Tirupati - తిరుపతి

The town of Tirupati is one of the most ancient and sacred pilgrimage spots in India. The name 'Tirupati' means the "Lord if Lakshmi", and should have been applied to the village on the Venkat hill, the dwelling of lord venkateswara. However, Tirupati is the town and transport hub at the bottom of the hill. The hill near the temple is called 'Tirumala' or the "sacred hill". The temple here is said to be the busiest in the world, eclipsing even rome, Jerusalem and Mecca in the number of pilgrims visiting it. The tirumala hill is 3200ft above sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the name seshachalam. The seven peaks are called seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhasdri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri.

Tirupati is in the southeastern district of Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. To the north-west of Tirupati is the sacred hill of Tirumala. According to mythology, the Tirumala mountains symbolise Adisesha, the lord of serpents on whom the protector of the world, Lord Vishnu, rests. The seven hilltops are said to represent the seven heads of the serpent.