[aargee]

Originally Posted by rohiT Nonu

During this process I got to know that there is some Brahmotsavam ( some big festival is also scheduled at that same time) for which certain seva's have been cancelled

Brahmotsavam happens during September; per TTD calendar, it's Temple Tepolsavam (TT) meaning the idols will be taken out from Srivari temple & there should be some small pond & there will be a procession around the pond along with the idol. This happens between 8-Mar to 12-Mar & on 25-Mar K.R.T Bramhotsavam begins.

Source of info - http://templesinindiainfo.com/wp-con...endar-2017.pdf

[nityaya]

Thanks for all the info guys. What would be your advise regarding stay? Should we stay near the temple or at Tirupati and start early morning for darshan? Do the guest houses have western toilets? And is there any time limit to reach Tirumala in the eveing, since we are coming from Mangalore exact time cannot be said.

[nityaya]

Normally what are the sevas that can be done there? Also are there any other temples that we need to visit ?

[ravib]

You can look at https://ttdsevaonline.com/ site to get all details about sevas and darshans.

There are couple of places to visit in Tirumala like papavinasam and other places, that can be done in half a day.

-Ravi

[nityaya]

I have booked special darshan tickets for me and my wife (as 9 year old daughter has free entry) and our reporting time is at 12.00 pm on 15.03.2017 at ATC parking area. We plan to start from Mangalore on 14th and reach Tirupati by evening. We have booked rooms at Marasa Sarovar. Please guide me regarding some points
1. Which route/road to take from Nelamangala?
2. Since our reporting time is at 12.00 pm is it possible to visit the Padmavati temple in the morning and proceed towards the temple after that?
Thanks in advance.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by nityaya

I have booked special darshan tickets for me and my wife (as 9 year old daughter has free entry) and our reporting time is at 12.00 pm on 15.03.2017 at ATC parking area. We plan to start from Mangalore on 14th and reach Tirupati by evening. We have booked rooms at Marasa Sarovar. Please guide me regarding some points
1. Which route/road to take from Nelamangala?
2. Since our reporting time is at 12.00 pm is it possible to visit the Padmavati temple in the morning and proceed towards the temple after that?
Thanks in advance.

For #1, it depends on the time you reach Nelemangala /. Bangalore outskirts. If it is in afternoon before 3 pm or so or in late nights, you can very well drive through the city to reach Old Madras Road/K.R.Puram and further down to Hoskote/Mulbagal/Chitoor/Tirupati.
If you are reaching in morning or evening peak hours, you better take the Outer Ring Road toward Hebbal and drive completely in Outer Ring Road. The only caveat is that, there is a railway track gate to cross to go towards Hebbal and it gets choked if there is a train crossing.

For #2, yes, you can do provided you goto Padmavati temple at 6 am or so, and you should be able to finish the darshan in 1 hour if you opt for Rs. 200 special darshan ticket. With 15 minutes one way travel+parking time, add another hour. So you can come back to Tirupati for breakfast around 8 am to 8.30 am. Assuming an hour break, if you leave at 9.30 am, you can reach Tirumala by and join the reporting queue at 12 noon.
However, it will be little hectic continuously starting from 5 am or so till you finish darshan and reach back Tirumala.

-Ravi

[nityaya]

Thanks Ravi for the quick reply. If we start at 7.00 am we should reach nelamangala by 1.00 - 1.30 pm. I feel Outer ring road will be more convenient. The other thing i wanted to enquire is regarding how safe it is to drive at night time on that road if we are reaching tirupati late at night around 9.00 or 10.00 pm. Secondly from google maps i am not able to make out any car parking area near ATC parking. So where exactly do we have to park our car?

[narsi_6989]

Originally Posted by nityaya

Thanks Ravi for the quick reply. If we start at 7.00 am we should reach nelamangala by 1.00 - 1.30 pm. I feel Outer ring road will be more convenient. The other thing i wanted to enquire is regarding how safe it is to drive at night time on that road if we are reaching tirupati late at night around 9.00 or 10.00 pm. Secondly from google maps i am not able to make out any car parking area near ATC parking. So where exactly do we have to park our car?

Hi, hope the below points answer your question.

• The roads around Tirupati are very good and especially the ghat section is well maintained by TTD. I visited on 4th March and had a good darshan. Being Saturday, there was a bit of rush but I was out of the shrine in 2 hours. I had driven down from Chennai and the roads were amazing. The roads from Bangalore to Chitoor is also good but around 90kms (Mulbagal - Chitoor) is 2 lane road with heavy truck traffic. Be cautious about numerous unmarked speed breakers in this stretch. I do on an average 2 round trips to Chennai in this route and I still miss a speed breaker or 2. I would not be able to comment on the Chitoor - Tirupati stretch as I have not traveled that way.
• As for the parking near ATC, you will see cars parked on your left and few down in one of the lanes in the left. You can park anywhere there and it will be safe. But I saw that you have booked accommodation in Tirupati and if it is in Tirumala, you can park next to your accommodation and avail the free bus services to report at ATC Parking. Be sure to report at the queue entrance in advance (atleast 30 mins). My time was 15:00, but I was let in at 14:00. The previous month my sister went and was 15 mins late in reporting and she had to wait until the next batch. It all depends on the day's rush. Hence it is always better to report early.
• Very important thing is your attire. Be sure to go in dhoti or else you will have to buy one just outside where the queue starts. I went in my jeans and was not allowed.
• Padmavati temple in Tiruchanoor is 1 hour drive from ATC Parking. My in laws had darshan in 40 mins (special darshan for Rs 200) on 4th (Saturday).

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

[*]Very important thing is your attire. Be sure to go in dhoti or else you will have to buy one just outside where the queue starts. I went in my jeans and was not allowed.[/list]

Is this a new rule? How strict are they about this rule?

Also, any idea how much time it takes for Donor Pass members as we have one?

[narsi_6989]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Is this a new rule? How strict are they about this rule?

Also, any idea how much time it takes for Donor Pass members as we have one?

They are very strict about the attire. It will on the back of the online ticket print out. Either dhothi or kurtha pajama. My uncle works in TTD and that made no difference. I had to buy a dhothi as I was in my jeans.

Until November my uncle was in Tirumala, inside the temple. The only thing he could do was to make us stand in front of the Lord for 5 mins. But nothing in bypassing the queue. Now he is in Alamelu Mangapuram

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

They are very strict about the attire. It will on the back of the online ticket print out. Either dhothi or kurtha pajama. My uncle works in TTD and that made no difference. I had to buy a dhothi as I was in my jeans

Thanks for this heads-up. Good to know that even Kurta Pyjama is also allowed.

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

Now he is in Alamelu Mangapuram

Isn't it spelt "Aluvelu Mangapuram"?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

Alamelu Mangapuram

Originally Posted by mobike008

Aluvelu Mangapuram

Alamelu Mangapuram in Thamizh = Aluvelu Mangapuram in Telugu

[narsi_6989]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks for this heads-up. Good to know that even Kurta Pyjama is also allowed.

Here you go - The Information to the Pilgrims.



I did not take it seriously. In fact, I called my uncle and he said this is not mandatory. He said that Jeans is not allowed for Ladies. I was very confident when people near the parking tried to sell dhoti that it was all business and ignored them. They were selling it for Rs 300. When I was prohibited to enter the queue by the security, I had no option but to buy from a nearby vendor and I got it for Rs 130. Another interesting thing that I was told by them is that the dress code is not mandatory for Free Darshan but mandatory only for Special Darshan

But I keep hearing contrasting versions about the dress code. My colleague went in Dec 16 and he was allowed in jeans. Another colleague who went walking last year and in Free darshan was not allowed with jeans and he had to buy a dhoti.

[Grand Drive]

I am quoting this from the official TTD link:

To enhance the spiritual ambience among the devotees thronging to Tirumala to get the darshan of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy, TTD has introduced traditional dress code in 2013. Initially it was implemented for the pilgrims who are taking part in Arjitha Sevas and now it has been extended to VIP pilgrims seeking break darshan of Lord Sri Venkateshwara Swamy, and general pilgrims who go for Rs.300 and Rs.50 darshan.

MEN
For men the dress code is dhoti or pyjamas with upper cloth.

WOMEN
For women the preferred dress code is saree or half-saree with blouse or churidar with pyjama and upper cloth.

[haria]

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

Here you go - The Information to the Pilgrims.
But I keep hearing contrasting versions about the dress code. My colleague went in Dec 16 and he was allowed in jeans. Another colleague who went walking last year and in Free darshan was not allowed with jeans and he had to buy a dhoti.

I think some amount of laxity is there in this rule for free darshan aka "Dhivya Dharshan" (Those who climb the hill by walk).

I went in Jan 2017 with few of my friends for Vaikunta ekadasi day darshan - couple of them were wearing trousers and nobody stopped them in the Q or during the darshan. But again, I have heard that few months back some people were stopped, because they were wearing pants/trousers.

In my opinion, it is better to opt for either Dhothi or kurtha, so that one needn't go thru this ambiguity.