A visit to Padmavati Temple for her blessings is considered essential before visiting the Venkateshwar Temple of Tirumala, which is said to be complete only with the blessings from Padmavati.
Outside Padmavati Temple
It is said that Lakshmi once, annoyed with Vishnu (for his forbearance over an insult from Bhrigu rishi), left him. After several years, her incarnation was as Padmavati, the daughter of Akashraja, and is believed to have been found on a lotus flower in a tank in Tirupati. Meanwhile Vishnu, as Venkatesh or Srinivas, came to earth and later married Padmavati. The tale goes that after marriage, searching for curry leaves she reached the Padma tank where she was born, and decided to remain there. It is said that Srinivas travels from Tirumala to Tirupati, and visits her at night to enquire about her welfare – how many times he visits her is not known but his footwear at Alipiri is said to be worn out. Alipiri is the foot of the seven hills of Tirupati and the journey to Tirumal starts here.
The city of Tirupati is at the foothills of Tirumala and has a few other noteworthy temples. There is the temple of Govindaraja Swamy, the elder brother of Venkatesh, who was the caretaker of massive wealth obtained from Kuber for conducting the wedding of Venkatesh / Balaji with Padmavati. He efficiently utilised this wealth to conduct one of the most glorious weddings of religious history.
A newer beautiful temple is that of ISKCON.
Iskcon Temple at Tirumala
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