Date: June 19th, 2024
My journey to Tirupati began far from the temple's sacred steps. Starting from Cary, North Carolina, I embarked on a spiritual odyssey that took me across continents. After a 6-hour car drive to Washington, I boarded a 10-hour flight to London. The 10-hour layover in London tested my patience, and another 10-hour flight to Delhi tested my endurance. Despite the exhaustion, I pushed forward, determined to fulfill my spiritual commitment. After a brief stay in Ghaziabad, I continued my journey to Tirupati.
As an IT professional working in the United States, balancing a demanding career with spiritual pursuits is not always easy, but this trip was an important pilgrimage that I felt compelled to undertake.
The Flight to Tirupati
The flight was scheduled for 9 AM from Delhi, with a layover in Hyderabad. Due to lingering jet lag and the excitement of visiting Tirupati, I left for the airport early, at 5 AM, and took an Uber that cost ₹750. The driver’s reckless behavior added some tension to the morning, but we arrived safely at the airport.
The flight from Delhi to Hyderabad was smooth, and I reached Tirupati by 2:30 PM. Despite my initial excitement, fatigue from the long journey and the jet lag was starting to catch up with me. I booked an Uber to take me to the bus stand, where I planned to rest for a few hours before beginning the ascent to the Tirumala temple.
Originally, I planned to start my walk at 2 PM, but the combination of exhaustion and the need for rest pushed my start time to 6 PM. I encountered a man who tried to cheat me with a fabricated story, but, perhaps due to the jet lag, I gave him ₹200 just to get him out of my way.
Starting the Ascent
My initial plan was to start the climb from Srivalli, but due to the dense forest and tough terrain, the route was closed after 6 PM. Instead, I took an auto to Alipiri, where the footpath remains open all night. Walking up the hill was important to me, as I believed it would bring some spiritual benefit.
I reached Alipiri around 8 PM and discovered that they were waiting for at least 100 people to form the last batch of the night. Since the path is considered holy, all walkers must do the entire climb barefoot. I bought a carry bag to store my shoes and prepared for the journey ahead.
Meeting New Companions
On the way, I met two young men, Maruti and Kafeel, who became my companions and guides for the climb. Maruti, being a local, could translate for me in Hindi, and they were both impressed when they learned I had come all the way from America for the darshan. They didn’t fully believe me until I showed them a one-dollar bill as proof.
The Ascent
The Alipiri route to the temple is a challenging one, consisting of 3,350 steps over a nine-kilometer distance. The climb typically takes around four and a half hours. One thing to note is that TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) does not allow children below 12 years of age to take the walking path, advising parents to use the bus route instead.
As I continued the climb, I encountered another person, a lady auto driver, who tried to convince me that the normal darshan would take 2-3 days and offered to arrange a quicker darshan for ₹1000. While the money wasn’t a big concern, something about her proposal didn’t feel right, so I politely declined.
Reaching the Top
We finally reached the top of Tirumala at 1 AM, after four hours of climbing. To my disappointment, I found that no preference was given to walkers—everyone, regardless of how they arrived, had to start from the same point in the queue. It was disheartening to realize that my eight-hour effort had gained me no advantage in the queue, but I took it as a sign that Lord Venkatesha wanted me to experience the pilgrimage on foot.
The Waiting Game
We joined the queue at 2 AM, and for the first two hours, we waited in a case structure, just sitting and biding our time. By 4 AM, we were moved to a rest area where we spent another four hours, finally reaching the main waiting hall at 8 AM. By this time, it was clear that the darshan would take much longer than expected.
I deposited my mobile at 3:37 AM and received my Darshan Parchee, which mentioned the darshan time as 11 PM the next day—this was a significant setback. We were sent to waiting hall 13, where we would have to wait until our turn came.
One improvement I noticed was that the waiting halls now had signboards installed, intended to give status updates and hope for an early darshan. Unfortunately, these signboards were not functioning correctly, which was disappointing. On a positive note, I learned that you could exit the waiting hall and return multiple times, as long as you had your Darshan Parchee with you.
Managing Expectations
Realizing that the darshan would not be possible until late at night, I faced the dilemma of informing my team at Accenture that I would miss the planned lunch and meetings the next day in Delhi. After exiting the waiting hall, I collected my mobile and called the office to cancel the meeting. This provided some relief, and I felt a sense of gratitude to Sri Govinda for guiding me through this situation.
The Darshan
After waiting for 12 hours, the gates finally opened at 10 PM on the same day, and the darshan was completed by 11 PM.
Reflection
Despite the challenges and the long wait, the darshan was a deeply spiritual experience. I was impressed by how efficiently TTD managed the crowd, which numbers nearly 100,000 people daily. The journey tested my patience, faith, and endurance, but in the end, it was all worth it.
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