[narayans80]

Originally Posted by temala

If anyone visits, let me know if rooms are available if we go in person at Tirumala. I am travelling on Friday 17th Jan from Bangalore.

Given the timing. Vaikunta Dwaram open + Sankaranti week. I would say book a room downhill (outside TTD). I would expect it to busy for the above suggestion.

[autoweirdo]

Friends I am planning to go to Tirumala by walking via Alipiri route. I had done this around 8-9 years back and no ticket booking was required just that they used to give you a band after registration (if i recollect correctly). Post that I am not sure if we went to general line or special darshan but it took us lot of time for darshan due to weekend.
What is current process now, do we need to book in advance? Also any special gate for devotees going via Alipri route?
Thanks In Advance

[temala]

Originally Posted by srvm

oh! Have a great darsan.

Edit: Exception to above method - Rooms are not given to single pilgrim and unmarried men.

Thanks srvm. I was looking for current situation in last 2 days if someone has travelled.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Given the timing. Vaikunta Dwaram open + Sankaranti week. I would say book a room downhill (outside TTD). I would expect it to busy for the above suggestion.

Thanks Narayan. I am planning to do up and down stretch in single day from Bangalore. Have done that multiple times earlier.

Was looking for current situation and feasibility to get accommodation in Tirumala do that we have some time on hill.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by autoweirdo

Friends I am planning to go to Tirumala by walking via Alipiri route. I had done this around 8-9 years back and no ticket booking was required just that they used to give you a band after registration (if i recollect correctly). Post that I am not sure if we went to general line or special darshan but it took us lot of time for darshan due to weekend.
What is current process now, do we need to book in advance? Also any special gate for devotees going via Alipri route?
Thanks In Advance

TTD doesn't give Divya-darshan tickets for folks going via Alipiri/Srivari Mettu anymore. They stopped this practice sometime back.

You can directly report for Sarvadarshan at Tirumala OR
Take Slotted Sarva-darshan (Aadhaar based token given at selected places* at Tirupati starting 4am until tokens get over).


* = Srinivasam (near bus stand), Vishnu Nivasam (near Railway station), Bhudevi complex (near Alipiri) & Srivari Mettu

[autoweirdo]

Originally Posted by srvm

TTD doesn't give Divya-darshan tickets for folks going via Alipiri/Srivari Mettu anymore. They stopped this practice sometime back.

You can directly report for Sarvadarshan at Tirumala OR
Take Slotted Sarva-darshan (Aadhaar based token given at selected places* at Tirupati starting 4am until tokens get over).


* = Srinivasam (near bus stand), Vishnu Nivasam (near Railway station), Bhudevi complex (near Alipiri) & Srivari Mettu

Thank you very much for information, this helps

[ravib]

Originally Posted by srvm

TTD doesn't give Divya-darshan tickets for folks going via Alipiri/Srivari Mettu anymore. They stopped this practice sometime back.

You can directly report for Sarvadarshan at Tirumala OR
Take Slotted Sarva-darshan (Aadhaar based token given at selected places* at Tirupati starting 4am until tokens get over).


* = Srinivasam (near bus stand), Vishnu Nivasam (near Railway station), Bhudevi complex (near Alipiri) & Srivari Mettu

What i heard was, for the pilgrims who are climbing up via Srivari Mettu steps were still given Divya Darshan tickets at the beginning of steps and validated after some 1300th step or somewhere at 70% distance IIRC.

However, no tickets are provided for pilgrims climbing via Alipiri route steps.

-Ravi

[srvm]

Originally Posted by srvm

TTD doesn't give Divya-darshan tickets for folks going via Alipiri/Srivari Mettu anymore. They stopped this practice sometime back.

You can directly report for Sarvadarshan at Tirumala OR
Take Slotted Sarva-darshan (Aadhaar based token given at selected places* at Tirupati starting 4am until tokens get over).


* = Srinivasam (near bus stand), Vishnu Nivasam (near Railway station), Bhudevi complex (near Alipiri) & Srivari Mettu

Originally Posted by autoweirdo

Thank you very much for information, this helps

Originally Posted by ravib

What i heard was, for the pilgrims who are climbing up via Srivari Mettu steps were still given Divya Darshan tickets at the beginning of steps and validated after some 1300th step or somewhere at 70% distance IIRC.

However, no tickets are provided for pilgrims climbing via Alipiri route steps.

-Ravi

Some clarifications regarding these points.

1. Slotted sarva darshan tokens are given at Srivari Mettu also. Issuing starts at 6am and per day they give about 3000 tokens at this location. Anyway climbing this route is not permitted before 6am.

2. For slotted sarvadarsan tokens - be it any counter - one must carry Aadhaar. And all pilgrims should stand in the queue since they take photo of every pilgrim. No proxies. One family member carrying several Aadhaar cards doesn't work. Typically tokens are exhausted by morning itself. When extreme rush is there, they issue tokens at midnight itself instead of 4am**. (Typical Tirupati style - no fixed rules - all rules are bent when needed )
** At Srinivasam, Vishnu Nivasam and Bhoodevi complex


2. What ravib mentions is Divya-darsan tokens: Earlier people walking via either Alipiri or Srivari mettu used to get a token with reporting time at Vaikuntam Q-complex. This used to get checked midway on the footpath to ensure people actually climbed. Aadhaar was not needed for this. In April-2024 when I climbed Alipiri route, the checking point at Gali-gopuram was in abandoned state. On enquiry, TTD staff told me that Divya-darsan token was altogether stopped. It is quite possible that they meant stopped only for Alipiri route and not for Srivari mettu (As ravib mentions). If this option is still available for pilgrims walking via Srivari mettu, then it is a good news.

[shipnil]

Has anyone recently performed Kalyanotsavam? Is it still performed inside Srivari temple? or like Unjal seva it is moved outside to another hall?

Also, I came across following snippet on a website.

Unmarried daughter under 18 years can participate in this Seva along with their parents on purchasing Rs.300 ticket at Supadam entrance.

Source: https://gotirupati.com/tirupati-kalyanotsavam/

Can anyone confirm this? I have a daugther who is 16 but since TTD doesn't allow 12+ kids to any Seva along with the parents, it becomes difficult to plan with her.

[itwasntme]

Folks, we have a 2100 SED next week.

Can frequent visitors advise the following w.r.t. the current situation:

1. How early should we try and enter the queue, i.e. the earlier the better.
2. How long is the approximate wait time during evening times?
3. Will we able to complete darshan, collect laddoos etc, and exit Tirumala by the cut-off (2345)?
4. Any issues with driving back directly to BLR? Haven't been on that route for some time now.
5. If we are unable to exit in time, where is a good place to safely rest till 0300?
6. Practically speaking, how cold is it up at Tirumala?
7. Any other matters we should be aware of?

Have never attended a darshan in winter evenings, hence the above queries.

[jkrishnakj]

1 You can get in as early as 7 pm. My wife and son had the exact slot last month and they joined at 6.30 pm and were back at the hotel at Tirupati by 10.30 pm
2. Wait times are just about any other day. I'm hoping your day isn't a Friday or the weekend.
3. Yes. Join in early and it's easily possible
4. Not at all. It continues to be as good as it always was. There are a couple of deviations near Mulbagal but nothing major
5. Tough one. There are dormitories available for free on top. You might need blankets etc to get some rest. It get quite cold in the night this time of the year
6. Nothing that a Bangalorean can't handle. That said, post mid-night till 5 am can be really biting
7. I somehow feel an overnight stay and drive back next day is peace of mind as opposed to driving till 2 or 2.30 am back home

Have a fantastic darshan itwasntme.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

4. Any issues with driving back directly to BLR? Haven't been on that route for some time now.
5. If we are unable to exit in time, where is a good place to safely rest till 0300?
6. Practically speaking, how cold is it up at Tirumala?

Drive down from Tirumala to Tirupati and stay overnight. Ideally, leave Bangalore in the morning and check in to a hotel in Tirupati and have lunch and rest for a bit -you’re spoilt for choice now with so many good hotels available. Drive up to Tirumala around 5pm, finish your darshan and get back to the hotel. You can start the return drive to Bangalore next day morning.

Have a great Darshan!

*visit PS4 for a meal, not to be missed!

[DetectiveMiles]

Hello,
Thanks for all the great information.

I plan to take Darshan after climbing via footsteps (~Feb 2nd week). I would like to know if there is any good option to take bath and change after reaching to the top of Tirumala as I will be going with my wife, also lockers to place mobile/bag. In the past when I went without women, we went Madhava Nilayam to take bath and also use lockers for the bags.
Thanks

[mrkireeti]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Folks, we have a 2100 SED next week.

Can frequent visitors advise the following w.r.t. the current situation:

Have never attended a darshan in winter evenings, hence the above queries.

1. How early should we try and enter the queue, i.e. the earlier the better.

We had 8 pm slot and we entered the que at 2:45 pm. The only thing the security at the entrance checked was whether you have slot on the same day.

2. How long is the approximate wait time during evening times?

We entered the que at 2:45 pm and came out by 5:45 pm on Dec 27th.

3. Will we able to complete darshan, collect laddoos etc, and exit Tirumala by the cut-off (2345)?

We were done with dinner also by 8:30 pm after entering the que at 2:45 pm.

Hope it helps.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by DetectiveMiles

I plan to take Darshan after climbing via footsteps (~Feb 2nd week). I would like to know if there is any good option to take bath and change after reaching to the top of Tirumala.

I face this issue always as I mostly go alone to Tirumala, and more often than not climb stairs. Your best option is to use the washroom at PAC. These are big halls built by TTD for poor pilgrims or people like me who come alone. These have free lockers and washrooms. About the cleanliness, I'd say the staff tries to maintain them to the standards but the amount of people these see, there are bound to be some issues.

These are opposite to main bus stand at Tirumala. You can ask anyone where is PAC. If you are climbing from Alipiri route, they are immediately where the stairs end. If you are climbing from Srivari Mettu margam, then you will have to take a long walk to CRO. These are next to CRO/opposite to bus stand.

There are two or three PAC complexes. Among those, I find Madhavnilayam complex to be less crowded, comparatively.

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by DetectiveMiles

Hello,
Thanks for all the great information.

I plan to take Darshan after climbing via footsteps (~Feb 2nd week). I would like to know if there is any good option to take bath and change after reaching to the top of Tirumala as I will be going with my wife, also lockers to place mobile/bag. In the past when I went without women, we went Madhava Nilayam to take bath and also use lockers for the bags.
Thanks

There are free dormitories that have clean wash and shower rooms available at Tirumala. I'm not able to recall the name of that complex, but it's very close to 'RamBageecha' complex.

Edit : Just seeing Shipnil's note. Yes. It's indeed Madhavanilayam.