TIRUPATI PADAYATRA, A WALK TO REMEMBER!!!

                                      SHRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

                               SHRI VARAHA SRINIVAS PRASSANNA

                         SHRI LAKSHMI VENKATESHA PRASSANNA

                                                     वक्रतुंड महाकाय कोटिसूर्य समप्रभ:

                                                    निर्विग्नम कुरुमेदेवा सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा:

             I would like to share my experience of tirupati through alipiri footsteps with my husband on december 30.

                Firstly offering my humble pranams at the feet of our GURU Shri Narayanarao gurugalu of pashupatihal,because of his blessings the yatra was successfull and devineful.

                We started our journey from bangalore on 29 december 2015 of marghshisha masa.Before leaving to tirupati we did pooja and sankalpa at our home praying that may our journey be safe and let lord offer us with his darshan.Later at night we left by bus at 10 pm and reached the foothills of seven hills i.e tirupati by 4 am.In those mist of early morning we took our luggage and moved to Kapeelateertha by auto which is 5km away from tirupati bus station.At kapeelateertha we took bath under the waterfalls,the chilled water from the mountains,goddess ganga showering us with her blessing was an awesome experience.After bath me dressed up with saree like a typical bharatiya nari and my husband with madi dhotra and shalle.My husband did sandhyavandane near pushkarani and also did sankalpa by remembering our guru who shows the path to divinity.We  took darshan of kapeeleshwara,the lord of mind and offered kanike asking him to reach the tirumala hills safely.From kapeelteertha we reached alipiri by auto which  is just 1km away.At alipiri free luggage counter we dropped our luggage which reaches to the tirumala luggage counter.

          ALIPIRI is one of the foot step journey to LORD OF VAIKUNTA ,walking through this route it is a belief that our sins are vanished more over we get positive energy.Before starting the padayatra we prayed our guru to make us walk with him,prayed the vaikunta vasa and broked coconut ,lightened camphor and applied arshina kumkuma.It was 6 am when we started the yatra.Vadiraja gurugalu climbed the whole mountain on knee as the mountain seemed like saligrama for him.But we went on knee for only first 5 steps.After 30 steps we found a temple called srivari padala where footwear made for lord were kept.A cobbler dint knew the size of lord's feet so made footwear of all sizes but he couldnt carry all those footwear through the devine hills so lord blessed him saying that may all the devotees keep those footwear on their head and then walk to the hills ,so people keep those padukas on head and walk around the temple saying govinda govindaa.Next we walked some more steps and there we found lakshmi narayana temple took blessings and climbed further chanting god's name.We used to climb 30 steps halt for a while and then climb. We ate cucumber, drank glucose water and some fruits on the way.Some people were applying arishina kumkuma for all the steps.It was really a great work.The padayatra continued, finally reached gali gopuram 2056th step the 1st target by god's grace.Here at gali gopuram we get tickets for divya darshanam.Walking to tirumala through  the hills is also lord's blessings.Lord himself has walked through these path.We were blessed with  this opportunity. Till gali gopuram its tough task to climb,after gali gopuram there are not much steps, we feel relaxed to walk on straight a way path. And reached our next target  prasanna anjaneya where lord hanuman is standing and guiding to go ahead for srivari's darshan!!

Chanting his name we moved  ,on the way we found deer we fed them with cucumber. On the way we can see forest area and some different type of animals.After a km we halted and had avalakki which was made by me for first time.Walking a km really will get to know how much actually is a km.I always asked my husband we might have reached 3 km but he was like we are still completing a km.I was  like oh god!!We breathed ,we walked chanting almighty 's name and finally we reached the tirumala entrance with jaya  and vijaya statue .We 1st went to cro office and waited for the accomodation  at the counter.we got a room for 100rs which was more worth for it.We kept our bagpack and got freshed and moved to darshan.At vaikuntam queue 2 divya darshan tickets are taken .We moved through the queue,lunch was provided in the queue since we were fasting we dint have food.Later at ladoo counter we took ladoo ticket and again moved in queue. We were in queue for 3.5 hours. while in queue we were chanting govinda govinda along with people over there.The queue moved by all his name govinda govinda.My husband said me some stories of lord and his miracles while in queue.I dint knew how queue passed we were near to the main gopuram, as we were nearer we were so energized and our hand full of goosebumps.That moment was really so energized u really feel so heavenly u feel like this is what is vaikuntam. We were so eager and excited to see the lord..We passed through one more gopuram the main gopuram which was made of gold where the main deity.,the lord himself is..We  were through the queue a mile away from the jaya vijaya entrance .We could see the lord the vaikunta vasa ,we feel he himself is standing its not the stone carved deity .The eyes were filled with his beauty .We dint even know we were walking, he was pulling us like a magnetic power towards him ,we being the small ores of iron were dragged by him and energized by his power .He pulled us and we were in front of him by seven doors away. A 30 sec of time looking from head to bottom was over .We were satisfied . A volunteer over there asked me did u have a good darshan it was like god himself asked me.I satisfiedly said yes!!.We came out near golden well and did namaskara and offered our wishes.I was just remembering those glimpse of 30 sec which was captured by my beautiful eyes. I was feeling so blessed and was satisfied with padayatra we did.These two eyes are not enough to see him.I always pray  may he give us more such 30 sec of darshan which is more divine .Later we had darshan of bakula devi, mother of lord .We moved to have darshan of sugreeva hanuman and many gods,took the teertham and the blessing .We moved around the gopuram ,on the right side on top of the gopuram we can see vimana srinivasa devru, and also there is a stone where our wishes are written through bare fingers.We sat for a while and offered our needs to the lord.We offered money at the hundi took the  ladoo prasadam and came out.Our yatra was successful with all our guru and the lord's blessings.we took the laddoo prasadam at ladoo counter.From there we went to free luggage counter by  free bus .We collected our luggage walked into our room  and it was 7 pm and rested for the day. Woke up at 7 am and got freshed , had tea and went to pushkarini to take bath after bath took darshan of Varaha swami . We offered all the offerings in front of the bedi anjaneya temple . On the next day that was 31 dec we dint go to have darshan of lord because it was so rush.We hired a taxi and made a trip to srivari pada,where lord made his first footprint on bhuloka ,where we can see his footprints Later we went to sudarshanam where sudarshana chakara of lord is present.Later we went to akashaganga where water from the mountain is flowing ,where goddess  ganga is worshipped.From there we went to venugopal swamy temple, lord vishnu in the form of krishna. From there we went to papanashini even here water is flown from mountain people take bath over here so that there sins are vanished.We made arachane to lord at this place.Later from there we moved down the hill and went to padmavati,here we took special entry ticket and moved into the temple.There was not much rush.Even here we had wonderful darshan of padmavati.I had bought some bagina  and kupas for devi which I offered in the hundi.After the darshan we took the ladoo prasadam.and also had puliyogare prasadam twice which was tasteful.Even here at padmavati after the darshan we saw the utsav murthi and elephant.At this place we took some bangles and arishina kumkum .After padmavati's darshan we left to srinivasa mangapuram ,where lord stayed for some days after his marriage.Here we had so peaceful darshan of srivari, there was no rush we were infront of diety for 15min.It was an awesome darshan.We chanted god's name for awhile ,we prayed and had the prasadam and then left to govindaraja swamy temple, lord's brother.Here govindaraja swamy is in sleeping mode.We took his blessings and many more god in the same temple.We again had prasadam and our tummy was full of prasadam.It was 9.pm ,we completed all our trip.The driver dropped us at the srinivasa chatram there we rested for 2 hrs and left to bus stand.Our bus was at 11.45 and the next day was new year .We started our new year with the blessings of god.We left tirupati at 12.00, the city was in full blash of new year We enjoyed our bus journey.Our two days trip came to an end!!We reached back to our home at 6am...rested the whole day!!did pooja of all the things brought from tirupati and gave ladoo prasadam to all!!I wish we get many more such trips in our life!!I am so much thankful to my husband for organizing such a blissful trip!!

                                                 तेन वीना तृण मपि न चलती