[shipnil]

Originally Posted by ravib

Here are my recommendations for you.

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Good visit yesterday.

It's been a while since I went for 300 rupees SED. I was lucky to get Suprabatham seva during last couple of years. For 300 rupees SED, does the TTD release only afternoon and evening timeslots? I think the earliest slot available on a day is 14:00 hrs. Let me know if this is accurate or there are any earlier slots available.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by shipnil

For 300 rupees SED, does the TTD release only afternoon and evening timeslots?

Replying to my own query. The slots start at 2 pm. Then 4, 5, 6 and so on. The last one is at 11 pm.

Also, if anyone wishes to book accommodation in Tirumala then make note of change in the process flow. Till last June, you could login and then select a date from the calendar to book a room. Now, when you select Tirumala on accommodation screen, the system first asks you to select the seva or darshan booking that you have made. This is the booking history screen. Once you select the darshan (SED/Arjitha Seva etc), it would show the actual booking and it would have a button next to it to book accommodation. The calendar that opens will let you select your darshan date or the previous date of your darshan day. No other dates are available or allowed now.

[Sunil@KA25]

Dear Ravi ji,
Thank you for the inputs and guidance, I had booked the SED of Rs.300 for me, wife and son (no booking for him as he is under 12 years) also had booked for accommodation thru the process mentioned by user - "Shipnil"
Adding to what is already shared by many users, I would like to share my experience from my visit..

• The 4 lane roads from Bangalore to Chittoor are good and from Chittoor to Tirupati it is a 6 lane and is excellent.
• Kanipakam Ganesh temple darshan stops at around 11:30 AM till 12 noon - plan to reach before 11:00 - IF planning to take Ganesha's blessings enroute.
• The Padmavathi temple also has a huge rush, but Special entry darshan tickets (Rs. 200) which are available at the temple, enables darshan in about 30-45 minutes.
• THE PS4 hotel as also mentioned by other users is a very good hotel for breakfast / lunch / dinner.
• AT the entry check post / toll gate - vehicles are checked thoroughly, including inside the hood (for some cars)
• Each and every piece of luggage will be scanned, pilgrims have to take the luggage to the scan machine from their vehicles.
• The road uphill is broad and very good - please do note that the road down hill is entirely different, having too many hair pin bends, steep curves and very narrow roads at some stretches.
• To confirm accommodation reach the ARP counter - which is next door to the railway reservation counter in that same building. Here the booking ticket / document is scanned.
• A SMS is shared in about 15 minutes giving info and google maps location of the allotted guest house - reach there within the time mentioned in the SMS.
• After checking in into the guest house, As suggested, Visit the Pushkarni (amazingly brilliant blue crystal clear waters here) to wash hands and face, then visit the Varaha swamy temple - they are next to each other.
• After Varaha swamy darshan, reach the ATC circle to join the Rs.300 SED darshan Que.
• At the time i visited, it took exactly Four hours in the Que to get the Darshan - sometimes it may take more or it may take less time.
• Offerings can be made at the SRIVAARI hundi once outside the inner temple.
• Laddoo Prasda has to be collected when completely outside the temple. Each ticket gets 2 laddo's only, additionally, each person can buy ONLY 2 more laddoo by paying Rs.50 for each laddoo.

• Additional laddoo = Additional persons in the Que OR join the que multiple times OR book in advance at the time of booking the darshan tickets.

Additional information / observation:

At the time I went during 23 /24 June, the que time for free darshan was quoted to be close to 48 hours.

Tirumala is very clean with all facilities for every one at every corner - Drinking water / Toilets / free bus / free food and paid food outlets/ etc..

Almost all security people / TTD employees speak basic Hindi, English and Kannada.

After four hours in the que, once you step inside the central / main temple (despite the "grab+pull+push" by the ushers) the feeling at the time of darshan is Magical / cannot be described in words

It was 13/14 years ago since the last time I had visited Tirumala, Overall this was a very fulfilling visit.

[itwasntme]

TTD cautions against using so-called agents who guarantee darshans in return for huge commissions:
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sout...arshan-1818517

[dass]

For those entering through the Supadam queue -

1. How far is the main temple from here?
2. Will the queue eventually merge with the SED and Free darshan queue?
3. Will the darshan be from far, as it is for SED and Free darshan queue?

Thanks in advance.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by dass

For those entering through the Supadam queue -
Thanks in advance.

Answers in line.

1. How far is the main temple from here?
Ans: About 200 meters till the sanctum sanctorum.
2. Will the queue eventually merge with the SED and Free darshan queue?
Ans: Yes, it would merge with them.
3. Will the darshan be from far, as it is for SED and Free darshan queue?
Ans: Yes, from Jaya Vijaya statue, same as SED or Divya Darshan devotees.

[jkrishnakj]

Dear all - My darshan at TTD is at 10 pm on 6th September. I haven't booked any accommodation at Tirumala and would prefer to stay at Tirupati.

Question is - Assuming I finish darshan and am out of the Queue by 11.45 pm or so, are the roads from Tirumala to Tirupati open? I remember reading somewhere that the Ghat roads are closed beyond a time at night.

[Sirivsk]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Dear all - My darshan at TTD is at 10 pm on 6th September. I haven't booked any accommodation at Tirumala and would prefer to stay at Tirupati.

Question is - Assuming I finish darshan and am out of the Queue by 11.45 pm or so, are the roads from Tirumala to Tirupati open? I remember reading somewhere that the Ghat roads are closed beyond a time at night.

The ghat road is closed from midnight to 3:00 AM.
With your Darshan slot at 10pm, You can actually try entering the queue earlier. Usually they allow to enter queue a couple of hours or even earlier than the booked slot. This way, you can finish darshan early and comfortably come down to Tirupati for your stay.

[jkrishnakj]

Thank you Sirivsk. Idea is to reach a little early. I've to figure out a way to get out of my office earlier.

I think the overall process should get done before midnight.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by Sirivsk

The ghat road is closed from midnight to 3:00 AM.

So if the road closes at midnight, is there a cut off for entry time, like say the vehicle has to enter at 11 pm latest so the journey is completed by 12 am (upto Alipiri)?

Similarly, if someone wishes to go up, do they have a cut off time for entry and what is it?

[adisan]

Originally Posted by shipnil

So if the road closes at midnight, is there a cut off for entry time, like say the vehicle has to enter at 11 pm latest so the journey is completed by 12 am (upto Alipiri)?

Similarly, if someone wishes to go up, do they have a cut off time for entry and what is it?

From what I have seen - till the cut-off time, vehicles are allowed to proceed to the ghat roads (from both Alipiri and Tirumala) and all those vehicles are allowed to ply and complete their journey through the ghat roads. After cut-off time, vehicles will queue up and wait at the check-post.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by shipnil

So if the road closes at midnight, is there a cut off for entry time, like say the vehicle has to enter at 11 pm latest so the journey is completed by 12 am (upto Alipiri)?

Vehicle can enter roughly upto 1155 pm and open like about 250-255 am at both ends. This is the best margin you can work with.

Any more cutthroat margin depends on how quickly Perumal wants to see you

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Thank you Sirivsk. Idea is to reach a little early. I've to figure out a way to get out of my office earlier.

I think the overall process should get done before midnight.

Enter the queue around 8PM. Evenings due to lesser sevas and other interruptions, there wont be too much backlog for SED. So you might be already through the queue complex by 9-930 and temple complex by 1030 including Laddu. So that will give you ample time and buffer to have dinner and come to Tirupati or the other way round.

[jkrishnakj]

I had a good trip. I managed to leave office at 4 pm. Barring those diversions on the roads towards Chitoor, the drive till Chitoor by-pass was a breeze. With just one bio-break, we reached the Alipiri security check area at 8.15 pm. In our experience, for the first time ever, there was zero Queue at the vehicle security point. Usually we end up waiting a minimum of 15 minutes to cross this place.

Drove up well within speed limits and managed a parking place near the museum. Parking slot was looking very empty compared to other times I've been there. Took a jeep to the ATC circle and we entered the SED queue at 9.15 pm sharp.

Big surprise that the place where they check the tickets and Aadhar was totally empty. Even more surprising was that we could walk all the way till the main entrance with hardly any pushing or shoving. My wife and I managed one of our best darshan so far. No staff was pushing you out or dragging you away. It was really a lot of
Peace and bliss this time.

With the ladoo counters being empty too, we quickly picked the Prasad and walked to reach our car park within no time. We left Tirumala at 10.30 pm and checked into our hotel at 11.30 pm.

I had not experienced such less crowds even during the Covid times. I guess everyone was busy with the Ganesha festival and that may be the biggest cause for low crowds at Tirupati.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

I had not experienced such less crowds even during the Covid times. I guess everyone was busy with the Ganesha festival and that may be the biggest cause for low crowds at Tirupati.

That’s because of Ganesha festival which is one of the commonest festivals. I think similar situation will be there during Diwali time as well.