read about some of the famous places of pilgrimage in this article series.
Tirupati Balaji - Tirupati Balaji temple is one of the most famous temples of India. It is the richest temple. The temple is located on the hill of tirumala at approximetly 2800 feet height above the sea level in the town of Tirupati in the state of Andhra pradesh in South India. It is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. It is famous for its architectural beauty. Thousands of people queue here for a visit every day. In fact, if you queue up today, your turn may come up the next day. Devotees offer gold, silver and diamonds to the deity and many people also shave their heads in obeisance.
The Balaji temple opens with the Suprabhatam prayer (waking up the God) at 3 AM and closes with Akanth seva (putting the lord to sleep) at 1 AM at night. There is an annual festival called Brahmotsavam celebrated for nine days in September every year. You can go to Tirupati by air as there is an airport in Renigunta which is 15 km away from Tirupati. Bus and train services are also available from the major cities/towns.

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