[aargee]

Originally Posted by crossroads

Seegradarshan ticket counter only opens at 9 AM. The timing is from 9 AM - 6 PM and 9 PM - 11 PM.

300 Rupee queue is from 9 AM - 6 PM and 9 PM - 11 PM

Wrong. My friend had been there last Monday & availed this 300 Rs seegradarshana (unless there's another name for the Rs 300 ticket); as I told before, he started on the queue at 06:30 or so & at 07:00 the counter was opened.

Originally Posted by sbraj

I usually prefer the early morning...

I usually reach Tirumala in the evening, have a small nap, get up at 1AM, reach for darsan at 2AM, finish darsan at 4AM, and start back from Tirumala at 9AM after breakfast.

+100 to ^^^. Works very well & that way you can avoid all the crowd & the usual push & pulls near the sanctum.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by aargee

+100 to ^^^. Works very well & that way you can avoid all the crowd & the usual push & pulls near the sanctum.

Definitely. The pushes and pulls are something that drives me nuts. I have never understood why people do this. The Lord is going to be there where He is. He is not going to run away. There is no point to jostle around.

BTW, in Sabarimala, at the entrace of Sanctum Sanctorum there is this board written in Sanskrit - "Tat Tvam Asi". Meaning, whatever you have come in search for, that is nothing but you. Anyway, that is a topic for another day, another discussion.

[mobike008]

I have been visiting Tirupathi ever since i was a kid and many times even twice a year. Most of the years, our entire family would be 50+ people.

We use to almost book an entire train bogie and this was a yearly ritual during first week of June.

So planning was of utmost importance when such a big group is going

That remained in our mind as we grew up.

We still go each year but just the 3-4 of us. But, we visit the TTD counter in Himayathnagar in Hyderabad and book our darshan and accomodation tickets atleast 3-4 weeks before our actual trip.

We mostly prefer ATC or Ram Bagicha cottages, which is walking distance from the temple. We never stay at Tirupathi. It's always at Tirumala

We always pay Rs.100/Night and facilities are not bad at all.

We have meals only at " Hotel Mayura" ( now name has changed, cant recall the new name) or " Hotel Woodlands". All other hotels are below average.

When we come down the hills, we always visit the following temples :-

Aluvelimangapuram ( Padmavathi Temple) : This is must visit as after visiting ventateswarswamy you cannot come back without visiting padmavathi

Srinivasamangapuram ( Venkateswarswamy)

Govindrajulu Temple ( near to Bhimas Hotel)

As a tradition, have hearty lunch at Bhimas Residency in their cool environs of the basement before departing back to Hyderabad

In short, due to tremendous increase of devotees each year, it is imperative that you plan your trip to Tirupathi atleast 3-4 weeks to make sure your visit to god's abode is peaceful, enjoyable and memorable

[devrajman]

I completed my Tirupati trip yesterday. We started at 4:45AM from blore and reached Tirumala at 10:45 and joined the seegradarshana queue at 11. We finished the darshan at 1PM. Which is very quick being a Saturday!

I would recommeded people to join the seegradarshana queue by 10:30 when the queue is much smaller. I saw queue get tremendous in 30mins while sitting sadly waiting for my family members to turnup at the seegradarshana entrance. However after we joined the queue still kept getting more tremendous.


Also Hotel Mayura is closed. We had lunch at Annamaya before Hotel Mayura. It was average.

[shipnil]

Hi all,

I normally book the Rs. 100 room at Tirumala every year. If I remember correctly Rs. 100 one used to give room at Ram Bagicha, ATC, or Sudarshan cottages. But nowadays I am seeing too many options like 150 rupees, 300 rupees, 500 etc. Can someone tell me where do you get rooms if you opt for any of the new categories?

Thanks!

[djay99]

Last saturday (24-Jul) we stayed at tirumala for 300 Rs. It had 2 beds and attached bathroom with hot water. It was clean and just 300Mtr to temple. I think building name was panchajanya.

[vasoo]

Did anybody use the online e-sudarshanam tokens for darshans at Tirumala? I am planning to go there next week after doing both accommodation and darshan tickets online. Any tips?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Did anybody use the online e-sudarshanam tokens for darshans at Tirumala? I am planning to go there next week after doing both accommodation and darshan tickets online. Any tips?

I did not try this. Went in mid july and used the 300/- ticket. Could finish it under 3 hours on a weekday (A friday).
The laddu Q was also fast. Got stuck because of getting extra ones. Thats the one which took me another hour.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Did anybody use the online e-sudarshanam tokens for darshans at Tirumala? I am planning to go there next week after doing both accommodation and darshan tickets online. Any tips?

I have used eSeva online tickets. These tickets need to be confirmed and converted to the regular ones at the centralised booking counter near GNC. For Suprabhatam and Archana, the queue is very less and overall waiting time is hardly 30 minutes. Queue starts near the Vijaya Bank counter.

[shipnil]

Till few years back, during Sudarsanam, once could go in the temple till the lord take a U turn and the come out. But for last 3 years this U turn seems to be stopped. Can anyone tell me if it still is available with Suprabhatam / Archana nanter darsanam?

[srimath]

Shilpnil,

The Archanantar Darshanam is no longer there. TTD has removed it completely and has started Sheegradarsanam. As far as the darshan experience is concerned, it completely depends on the number of pilgrims on that day. But it is mostly Lagu/Maha Lagu darshanam these days.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Till few years back, during Sudarsanam, once could go in the temple till the lord take a U turn and the come out. But for last 3 years this U turn seems to be stopped. Can anyone tell me if it still is available with Suprabhatam / Archana nanter darsanam?

Suprabhatam - yes, you are allowed to go inside the corridor, get a clear view and take a U turn back.

Archana - while the Archana is being performed, you will be sitting in the corridor (not allowed to stand) for roughly 30 minutes or so. At the end of Archana, you have to return. Thus if you are lucky to be at the front during Archana, you get excellent view. Otherwise also, the view is good.

AAD is no longer there.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by devrajman

I would recommeded people to join the seegradarshana queue by 10:30 when the queue is much smaller. I saw queue get tremendous in 30mins while sitting sadly waiting for my family members to turnup at the seegradarshana entrance. However after we joined the queue still kept getting more tremendous.

Only thing to note is that this queue opens up only at 9AM. hence the earliest you can stand is 9PM.

Again as @Mobike also mentioned Bimas is a very good place for Food. I used to have it at Mayuras as well.
Did not know that it has closed. Also stay Bhimas was also very good. I preferred staying at Tirupati more
because one I was not sure of the parking at hotels in Tirumala; and second taking a bus is much faster
as they have separate gate for buses at the security check.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Hotel Woodland annexe is one more option for food at Tirumala.
The hotel is located at the garden way to chandragiri or chandangiri.
I always visit this place in the evening whenever i visit tirumala.
Second woodland hotel is located behind main bus stand.
Mayura is closed two years back.

@Bhima's,
there are too many bhima's hotels in tirupati itself under one group.
Not aware about bhima's in tirumala.

Do anyone know how to book the cottages located at garden on the way to chandragiri/chandangiri.
I always wanted to stay at those beautiful cottages facing the garden and valley but never materialized.

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by sbraj

I have used eSeva online tickets. These tickets need to be confirmed and converted to the regular ones at the centralised booking counter near GNC. For Suprabhatam and Archana, the queue is very less and overall waiting time is hardly 30 minutes. Queue starts near the Vijaya Bank counter.

Thanks sbraj. e-Seva is different from e-Sudarsanam. But I think in either case I may have to get the eTicket converted to real tokens. Another query. I got acco booking for the Rs100 room. How big are these rooms there? Can we have single room for a family?