Garuda at holy Tirupathi ~ కట్టెదుర వైకుంఠము కాణాచయిన కొండ

 

Even to a regular visitor – the holy Thirumala hills offers many surprises.  Capturing a picture of  the Garuda from moving vehicle was challenging !!

 

As one gets down at Tirupati Railway / Bus station, heart throb increases of the chances of good darshan of Thiruvengadamudaiyan – and there are so many divine things to see and feel elated in pilgrimage to holy Tirumala hills.

 

కట్టెదుర వైకుంఠము కాణాచయిన కొండ

తెట్టలాయ మహిమలే తిరుమల కొండ 

Kattedura vaikunthamu kaanaachayina konda

tettalaaya mahimalae tirumala konda

 

In this sankeerthana, Annamayya describes the sanctity and the importance of the Tirupathi hills(Konda). Each of the seven Hills has a story behind it and a reason as to how each got its name. These hills are deposits of medicinal herbs, water streams and has the holy shrine of most benevolent Lord Srinivasa. In one stanza Annamayya describes the hill being the passing ground for many water streams, in another he explains how all the beings have sprung as trees on this Hill to be closer to the Lord. 

The temple town below the hills is ‘Thirupathi” (Tirupati)   known for its significant religious and cultural heritage,   situated 150 km from Chennai, 250 km from Bangalore, and 406 km from Amaravati.  The place in its present divinity owes everything to the great Acarya Swami Ramanujar who visited and stayed here for a while.  There are so many inscriptions in the hundreds of temples citing Pallave, Chola, Pandya, Saluva(Achyuta Deva Raya / Krishna deva raha) and many more.

 

With lakhs of visitors everyday in every mode of transport from walk to air, there is heavy traffic and in recent times many bridges have sprung up.  There is ‘Srinivasa Setu’ and an elevated corridor ‘Garuda Varadhi’.  The bridge pillars bear Thiruman of the Lord and the electric poles have Garuda depiction.

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
10.12.2024