Tirupati balaji which god

Legend suggests that Lord Balaji left Vaikuntha (his heavenly abode) and settled on earth at this place for the emancipation of the Humankind in the yuga where humans and their moral values will decay. And since the Lord himself chose to settle here, this place is also called Bhuloka Vaikuntham (meaning the Vaikuntha on earth). Moreover, this shrine is the eight Vishnu Swayambhu Kshetras and stands 75th in the Divya Desam list. Unlike other temples, where the presiding deity in the Grabha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) is a sculpture carved in stone with human expertise, this idol is said to be Lord Balaji himself. The Lord stood still facing the east in the spot that is now the Garbha Griha called Ananda Nilayam. Hence, Tirupati Balaji is hailed as the most powerful deity as he continues to exist, albeit in the form of a stone. Devotees voluntarily pledge to offer their hair with unshakable faith to Lord Balaji after asking for a wish to be fulfilled or even unconditionally. Every day, hundreds of people across all age groups donate their hair as a mark of respect to their beloved Srinivasa. Hence, the temple management has built a facility to help devotees complete their vow. A special kind of laddu made of gram flour, cashew nuts, cardamom, ghee, sugar, and raisins (in a particular proportion), is offered as Naiveidhyam to Lord Balaji. And the same is given as Prasadam to the devotees. This laddu has a distinct taste and is one of the most popular features of the temple.

The Rishis headed by Kasyapa began to perform a sacrifice (yaga) on the banks of the Ganges. Sage Narada visited them at that time and asked them to tell him why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it. Not being able to answer the question the Rishis approached Sage Bhrigu.To reach a solution after a direct ascertainment of reality, Sage Bhrigu first went to Satyaloka (the abode of Lord Brahma). There, he found Brahma reciting the four Vedas with his four heads in praise of Lord Narayana and attended upon by Sarasvati and not taking notice of Bhrigu offering obeisance. Concluding that Brahma was unfit for worship, Bhrigu left Brahmaloka for Kailasa. At Kailasa, Bhrigu found Lord Siva spending his time pleasantly with Parvati and not noticing the Sage Bhrigu. Parvati drew the attention of Siva to the presence of the sage. Lord Siva became furious at the intrusion of Bhrigu and tried to destroy him. The sage cursed and left for Vaikuntham. The angry sage went to Shri Vaikuntham. Shrimannarayana was reposing at that time on Adisesha with Shri Mahalakshmi at His feet in service. Finding that Shrimannarayana also did not notice him, the sage was infuriated and he kicked the Lord on His chest, the place where Mahalakshmi resides. At once the Lord hastened to make apologies to the angry Sage and pressed his feet to allay the pain caused to the leg. In doing so the Lord removed the eye in the foot of the Sage, which gave him power as to defy the Devas. T...

One of the richest temples in the country and a major tourist spot in South India, Lord Venkatesha Temple is popularly recognised as Tirupati Balaji. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and its sacred shrine has been mentioned in holy scriptures such as the Garuda Purana, Brahma Purana and many others. The temple is situated at a height of 853 m above sea level and is positioned on Venkata Hill, which is one of the saptagiri (seven hills) of Tirumala Hills. These seven peaks are said to be the hoods of sheshnag (serpent god). The awe-inspiring sacred shrine of the temple is covered in pure gold and is a sight to behold. The temple is flooded with devotees all year round and the average time taken for a devotee to reach the main idol can range from three to five hours. However, one can book online tickets to avoid the long queues and visit the main shrine devoid of hassles. The temple follows the rituals prescribed by Saint Ramanujacharya in the 11th century. Prayers start at 3 am and end with Ekanta Seva (a ritual in which a priest sings lullabies to put the lord to sleep) at 1 am. A popular practice in the temple is the donation of hair and various riches in order to please the god. The architecture of the temple building is spectacular and reflects the Dravidian style. Three entrances lead to the sanctum sanctorum - the first is called Mahadwaram. A gopuram (gateway), measuring 50 ft, is placed in front of the entrance. There are ...