Fleeting Glimpse of Lord Govinda in Tirumala
From Alipiri Gate to Tirumala in all there are 3550 steps to be chased. Mind you Alipiri Gate is in Tirupati near Balaji bus station. On the way there are pop and mom stores supplemented by a large number of vendors selling their wares. Each one has a task cut out for himself/herself. Thursday when i started a little after 9 in the morning from Alipiri Gate i was apprehensive whether i would be able to make it in three to four hours. Adding to the apprehension was heavy downpour after 11 which restricted movement for over 30 to 40 minutes. By Lord Govinda's grace i was able to make it to Tirumala.
Reaching Tirumala, reaching Bangaru Vakili on two occasions in a single day
As Friday was the day i was given token (for convenience of devotees one should note these darshan tokens are free) to visit the temple i boarded a bus around 6.30 in the morning from Tirupati to Tirumala. There was a family from Mumbai which had secured darshan token from Srinivasam Complex in Tirupati at 12 am and their darshan timing was 8 am. When we reached Tirumala they enquired about the way to proceed since much of Hindi was not spoken and understood in this part of the country. I collected laminated pictures of Lord Govinda and headed to VQC (Vaikuntam Queue Complex) 1 or 2 where there are spacious compartments where devotees are asked to wait. I had barely waited for 15 minutes and gates opened and i was in sanctum sanctorum in less than half an hour. I spent some time near Vayu Bhagwan. When i could secure fleeting glimpse of Lord Govinda in such a short time thoughts travelled of having a second glimpse of Lord Govinda by taking a token and entering the temple for Sarva Darshan. Around 10. 30 i entered the designated compartment and the gates opened sometime after 4 pm. I was in Bangaru Vakili (Sanctum Sanctorum) by 5 pm and captured a good glimpse of Lord Govinda. With two darshans secured of Lord Venkateswara on a single day nothing could have been much better in Tirumala. Later i visited Anna Prasada Centre and the food as always was something to relish/cheer about. I returned from Tirumala to Tirupati a little after 8 pm.
On Saturday at 2 in the morning i visited the well lit Srinivasam Complex which is opposite Triveni Residency and collected a Sarva Darshan token after furnishing Aadhar Card. The designated time for darshan/temple entry was given 1 pm. As usual i left by bus from Tirumala. From foothpath entrance i was supposed to troop in where the compartment number where i was supposed to wait was to be given. I entered compartment at 12 pm. By 1.30 i was in Bangaru Vakili with Lord Govinda looking as relaxed and resplendent as ever. I should have visited Anna Prasada Centre and taken the food as i only used to have bananas in the morning. No sooner i returned to Tirupati i had masala dosa and the sambhar from Hotel Mayura which was hard on my stomach. I had stomach discomfort and to be on the safer side later in the evening i had idli from Sarvana Bhawan near RTC bus stand opposite Srinivasam Complex. I had masala dosa from Hotel Mayura on Thursday as well and that looked to be fine but on Saturday it was not something to relish.
Another Glimpse of Lord Govinda
Sarvana Bhawan is the ideal destination for snacks and meals if one is in Tirupati. Sunday i visited Tirumala with temple visit not on my mind. As i neared Tirumala this thought crossed my mind why not have a fleeting glimpse of the Lord one more time. There is a circuitous route to the point where tokens are disbursed. I rushed to gain token and enter the designated compartment. I was in compartment around 11 am with a prayer on my lip that i should have a pious and early darshan. Though the designated time for darshan was 11 pm the gates were opened well before 5 pm. And that has been true for all occasions when the gates have been opened well before the designated time of Lord Govinda's Darshan. A little after 5.30 i was in sanctum sanctorum thanking Lord Govinda for giving me another opportunity to visit him. A fleeting glimpse of Lord Govinda is enough to cheer you up. I was in Anna Prasada Centre a little before 7 and returned to Tirupati by 8.30.
Monday i visited Tirumala one more time and visited the outer periphery of the temple as well as Lord Hanuman temple opposite Lord Govinda temple. Monday i returned from Tirumala to Tirupati by 10.30 am. In Tirumala i did not get opportunity to visit Lepakshi Centre. The STD booth which is near Indian Bank ATM near Lepakshi has provision for making local calls; earlier one could make STD calls from the same booth. In this booth STD facility should be restored. In Tirupati i used to take tea from Friends Tea Centre and a tea centre run by one Mr Reddy inside the bus stand.
It was wonderful stay in Tirumala/Tirupati and Lord Govinda was kind enough to give his fleeting glimpse on more than three occasions.
Frisking in Tirumala should be thorough all through the year and those carrying bags they should be screened as well. Tirumala is a wonderful place with Lord Govinda showering his blessings on everyone.
From Alipiri Gate to Tirumala in all there are 3550 steps to be chased. Mind you Alipiri Gate is in Tirupati near Balaji bus station. On the way there are pop and mom stores supplemented by a large number of vendors selling their wares. Each one has a task cut out for himself/herself. Thursday when i started a little after 9 in the morning from Alipiri Gate i was apprehensive whether i would be able to make it in three to four hours. Adding to the apprehension was heavy downpour after 11 which restricted movement for over 30 to 40 minutes. By Lord Govinda's grace i was able to make it to Tirumala.
Reaching Tirumala, reaching Bangaru Vakili on two occasions in a single day
As Friday was the day i was given token (for convenience of devotees one should note these darshan tokens are free) to visit the temple i boarded a bus around 6.30 in the morning from Tirupati to Tirumala. There was a family from Mumbai which had secured darshan token from Srinivasam Complex in Tirupati at 12 am and their darshan timing was 8 am. When we reached Tirumala they enquired about the way to proceed since much of Hindi was not spoken and understood in this part of the country. I collected laminated pictures of Lord Govinda and headed to VQC (Vaikuntam Queue Complex) 1 or 2 where there are spacious compartments where devotees are asked to wait. I had barely waited for 15 minutes and gates opened and i was in sanctum sanctorum in less than half an hour. I spent some time near Vayu Bhagwan. When i could secure fleeting glimpse of Lord Govinda in such a short time thoughts travelled of having a second glimpse of Lord Govinda by taking a token and entering the temple for Sarva Darshan. Around 10. 30 i entered the designated compartment and the gates opened sometime after 4 pm. I was in Bangaru Vakili (Sanctum Sanctorum) by 5 pm and captured a good glimpse of Lord Govinda. With two darshans secured of Lord Venkateswara on a single day nothing could have been much better in Tirumala. Later i visited Anna Prasada Centre and the food as always was something to relish/cheer about. I returned from Tirumala to Tirupati a little after 8 pm.
On Saturday at 2 in the morning i visited the well lit Srinivasam Complex which is opposite Triveni Residency and collected a Sarva Darshan token after furnishing Aadhar Card. The designated time for darshan/temple entry was given 1 pm. As usual i left by bus from Tirumala. From foothpath entrance i was supposed to troop in where the compartment number where i was supposed to wait was to be given. I entered compartment at 12 pm. By 1.30 i was in Bangaru Vakili with Lord Govinda looking as relaxed and resplendent as ever. I should have visited Anna Prasada Centre and taken the food as i only used to have bananas in the morning. No sooner i returned to Tirupati i had masala dosa and the sambhar from Hotel Mayura which was hard on my stomach. I had stomach discomfort and to be on the safer side later in the evening i had idli from Sarvana Bhawan near RTC bus stand opposite Srinivasam Complex. I had masala dosa from Hotel Mayura on Thursday as well and that looked to be fine but on Saturday it was not something to relish.
Another Glimpse of Lord Govinda
Sarvana Bhawan is the ideal destination for snacks and meals if one is in Tirupati. Sunday i visited Tirumala with temple visit not on my mind. As i neared Tirumala this thought crossed my mind why not have a fleeting glimpse of the Lord one more time. There is a circuitous route to the point where tokens are disbursed. I rushed to gain token and enter the designated compartment. I was in compartment around 11 am with a prayer on my lip that i should have a pious and early darshan. Though the designated time for darshan was 11 pm the gates were opened well before 5 pm. And that has been true for all occasions when the gates have been opened well before the designated time of Lord Govinda's Darshan. A little after 5.30 i was in sanctum sanctorum thanking Lord Govinda for giving me another opportunity to visit him. A fleeting glimpse of Lord Govinda is enough to cheer you up. I was in Anna Prasada Centre a little before 7 and returned to Tirupati by 8.30.
Monday i visited Tirumala one more time and visited the outer periphery of the temple as well as Lord Hanuman temple opposite Lord Govinda temple. Monday i returned from Tirumala to Tirupati by 10.30 am. In Tirumala i did not get opportunity to visit Lepakshi Centre. The STD booth which is near Indian Bank ATM near Lepakshi has provision for making local calls; earlier one could make STD calls from the same booth. In this booth STD facility should be restored. In Tirupati i used to take tea from Friends Tea Centre and a tea centre run by one Mr Reddy inside the bus stand.
It was wonderful stay in Tirumala/Tirupati and Lord Govinda was kind enough to give his fleeting glimpse on more than three occasions.
Frisking in Tirumala should be thorough all through the year and those carrying bags they should be screened as well. Tirumala is a wonderful place with Lord Govinda showering his blessings on everyone.
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