Sri Lakshmi Chenna Kesava Swamy Temple

This temple is the main attraction for tourists visiting this town. The temple galigopuram is very tall and can be seen 5 km away from the town.The unique feature of the temple is that every year , from 23 December to 3 January , the sun's rays at dawn enter the sanctum sanctorum , through specially placed windows , and fall at the feet of the deity making them glow for 20 minutes in a day.

The galigopuram was constructed in such a manner that the sunrays would pass through three holes in the Garudalwar mandir between 6.40 a.m. and 7 a.m. every day for 12 days from December 23. The rays falling at the centre of the Garudalwar mandir would reflect on the idols in the sanctum sanctorum making them glow with golden hues. An incredible architectural feat that speaks volumes of the expertise of the artisans of the sri krishna devaraya period.

According to the legend, the Lord killed a demon by name Kesi, so he became known as Kesava here. As the Lord was strikingly beautiful and accompanied by his consort Lakshmi,he was worshipped here as Lakshmi Chenna Kesava Swamy.

The temple, constructed in 1425 and known for its legends as well as archaeological marvels, has tremendous potential for development as a pilgrim and tourist centre. Apart from magnificently sculptured gopurams , the temple has a beautiful 40-pillared mandapam with carvings of Krishna , Anjaneya , Garuda , Lakshmi & Vigneshwara with their respective vahanas. In the Kalyana Mandapam there are 6 musical pillars that produce the 7 musical notes when tapped.

Every year during the month of March and April, there will be a mela for more than 10 days, at that time it is assumed that at least 100,000 people visit the temple. There is a big teru(Car) where they take the utsav statue of the god during this ceremony. Recently they have demolished the old Car and constructed a new car.

Sabarimala

Sabarimala (Malayalam: ശബരിമല, Kannada: ಶಬರಿಮಲೆ , Tamil: சபரிமலை, Telugu: శబరిమల) is a pilgrimage centre in Kerala located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Kerala in Pathanamthitta District. Lord Ayyappan's temple is situated here in the midst of 18 hills. The area is in the Sahya ranges of Kerala. The temple is situated on a hilltop at an altitude of 914m/3000 ft above mean sea level, and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. Temples exists in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While functional and intact temples exist at many places in the surrounding areas like Nilackal, Kalaketi, and Karimala, remnants of old temples survive to this day on remaining hills. Sabarimala is believed to be the place where Ayyappan meditated after killing the powerful demon, Mahishi.

Sabarimala is one of the most visited piligrim centres in the world with an estimated 4.5 - 5 crores devotees coming every year. The world's second largest annual pilgrimage (after Hajj in Mecca) is reported to be to Sabarimala.

The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is a singular example of one where pilgrims, without consideration of caste, creed, position or social status, go with one mind and one mantra dreaming constantly of the darshan of the presiding deity at the Holy Sannidhanam. Vehicles can go up to Pamba River. However no girls/women between the age of 12-50 are allowed to visit this temple. This temple is very popular amongst all South Indians. The devotees are expected to follow a vratham(41-day penance), i.e. during this period they are to refrain from meat, fish, alcohol, tobacco, sex, using foul words, refrain from hair cut, shaving and should visit the local temples regularly and wear a special Mala( A garland made of Rudhraksha or Tulasi beads) and only black coloured dresses. Presently the conditions for Vratham are not as strict as it used to be earlier.

There is a place near the temple (east of Sannidhanam), dedicated to the Vavar, a Muslim who was the disciple of Ayyappan, called "Vavarunada". The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandalapooja (November 15 to December 26), Makaravilakku (January 15) and Vishu (April 14), and the beginning of every month in the Malayalam calendar. Sabari was a devotee of Lord Rama. Her devotion is widely attributed to that of an ideal devotee. Lord Ayyappa wanted his pilgrims to honour the same attributes as that of Sabari and hence the hill on which the temple is situated is known as Sabarimala.

Vehicular traffic cannot go beyond Pampa, situated on the Pampa river valley and the last five kilometres to the shrine can be best reached by trekking. However, porter carried chairs (called as doli locally) are also available for the aged and handicapped pilgrims.

Thereafter, pilgrims have to follow a path approximately four kilometres up a steep hill. The path, now fully cemented, with shops and medical aid by the sides, used to be a mere trail through dense forest.

Annavaram

The most distinctive feature of Annavaram is the shrine to Lord Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy on the hill top. The name of the Goddess is Ananta-lakshmi Satyavathi Ammavaru.

National Highway (NH)-5 pass via Annavaram. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operates regular bus services from Kakinada to Tuni, Rajahmundry to Tuni, and Yele-swaram to Tuni via Annavaram. Important trains links of the South Central Railways (SCR) passing through are the Vijayawada-Vishakapatnam Ratnachal superfast express, the Chennai-Howrah Mail, Kolkata-Chennai halt at Annavaram, which is the nearest railway station about 2 miles from the temple. The temple, situated on the hill top is about four furlongs away from its base. It can be reached either by steps covered with canopy, via ghat road or trekked through a rusty stone paved trail road.

The popularity and importance of the temple is gaining among the pilgrims and this place is considered as second only to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Festivals are celebrated round the year at this temple with great pomp and show. Some of the popular festivals celebrated are the Kalyanam festival in May, Devi Navaratri festival in September, the Swayamvara Vardhanti of Sraavana Suddha Ekadashi Day, Srirama Kalyana, Kanakadurga Yatra, Prabha Utsavam, Teppa Utsavam and Jalatoranam.

The serene atmosphere of the temple and its surroundings captivate devotees of Lord Veera Venkata Satya-narayana Swamy. The prasadam offered to the devotees has a wonderful taste that cannot be replicated.

Srisailam

Srisailam is a holy town and Mandal, situated in Nallamala hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 232 km south of Hyderabad, on the banks of River Krishna. A famous temple dedicated to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Bhramaramba is located here. Srisailam is one among the various Jyothirlingam of India. A multipurpose dam has been built across River Krishna and caters to the irrigation and power needs of the state. The dam is located about 245 km from Hyderabad and 132 km from Nandyal.

Tirupathi

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (Telugu: తిరుమల వెంకటేశ్వరస్వామి మందిరము) is a famous Hindu Temple of Lord Venkateswara located in the hill town Tirumala of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is built on the Venkatadri hill, one of the seven hills of Tirumala, and hence is also known as the Temple of Seven Hills (Saptagiri in Sanskrit, Edukondalu in Telugu,Ezhumalai in Tamil). The presiding deity of the temple, Lord Venkateswara, is also known by other names - Balaji or Srinivasa or Perumal.

The temple is the richest and the most visited place of worship in the world.^[1] The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily, while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it one of the most visited holy place in the world.^[2]

According to the legend, the temple has a self-manifested idol murti of Lord Vishnu, with the Lord believed to have resided here for the entire Kali Yuga. In Sri Vaishnava tradition, the temple is considered one of the 108 Divya Desam sites.