Tirupati Excursion : Places nearby Tirupati - Andhra Pradesh

Places to visit nearby destination - Tirupati

Agastyaswamy Temple

About 12 km from Tirupati at the confluence of three rivers, namely, Swarnamukhi, Bhima and Kalyan, lies the Agastyaswamy Temple. The temple has three beautifully sculptured entrances that heighten the grandeur of the hall inside. A separate shrine for Goddess Parvati is also located within the temple.

Just opposite the shrine in the middle of the river is a mandap on which the statues of Balaji, Ayyappa and Ganapati have been installed. A small shrine dedicated to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Anjaneya is located near the tank.

Chandragiri

The town of Chandragiri is located at about 11 km southwest of Tirupati. Once the capital of the Vijayanagar rulers in AD 1600, the town is famous for the Chandragiri Fort that has been built on a 180-metre-high rock. Here one can still come across well-preserved fortifications and some palaces and temples.

Horsley Hills

This charming little hill station lies on the southwest border of Andhra Pradesh at an altitude of about 1,265 metres above sea level. The resort, named after the former collector of Chittoor, is a fascinating place to visit. Here you can find out valleys clad with teak, mango, sandalwood and eucalyptus plantations.

Kailasakona Waterfalls

Situated in the Nagary Valley, this beautiful waterfall is worth a visit. The water here is quite rich in minerals and is said to possess curative powers.

Kalyani Dam

About 18 km from Tirupati, in the Rangampet forest on the Tirupati-Madanapallee Road, lies the Kalyani Dam. The dam is the main water source for Tirupati and Tirumalai.

Nagalapuram

Nagalapuram is a small town about 65 km south-east of Tirupati. The major attraction of this town is Sri Vedanarayana Swamy Temple. The temple, believed to have been constructed by the Vijayanagar emperor, Sri Krishna Devaraja at the behest of his mother, is a fine specimen of the Vijayanagar style of architecture. The sanctum sanctorum houses an image of Vishnu in his Matsya (fish) incarnation accompanied by Sri Devi and Bhu Devi on either side. An important aspect of the temple is the Sun worship. The temple has been constructed in a way that every year in the month of March the rays of the sun pass through its gopuram and fall on the idol in the sanctum for three days.

Narayanavanam

A shrine dedicated to Kalyana Venkateswara is a major attraction at Narayanavanam, a small town situated about 22 km south-east of Tirupati. Legend has it that Lord Venkateswara married Padmavathi Devi, the daughter of Akasa Raja, at this place. To commemorate this great event, Akasa Raja built the temple here.

Sri Kalahasthi

Located between two steep hills on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi about 36 km from Tirupati, is Sri Kalahasti. Here you can find a temple dedicated to Vayu, the God of wind. The river running north touches the base of the temple.