Govindaraja Swami Temple in Tirupati

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”

- Lin Yutang

Entrance of Govindaraja Swami temple

Yet another short trip was done last weekend to Tirupati. This time I had visit Govindaraja Swami Temple.

Govindaraja Swami Temple in Tirupati quite near to the Railway Station and Tirupati Bus Stand. The highlight of the temple is its outer Gopuram which is visible from a quite a distance.

OVERVIEW:

This temple is dedicated to Sri Govindaraja Swamy. brother of Lord Venkateswara. Govindaraja Swami Temple has two main shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna. The shrine to the north is Sri Govindaraja. The shrine to the south is Sri Parthasarathi (Lord Sri Krishna as the charioteer of Arjuna). The idols of Rukmini and Satyabhama (Krishna's wives) are also found here.

The original temple had Sri Parthasarathi on the main altar. 'Sri Ramanuja' added the Sri Govindaraja deity around 1130 AD.

ABOUT GOVINDARAJA SWAMY:

The presiding deity lord Govindaraja swamy is lord Vishnu, lying on Ananta. He is consider as brother of Lord Venkateswara.

HISTORY:



Outside of Inner Gopuram

This temple is the biggest temple in Tirupati Town and attracts lakhs of pilgrims. A large number of inscriptions found in this temple and in the Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala help us to trace its history. The earliest of the records belong to the year 1235 A.D when the Chola King, Raja Raja III was ruling the place. In the year 1239 A.D the queen of Viranarasinga of Yadavaraya made a gift for decoration of the chariot and carrying necessary repairs. The temple came in for greater importance in 1506 A.D. during the rule of Saluva dynasty of Vijayanagar and from then onwards different rulers in a different way developed the temple.

It is built by the Nayakas, the successors to the Vijayanagar empire. Govindaraja Swami Temple has a remarkable outer gopuram and an inner gopuram. The temple has an impressive outer gopuram. The inner most gopuram is the earliest one, dating from the 14th-15th centuries and has carvings that depict scenes from Ramayana and Lord Krishn's life.

Few parts of the inner shrine date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The original temple had Sri Parthasarathi on the main altar. 'Sri Ramanuja' added the Sri Govindaraja deity around 1130.

ARCHITECTURE:

It has an imposing seven-storey 'Gopuram' built in 1628, which can be seen from a distance. To the left side of the entrance first Gopuram (gate) of the temple dedicated to Lakshmi is found. She is seated on a lotus in her four-armed form, holding a lotus in each of her upper hands, while her other two hands are in poses of 'Abhaya', fearlessness, and 'Varada', benediction.

Another nearby shrine is dedicated to Sri Ramanuja and on the left of the second entrance is a 'Kurma' Deity, Lord Vishnu as a tortoise. There are carvings depicting the pastimes of the Ramayana and Lord Krishna's pastimes on the second gopuram.

SUB TEMPLES IN THIS TEMPLE:

There are other temples (sub-temples) in the Govindaraja Swami Temple premises. They are...

• Sri Andaal Temple
• Sri Anjaneyaswami Temple
• Sri Chakrathalwar Temple.
• Sri Edhuru Anjaneyaswamy Temple
• Sri Kalyana Venkateswara swami Temple
• Sri Kurath Alwar Temple
• Sri Madhurakavi Alwar Temple
• Sri Manavala Mahamuni Temple.
• Sri Mudal Alwar Temple.
• Sri Nammalwar Temple.
• Sri Parthasarathiswami Temple
• Sri Ramanuja Temple
• Sri Salai Nachiyar Ammavari Temple
• Sri Sanjeevarayaswami Temple
• Sri Tirumangai Alwar Temple.
• Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple.
• Sri Vyasaraya Anjaneyaswami Temple
• Sri Woolu Alwar Temple.

FESTIVALS:

• The annual float festival is also celebrated every year.
  
• The festivals and functions are similar to those conducted in the Sri Venkateswara temple.

Temple view from inside

Note: Very interestingly, at the shrine the celestial bath (Abishekam) is not conducted to the presiding deity perhaps first of its kind in India, a source said that the deity of Lord Sri Venkateshwara that is in lying posture is made of Clay. The TTD that manages the temple too has been contemplating to give golden touch to the deity.

HOW TO REACH GOVINDARAJA SWAMY TEMPLE?

• Govindaraja Swami temple in Tirupati very near to the Railway Station and Tirupati Bus Stand.
  
• Tirupati is well connected city to the major parts of Indian cities.
  
• You can reach Tirupati by Bus, Train, or Air.