Places to visit near Tirupati

The temple of Padmavati, Venkateswara's consort, 5 km from Tirupati. TTD notes the strong belief among pilgrims that they should visit her and seek her blessings before going up to Venkateswara.

A TTD temple to Vakula Devi, who in the legend is Venkateswara's foster mother and helped arrange his marriage to Padmavati.

About 12 km west of Tirupati. According to TTD, Venkateswara and Padmavati stayed here for six months after their wedding, so newly married couples come to pray here first. The temple is under the ASI and maintained by TTD; abhishekam tickets are sold at the temple a day in advance. Temple page.

The last capital of the Vijayanagara empire after 1565, with the Raja Mahal museum and an evening sound-and-light show. Ticketed; closed on Fridays.

Kapila Theertham, a Shiva temple by a pond and waterfall, ISKCON Tirupati and the Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park are all on the town's edge below Tirumala.

The Sri Kalahasti temple is one of the five Pancha Bhuta Sthalams, the temple of Air, known for Rahu-Ketu puja. One street away, on Subramanya Swamy Car Street, families still draw Kalamkari by hand with a bamboo pen and natural dyes; Srikalahasti Kalamkari has its own Geographical Indication.

A village temple on the Srikalahasti road with what scholars take to be the oldest surviving Shiva linga in India, dated between the 3rd century BCE and the 2nd century CE. ASI-protected and still in worship; no facilities in the village.

The reservoir that supplies Tirupati and Tirumala, on the edge of the Seshachalam forest; no ticket, no facilities, daylight only. Kalyani Dam page.

On the Tirupati–Chennai road. According to the temple legend given by TTD, this is where Venkateswara married Padmavati, daughter of King Akasaraju; it is one of the few temples where Venkateswara is seen with both Padmavati and Mahalakshmi in one complex. Sevas can be booked on TTD's portal.

A spring-fed fall of about 30 m in the Nagari hills near Puttur that keeps flowing in the dry months, with a small Kailasanatha shrine. Vehicles reach the foot; APSRTC buses run from Tirupati and Puttur. Waterfall page.

At about 82 m the highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh, inside Sri Venkateswara National Park. It closes in the late afternoon, so start early. Waterfall page.

One of Andhra's major Ganesha temples, built over the well where, in the founding legend, three brothers found the image; the sanctum still stands over spring water. Via Chittoor on NH-716, and often combined with Chandragiri on the way back. Expect crowds.

A TTD temple to Vishnu as Matsya, his first avatar, on the Chennai highway; the deity stands with a fish tail, flanked by Sridevi and Bhudevi. For five days in March, usually in the last week, the Surya Puja is held: sunlight travels about 360 ft (110 m) from the temple tower into the sanctum and rests on the deity's feet, navel and finally the crown.