Anada Nilayamu ~ Thirumala vimanam

As one gets down at Tirupati Railway / Bus station, heart throb increases – aspiring the good fortune of a grand  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.

Lord Sri Venkateswara, also known as Srinivasa, Balaji, and Veṅkaṭachalapati, made Tirumala his abode five thousand years ago. Even before him, it was Lord Varahaswami who had Tirumala as His abode. Since then, many devotees have continued to construct grand entrances on the ramparts of the temple over generations. The temple complex is spread over 16.2 acres of land.  Tirumala hills are part of Seshachalam Hills range. The hills are 853 metres (2,799 ft) above sea level and comprise seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha. The temple lies on the seventh peak—Venkatadri, on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy water tank. Hence the temple is also referred to as "Temple of Seven Hills”.

Of utmost significance is “Ananda Nilayam”  - the abode of Happiness, the residence of Emperuman Sri Venkateswarar.  Ananda Nilayam (Abode of Happiness) is the glittering gold-plated vimanam  of the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. At Thiruvarangam, it is “Pranavaakara vimanam”; at Thirukachi, Punyakoti vimanam and it is Ananda Vimanam at holy Thirumala.  

"Vimana" is the style of architecture ~  Ananda Nilaya Vimanam is a three-tiered canopy.  Back in 16^th century,  Vijayanagara Emperor Krishnadevaraya was a frequent donor and his donations of gold and jewels enabled the Ananda Nilayam (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. It is stated that there are 64 deities including Hayagreeva, Yoganarasimha, and Lakshmi Devi etc.  engraved on the Vimana Gopuram.

Saint Vyāsatīrtha – a great  philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta  lived here in the 16th century, and  attained moksha by steadfastly worshiping and meditating on the little image of Lord Venkateswara on the northeastern corner of the Ananda Nilaya Vimanam. This depiction   known as Vimana Venkateswara -   now is bedecked in special silver and gold over the Vimanam. Lakhs of devotees who have darshan at the holy shrine also have darshan of Vimana Venkateswarar who is clearly visible from the prakaram, just before the sannathi of Swami Ramanujar.

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
3.3.2025