[dass]

Originally Posted by ravib

1) Since you booked Rs. 300 ticket, wearing Dhoti is made compulsory for gents. Normal Pants/Jeans/Shorts etc are not allowed for Rs. 300/- tickets.

Are you sure of this? It is jeans/shorts and night wear which is not allowed, pants were always allowed and my brother visited last month and he was in formal pants. Where did you confirm this from?

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by dass

Are you sure of this? It is jeans/shorts and night wear which is not allowed, pants were always allowed and my brother visited last month and he was in formal pants. Where did you confirm this from?

I had visited Tirupati just two weeks back (Booked Rs 300 ticket in advance) and they have made Dhoti (or Kurta) compulsory if your ticket is booked in advance (online or through TTD counters).
Currently, Only Free Darshan & Nadapatha darshan (which are just a walk-in) allows you in pants.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

I had visited Tirupati just two weeks back (Booked Rs 300 ticket in advance) and they have made Dhoti (or Kurta) compulsory if your ticket is booked in advance (online or through TTD counters).
Currently, Only Free Darshan & Nadapatha darshan (which are just a walk-in) allows you in pants.

Is this a new development? Though this is mentioned in the rules from a long time, I always thought they were not enforcing it for darshans since it will hold up a lot of backlog in the queue. However, for any seva, it is enforced as the crowd will be easier to manage. Guess they now know how to reduce majority of the queue, by sending out people for dress code violation :P

[Soumyajit9]

This is what is mentioned at the TTD Counter in Jayanagar, Bangalore.
Seems the dress code is compulsory. Makes me worried now.



FYI, the Rs.300 ticket can be booked only 15 days in advance.
I have finalized a darshan on 14th November. Hence would book it on 31st October.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

This is what is mentioned at the TTD Counter in Jayanagar, Bangalore.
Seems the dress code is compulsory. Makes me worried now.

FYI, the Rs.300 ticket can be booked only 15 days in advance.
I have finalized a darshan on 14th November. Hence would book it on 31st October.

Looks like TTD is trying to follow the footsteps being followed in kerala temples.

[D4D]

To all BHPians, I am looking to go to Tirupati on 31st october and do darshan on 1st Nov. I look to climb up the hill early morning in 1st Nov. Any pointers on this? And how much time will it take?

From what I gather, you're given a special entry if you climb the hill? Is it true? Or do you think it is better to register in the TTD center?

Thanks in Advance.

[jkrishnakj]

Hi D4D
The climb can actually be to the pace you want it to be. If you are alone, and with a steady pace, you can do this in 3 and half hours. I am in early 40's and i normally take about 3 and a half hours to do the entire climb. I typically find the first half hour the most taxing.

See if you can do the climb before the sun-rise.
And yes, there are ticket counters on the walk ways and you can buy the tickets for the special entry.
What i would suggest is to still book a 300 rs ticket online or at TTD centre and keep it handy or still buy it at the counter there at Tirumala, just in case you see crowd. 1st nov being a saturday is bound to have a bit of crowd for sure.

[D4D]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

you see crowd. 1st nov being a saturday is bound to have a bit of crowd for sure.

Thanks for the response. I want to know using a INR 300 ticket, how fast can I do the darshan?

Yes, I plan to start the climb at around 4 in the morning.

[ravib]

My recommendation is to still buy either Rs. 50 or Rs. 300 tickets and climb up the hill early morning. On the way at Gaali Gopuram, you can get additional tickets for pedestrians walking up which will be verified with a seal after couple of kilometeres. This pedestrian ticket will help you to get additional Laddus

For Darshan, though the Divya Darshan (meant for pedestrians who climbed the hill - which you referred as special entry in your post) is good, being a saturday, i would suggest you to take either Rs. 50/- or Rs. 300/- queue which can be comparatively faster because Divya Darshan is also like a free darshan. However, remember TTD keeps changing the rules, so no one can predict the time it takes for Darshan.

-Ravi

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by D4D

I look to climb up the hill early morning in 1st Nov

It should take about 3.5 hrs. If you regularly walk, you'll finding relatively less taxing. If not, you'll have quite a breath to catch Don't carry around stuff, it'll make things difficult.

Originally Posted by D4D

From what I gather, you're given a special entry if you climb the hill?

Yes, on the day we did (June 2012). We finished our darshan through that entrance in about 7 hrs. Which I thought was too much, until we learnt another colleague took almost entire day to finish darshan on 300 Rs ticket.

On peak days, it might work in favour of you.

[D4D]

Thank you ravib and narayans80. From your response, looks like no one will be able to judge the time for darshan, irrespective of ticket. I think I'll just have to stand through on saturday, irrespective of time it takes for darshan.

I just have to do it as it's been 15 years since I went to the temple and I do have the sunday for driving back.

Originally Posted by ravib

For Darshan, though the Divya Darshan (meant for pedestrians who climbed the hill - which you referred as special entry in your post) is good... remember TTD keeps changing the rules, so no one can predict the time it takes for Darshan.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by D4D

Thanks for the response. I want to know using a INR 300 ticket, how fast can I do the darshan?

Yes, I plan to start the climb at around 4 in the morning.

Till Kali Gopuram, it will be quite taxing to climb. While climbing i would suggest you to follow a zigzag pattern to climb so that you dont feel the strain.
What i mean is start from one end and climb diagonally till you reach the other end and then follow the same pattern (this time in the opposite direction).

[D4D]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Till Kali Gopuram, it will be quite taxing to climb. While climbing i would suggest you to follow a zigzag pattern to climb so that you dont feel the strain.
What i mean is start from one end and climb diagonally till you reach the other end and then follow the same pattern (this time in the opposite direction).

Thank you! How far is Kali gopuram from the start?

And yes, anyone can recommend any good hotels? Around INR 1500 per night would be ideal.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by D4D

Thank you! How far is Kali gopuram from the start?

And yes, anyone can recommend any good hotels? Around INR 1500 per night would be ideal.

The total walking time right from the foot of the hills to the top should take you around 3-3.5 hrs. Not sure in terms of distance how far Kali Gopuram is. But from here on wards you get a combination of road and steps to climb to the top of the hills. The total walking distance is 9 kms.

[ampere]

Dont remember the names. But the first 2km are quite steep and these are steps. Once past that, you are much better and the walk is much easier.