Tirupati is a city located in Andhra Pradesh , India . Sangam literature, the earliest of Tamil literature mentions Thiruvengadam (now named Tirupati) which used to form the northernmost border of the Tamil Kingdoms. Sangam literature, such as Ilango Vadigal’s Silapadikaram and Satanar’s Manimekalai, bear testimony to the existence of a shrine at Tirupati. Puranic literature which was composed roughly around the post-Mauryan and early-Gupta era also mentions of Tirupati as the Aadhi Varaha Kshetra. The Puranas associate the site with Lord Varaha one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The Varaha shrine holds great importance in Tirupati and is said to be older than the main sanctum of Venkateswara. Even up to the time of Ramanuja, the famous Vaishnava scholar of the 12th century, the identity of the deity was still disputed until Ramanuja confirmed it to be Vishnu.

Whatever its origins, it was probably a well established Hindu shrine by the 5th century A.D, henceforth the Alvars or Vaishnava saints who led the Bhakti or Devotional movement in South India sung in praise of Lord Venketeswara as Vishnu. For the centuries to come Tirupati was richly endowed by the kings and emperors of various dynasties thus adding to its current reputation as the richest and most opulent temple in the world. The Imperial Cholas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara emperors were just some of the contributors for building the temple and donating gold and other ornaments for the temple.

Tirupathi
State : Andhra Pradesh

District : Chittoor
Coordinates : 13.39° N 79.25° E
Area : 476.66 km²
Elevation : 920 m above sea level

Time zone : IST (UTC+ 5:30 )
Population (2006) : 6,158,677
Density : 22,719/km²
Codes : Postal : 571501
Telephone : +91-877

Vehicle : AP-03