[adisan]

Originally Posted by RahulRV

Hello Members,
But the timings & hassle is not possible for my Mom as she cant stand for more than 20 min due to arthritis.
Requesting members which way to go & which type of darshan ticket to opt for.
Thank you.

Details regarding TTD special darshan for senior citizens and medical cases. They do provide wheelchair also, not sure whether arthritis is covered under this. Try contacting TTD helpline 155257 for confirmation.

Most of the online quotas ger released 3 months in advance, including the above-mentioned. Other options:

• The APSRTC package, but you have to travel by the same bus.
• Go to Tirupati and get Slotted Sarva Darshan tickets for which the quota gets released everyday - same day or next day darshan.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by RahulRV

Hello Members,
Me & my sister have been trying to visit Tirupati since 2 years & have no luck in online booking as well. I have gone through many pages but can't conclude on which option to choose for the darshan. My sister comes down to India once every 6 months and will be here for around 2-3 weeks. We considered option of going through travel agencies with Rs.300/- Darshan ticket as well, But the timings & hassle is not possible for my Mom as she cant stand for more than 20 min due to arthritis.
Requesting members which way to go & which type of darshan ticket to opt for.
Thank you.

Unfortunately, if 20 minutes is the real limit for your mother to stand and walk, then I am afraid the fastest darshans will still take more than that time owing to the nature of the temple, its size and the distance to the nearest parking lots. Hence, I would suggest you to explore some options where you dont have this hard limit of 20 minutes. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to your mothers knees since the temple has too many steps and too much of walking distance. Even the senior citizen darshan will require a walk time of more than 20 minutes and you should look at some assistance like a walker or what is comfortable considering her condition.

Or if she can manage realistically for more than that time upto 45 minutes, then you can use the senior citizen facility but without you and sister accompanying her. Another systematic disadvantage is that since footwear is not allowed anywhere in the queue areas, it is very strenuous to walk which otherwise would have been comfortable with a very soft pair of shoes.

[Vinod_nair]

Anyone knows how to buy genuine online ladoo from Tirupati?

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by Vinod_nair

Anyone knows how to buy genuine online ladoo from Tirupati?

Have they started doing this online? That’s new.

I’m not aware of this unless TTD has started this recently.

Otherwise, there is no restriction for the number of ladoo that anyone can buy from there. Simply pay cash and buy as much as one wants. So much so, I know many people who go to Tirumala trying their luck for sarvadarshan, and check queue times and if they cant have a darshan, they simply walk to the ladoo counters and buy. You don’t need darshan tickets to buy.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by RahulRV

Hello Members,
Me & my sister have been trying to visit Tirupati since 2 years & have no luck in online booking as well. I have gone through many pages but can't conclude on which option to choose for the darshan. My sister comes down to India once every 6 months and will be here for around 2-3 weeks. We considered option of going through travel agencies with Rs.300/- Darshan ticket as well, But the timings & hassle is not possible for my Mom as she cant stand for more than 20 min due to arthritis.
Requesting members which way to go & which type of darshan ticket to opt for.
Thank you.

I can understand your situation. Its getting more & more harder to get normal darshan tickets in TTD and not that easy now unlike covid/pre-covid times. Last year and this year, we have to plan for easily 3 to 4 months ahead to get Rs. 300 darshan in general and have to book that too quite fast on the date when they open which also gets filled fast.

I totally agree with what audioholic mentioned. Look at that too. That said,

Since you mentioned your sister is outside India and visiting here and unable to get darshan tickets, i think the really practical and best option that you can have darshan is Srivani Trust donation of Rs. 10,000/- per person plus Rs. 500 ticket to get Break darshan, which helps you to go very close to the god and have amazing darshan in close proximity. Its far mar easier to get that darshan tickets than all other options that are normally available. You don't have to book tickets way too in advance.

Yes, it is expensive , but that's the best choice available and will be always memorable too , hence my recommendation.

-Ravi

[adisan]

Unfortunately, if 20 minutes is the real limit for your mother to stand and walk, then I am afraid the fastest darshans will still take more than that time owing to the nature of the temple, its size and the distance to the nearest parking lots.

Can go by vehicle till Ram Bagicha Complex entrance, and from there battery-operated car is available till Supatham, which is the entry point for senior citizen darshan. I do remember seeing seniors on wheelchairs going for darshan.
So, if senior citizen darshan works out, there would be very minimal walking needed.

[RahulRV]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

Sorry to hear about your experience. Darshan ticket booking window is very small and slots gets filled almost as soon as the booking is opened (reminds me of railways Tatkal booking).

Info about future slot booking is published on TTD website from time to time. But if you are finding it difficult to get a slot then you can consider bus package. From Bangalore, you can explore KSRTC / KSTDC package where Darshan is guaranteed, though the overall trip may feel quite rushed and tiring. They start from Bangalore at night, darshan during early/late morning hours and start return journey after lunch.

Yes, did enquire few travel agency & Saw the tirupati package by bus, but again it is rushed up & few people said the place given for fresh-up is not good either, so have kept this as a last option.
Thank you.

Originally Posted by adisan

Details regarding TTD special darshan for senior citizens and medical cases. They do provide wheelchair also, not sure whether arthritis is covered under this. Try contacting TTD helpline 155257 for confirmation.

Most of the online quotas ger released 3 months in advance, including the above-mentioned. Other options:

• The APSRTC package, but you have to travel by the same bus.
• Go to Tirupati and get Slotted Sarva Darshan tickets for which the quota gets released everyday - same day or next day darshan.

Thank you, Will surely look into this.

Originally Posted by audioholic

Unfortunately, if 20 minutes is the real limit for your mother to stand and walk, then I am afraid the fastest darshans will still take more than that time owing to the nature of the temple, its size and the distance to the nearest parking lots. Hence, I would suggest you to explore some options where you dont have this hard limit of 20 minutes. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to your mothers knees since the temple has too many steps and too much of walking distance. Even the senior citizen darshan will require a walk time of more than 20 minutes and you should look at some assistance like a walker or what is comfortable considering her condition.

Or if she can manage realistically for more than that time upto 45 minutes, then you can use the senior citizen facility but without you and sister accompanying her. Another systematic disadvantage is that since footwear is not allowed anywhere in the queue areas, it is very strenuous to walk which otherwise would have been comfortable with a very soft pair of shoes.

Are there places to sit? If yes she can rest for few minutes & proceed. Can you highlight which are the fastest options that I can opt for?
Thank you.

Originally Posted by ravib

I can understand your situation. Its getting more & more harder to get normal darshan tickets in TTD and not that easy now unlike covid/pre-covid times. Last year and this year, we have to plan for easily 3 to 4 months ahead to get Rs. 300 darshan in general and have to book that too quite fast on the date when they open which also gets filled fast.

I totally agree with what audioholic mentioned. Look at that too. That said,

Since you mentioned your sister is outside India and visiting here and unable to get darshan tickets, i think the really practical and best option that you can have darshan is Srivani Trust donation of Rs. 10,000/- per person plus Rs. 500 ticket to get Break darshan, which helps you to go very close to the god and have amazing darshan in close proximity. Its far mar easier to get that darshan tickets than all other options that are normally available. You don't have to book tickets way too in advance.

Yes, it is expensive , but that's the best choice available and will be always memorable too , hence my recommendation.

-Ravi

Yea, the Rs. 300 darshan tickets are hard to get, Wonder how these travel agents have it ready whenever you go with their package. And thank you, will look into this Srivani Trust donation. Is this also available on slot basis?

Originally Posted by adisan

Can go by vehicle till Ram Bagicha Complex entrance, and from there battery-operated car is available till Supatham, which is the entry point for senior citizen darshan. I do remember seeing seniors on wheelchairs going for darshan.
So, if senior citizen darshan works out, there would be very minimal walking needed.

Thank you so much, Will look into this option.

[AgastyaR]

Originally Posted by RahulRV

rushed up & few people said the place given for fresh-up is not good either

Let me share the first hand experience of KSTDC here. Definitely they will be rushing as they will target to complete Darshan before lunch and the Darshan will start ~11am. I felt this is bit uncomfortable for senior citizens.

Coming to the place given for fresh-up was decent enough and heard they use the same hotel all days. Breakfast and lunch will be arranged at the same hotel. Staff were well behaved and helpful.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by RahulRV

Yes, did enquire few travel agency & Saw the tirupati package by bus, but again it is rushed up & few people said the place given for fresh-up is not good either, so have kept this as a last option.
Thank you.

Thank you, Will surely look into this.


Are there places to sit? If yes she can rest for few minutes & proceed. Can you highlight which are the fastest options that I can opt for?
Thank you.


Yea, the Rs. 300 darshan tickets are hard to get, Wonder how these travel agents have it ready whenever you go with their package. And thank you, will look into this Srivani Trust donation. Is this also available on slot basis?


Thank you so much, Will look into this option.

To answer your questions, if you want to just complete the darshan like checking a box in rushed manner and no other choice of getting darshan, the online agents method will work, but i can tell you, its not going to be a relaxed peaceful darshan, which is the main purpose IMO. It really won't work for senior citizens, especially who can't walk fast or having any difficulty in mobility.

Till the queue waiting lines, there are few places to sit, but beyond Vaikuntam Q complex , there is no place to sit and they won't allow either. It just a continuous walk till we finish darshan and come out of sanctum sanctorum near to golden well.

Srivani Trust Donation tickets are generally easily available and not slot based. Certain dates are blocked for various reasons like festivals etc, but not that too difficult to get. You can also check the ticket availability for required dates before donating as well.

-Ravi

[gadadhar]

Did Darshan through the INR 300 option on 2nd Sep, Saturday, we had taken the evening 6 pm slot.

• There was a long queue at Alipiri for vehicle checking and it close to 30 mins there

• Entered the queue at 5 pm, it took almost 1 hour to reach the place where ticket gets scanned. They were allowing people with 10 pm slot without any questions, I guess there is hardly any check on the time slot (wonder why, will it allow better crowd control if people are made to stick to the time slot with a reasonable buffer?)

• We had to sit in the waiting box for close to 2.5 hours, the rush at the last scanning place, adjacent toilets and the passage through the box (people familiar with the place I am sure will understand the location refereed) was much more than usual, I could see the kids and elderly were struggling

• Darshan was good, there was no much pushing and pulling by the temple officials during Darshan. They held my folded hands in two places looking for money and offering additional time for Darshan. Imagine all this is happens in that few seconds you are in front of the Lord. It will be a good idea to have few hundreds in your hands if you plan to utilise their offer which I did not have

• Laddu counter was quick, but there was only single queue for the bags and that was long. They have stopped selling bags at laddu counter, carry your own bag will be a better idea

• After so many visits, I am yet to figure out the best way to reach parking around ATC after Darshan. I exited next to the Laddu counter on the street where Annadanam is done, and hired a jeep to reach where I had parked on the roadside near ATC. It was 10 pm by the time we started from Tirumalai

• It took more than 1 hour at Kanipakkam with Athisheekhra Darshan tickets. It was not the crowd, but total mismanagement that was creating the problem there
  

• Encountered vehicle with speed-radars near Tirupati tollbooth and near Kanipakkam on the byepass
  
  

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Did Darshan through the INR 300 option on 2nd Sep, Saturday, we had taken the evening 6 pm slot.

Encountered vehicle with speed-radars near Tirupati tollbooth and near Kanipakkam on the byepass

Exactly where / which locations are you mentioning? Asking as I am not familiar with the names of these locations though I do this route regularly. Also what time of the day/night was this. Again asking as you said you left around 10 pm.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Exactly where / which locations are you mentioning? Asking as I am not familiar with the names of these locations though I do this route regularly. Also what time of the day/night was this. Again asking as you said you left around 10 pm.

This was on the way back from Tirupati on Sunday morning. First vehicle was around 15 Kms once you hit the highway before reaching the tollbooth. Second vehicle was around 25 kms from there where you take the deviation towards Kanipakkam temple... It would have been 12 noon and 1 pm. Hope that helps

[TheVaas]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

• Laddu counter was quick, but there was only single queue for the bags and that was long. They have stopped selling bags at laddu counter, carry your own bag will be a better idea
  
  

As far as I remember, you aren't allowed to carry anything with you - deposit everything at the locker facility. Have they changed the location of the laddu counter? Or has this 'bag counter' been introduced nearer to the parking lot - wherein we can access any extra bags we are carrying? Sorry to sound so confused.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by TheVaas

As far as I remember, you aren't allowed to carry anything with you - deposit everything at the locker facility. Have they changed the location of the laddu counter? Or has this 'bag counter' been introduced nearer to the parking lot - wherein we can access any extra bags we are carrying? Sorry to sound so confused.

You can carry bags including lady handbags provided they don't contain banned items like mobiles, smart watches, other electronic items, cigarettes, plastics etc, these bags will be scanned in two different places.

Laddu counter is moved to the ground floor of the same building where it was housed earlier. Cloth bags are sold in the ground floor, but only through one exclusive counter and the queue was long there.

Hope that clarifies.

[Akash86M]

I'll be in tirupati on 19th with family. I couldn't get online tickets. What are the chances of getting them offline in tirupati?