Rare Old Photographs of Tirupati and Tirumala Before the Gold and Money

Posted by The Editor | Jun 9, 2014 | Especially for Indians | 1,766,215 views

The following rare old photographs show how Tirupati and Tirumala looked before the temple became rich and famous. You can see from the pictures that in those days it was a peaceful place without huge queues and crowds.

Today over 40 million people visit the temple each year, and you can expect to wait up to 5 hours in the queue before having darshana of the main Balaji deity for a few moments. In ancient literature, Tirupati is mentioned as Aadhi Varaha Kshetra. The Puranas associate the area with Lord Varaha, one of the Dashavataras of Lord Vishnu. Venkatadri is believed to be a part of Mount Meru, which was brought to the earth from Vishnu’s abode of Vaikunta by his mount Garuda. The seven peaks represent the seven heads of Adisesha. Tirumala is also one of the 108 divya desams.

85 Comments

Parthasarathy on June 17, 2015 at 11:08 am

Thanks for these rare pictures.
sophia on June 25, 2015 at 10:35 am

thankyou for this rare archival treat I prefer the old to me it has a substance a true rich substance.
Soumitri on June 25, 2015 at 10:36 am

Nice to see these pics. These appears more connected to spirituality than the current temple.
Ram on June 25, 2015 at 10:36 am

This is very good. What year were these pictures taken?
Devidu Anand Venkateswaran on June 25, 2015 at 10:37 am

Om namo narayana om namo bagavate vasudevaya
vaideeswaran.m.s on June 25, 2015 at 10:39 am

Old is always Gold. It enhances the spirituality.
Shanmukha SriVibhavana Hareesh Thati on June 25, 2015 at 10:40 am

Govindha Hari Govindha Gokula Nandana Govindha !

Om Namo Venkateshaya !

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !

Om Namo Narayanaya !

Om Nama Shivaya !
G.Vaidyanathan on June 25, 2015 at 10:40 am

Excellent collection. May Lord Balaji bless you.
Anil Manandhar on June 25, 2015 at 10:41 am

Beautiful photographs. They seem to be more than 75 years old. When were these pictures taken actually?
ravi on June 25, 2015 at 10:41 am

Thanks for sharing these rare pictures
S.Ravindran on June 25, 2015 at 10:41 am

What a divine share . This could be 197-48 as the bus & the Ghat road suggests

It was that year the Ghat road was constructed . Without any doubt sanctity

is at its best when the originality is there . However when millions arrive

( This photo was taken when we were 40 crores population , to day we are

120 crores ) One has to cater to such huge crowd & modernisation

like elsewhere takes place in Temples as well . Million thanks for posting

these rare pictures as there would be less than 25 million living today who were

blessed to see this live
Milind Waghmare on June 25, 2015 at 10:42 am

Om namo narayana om namo bagavate vasudevaya.
S V Krishnan on June 25, 2015 at 10:43 am

We are indected to the person who made these photographs available to us for viewing. They are very rare.
Srinivasan on June 25, 2015 at 10:43 am

Great pictures……
Dr.Rajamurthy on June 25, 2015 at 10:43 am

Thanks for sharing these old photographs. 15th photo does not seem to be from

Tirumala.

May Thiruvenkatamudayan bless you.
kannan on June 25, 2015 at 10:43 am

How peaceful the paths were in those days.Beautiful pics.Thanks a lot.
A M Patel on June 25, 2015 at 10:44 am

Thanks ,In which year these photographs were taken ?
Rajendran C on June 25, 2015 at 10:45 am

Thank you very much for posting these rare pictures. Ohm Namo Narayana..
Adv BMK Aryan on June 25, 2015 at 10:45 am

_/_ Great…. AUM NAMO NARAYANAYA
Jaya on June 25, 2015 at 10:45 am

Thank you for sharing this
CA.Rajesh D.Sharma on June 25, 2015 at 10:46 am

Beautiful treasure.Thank you for sharing us.You are doing a wonderful service to mankind.

Regards!!!
ravi valluri on June 25, 2015 at 10:46 am

The phenomenal growth of Tirumala , indicates the deepening faith in Lord Venkateswara . It is the Vatican of India today.

Simultaneously there should be a paper in Strategic Management and Marketing on Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam in leading business schools of India .
SVRKPRASAD on June 25, 2015 at 10:46 am

SIR YOU ARE GREAT

CULTURAL RELIGIOUS HERITAGE TO PRESERVED AND SHARED

THEY ARE REAL DEVOTEES

THEY VISITED OUT OF DEVOTION

AT PRESENT WE VISIT TEMPLES OUT OF FEAR
Achuta ramaiah on June 25, 2015 at 10:47 am

Govina Hari Govinda Gokul nanada Govinda venu Gopal Govinda Harris Hari Hari !

Achuta
Gyana Prakash on June 25, 2015 at 10:47 am

It is Amazing, The People during the construction of the Temple should have been very Holy and Bhakti. With all this Modern Technology Today, We are un able to maintain many Old Temples for Our coming generations.

Bagavan should guide us at least to maintain our Faith. AUM TAT SAT.
ramakrishna.s on June 25, 2015 at 10:47 am

Om Namo venkatesaya

Frankly speaking, I expect, when those days will come again( I may be wrong in thinking like this, )as I have got vexed with the travails of TIRUPATHI trip and the loss of peace and serenity, sacred feelings and what- not– connected with Tirupathi trip.
Hanumantha Rao V on June 25, 2015 at 10:58 am

You have really taken us to the old period. Thanks a lot and May Lord Venkateswara blesses will always be there to you. Om Namo Venkatesaya..
NAMASIVAYAM CHOKKALINGAM on June 25, 2015 at 10:58 am

There are hundreds of Perumal temples all over Tamilnadu languishing for want of contributions from devotees. It is strange and amusing that ‘devotees’ ignore the Perumal so close to their backyard. More strange than anything else is the phenomenon of the ‘devotees’ forgetting the fact that Srirangam in Tamilnadu is, according to the true Vaishnavites, is the heart of the universe!
VIVE S MBA on June 25, 2015 at 10:59 am

SERVICE TO PEOPLE IS SERVICE TO THE GOD. I DO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS OF SPIRITUAL PHOTOS AND CONTENTS. EXCELLENT ARTICLE THIS ONE. OM NAMA NARAYANA!
naveeb on June 25, 2015 at 10:59 am

thanks for sharing
Angara Narasimha Rao on June 25, 2015 at 11:00 am

A Real Feast for the eyes and the divine pleasure which the above pictures have given is something unforgettable. The picture are priceless and deserve to be preserved.
Seetharaman on June 25, 2015 at 11:00 am

Thank you very much. A great treasure. Old thoughts of Tirumala was flowing in my mind. I have gone back to early sixties.
n.ramaswami on June 25, 2015 at 11:00 am

bringing me the nostalgic feelings. i might have gone there when these were there like what is shown here.
venkateshwara prasad on June 25, 2015 at 11:08 am

i feel as the kali advances srivari bhogam also advances

thondaman chakravarthi constructed the temple

shila sasanams says parikshth maharaj has constructed the compond wall etc

god resides in the vimanam

great pictures of real temple existing below the golden plates
venkateshwara prasad on June 25, 2015 at 11:08 am

the real vimanam structer laying below the golden plates is really wonderful

feeling as if i am near to the lord
Purnachandra Rao on June 25, 2015 at 11:08 am

May Lord bless you for making the viewers fortunate to witness greatest collections
shivanesh on June 25, 2015 at 11:09 am

Sir Thank you very much. May lord venkateshwara bless you.
Lakshmana on June 25, 2015 at 11:09 am

Govindha… Govindah…!!!
SUBODH MARKANDEYA on June 25, 2015 at 11:09 am

Thanks for sharing such an album. I brought back memories when I first visited TT Devasthanams in 1958,
Rama bhadra das on June 25, 2015 at 11:10 am

Hare Krishna! Thank you for sharing this nice photos.
Anuradha on June 25, 2015 at 11:10 am

Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!
Kiran Raj on June 25, 2015 at 11:10 am

OOOOOOOOM Namoooo Naraaaaaaaaaayanaya Yaaaaaaaaaa……………..
Kiran Raj on June 25, 2015 at 11:11 am

OOOOOOOOM Namoooo Naraaaaaaaaaayanaya Yaaaaaaaaaa……………..

By saying this as lengthy as you can (i.e. To take the longest breath) we will get moksham……….

Those who try can reliase it.

Note: Please do it with the Empty stomach.
Rohini on June 25, 2015 at 11:11 am

Excellent… blessed to view this…
Prasad KS on June 25, 2015 at 11:11 am

Thank you for posting the photographs which as more of spritual essence. It gives a great nostalgic feeling, the simplicity of the photos tell the story of a old era.

thanks once again.
Srinivas.Y on June 25, 2015 at 11:11 am

This one of the best photos, one should remember those days and recollecting golden days.
Hareesh on June 25, 2015 at 11:12 am

Thank you for sharing these nice photos.
achanta on June 25, 2015 at 11:12 am

Good pictures. Thank you.
Raghav on June 25, 2015 at 11:12 am

good to see such photos.
DR R RAMESH NAIK on June 25, 2015 at 11:13 am

I FEEL BLESSED.
j.n. naagamani on June 25, 2015 at 11:13 am

yes. I feel I too blessed to see such a rare pictures. may god bless you.
Prabhakar Srinivas on June 25, 2015 at 11:14 am

What a transformation !!!! Think of TIRUMALA , it is definitely an ordeal to have darshan. Can we get back the olden ( golden) days? The temple has wealth. But it is almost impossible to have a peaceful darshan of LORD. Still what a vibration you get? No where else you can get.
Bhava Keerthi. R on June 25, 2015 at 11:15 am

Old memories and old photographs are rare and always give joy to the mind. Too much of hype has led to the over-crowding of the temple today.
Vasdev on June 25, 2015 at 11:15 am

Thank You!
Hari on June 25, 2015 at 11:16 am

Lovely photos. Thanks.
T.Prabhakarrao on June 25, 2015 at 11:16 am

I had the privelege of visiting the holy temple at that time number of times and prostrate before the god without beeing pushinng and pulling
M jayant on June 25, 2015 at 11:16 am

Feast for both NETRA and ATMAN SUKHA. Thank you very much indeed.
Ezhilmathi on June 25, 2015 at 11:17 am

Great pictures to view 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Senthil on June 25, 2015 at 11:18 am

wonderful pictures..no words can explain…real treasures.
Guru on June 25, 2015 at 11:18 am

Namo narayana!!
Guru on June 25, 2015 at 11:19 am

Hare venkatesa!!

Hare srivasa!! namo namo
venkatagirislm@gmail.com on June 25, 2015 at 11:33 am

really divine share that most of the younger generations know the value of bakthi anf our old heritage
sivasankari rangaraj on June 25, 2015 at 11:33 am

nice work sir govinda namo narayana
chandra priya on June 25, 2015 at 11:34 am

good darshan of tirumala and tirupati
thammaji vasudev on June 25, 2015 at 11:34 am

thanks for posting these pictures. I vividly recall our annual visits to Tirumalai back from late 1940s. I vividly remember trekking up the hills twice., bathing early mornings in Pushkarani pond. and having hot lunches at a Brahmin’s Choultry. I am now 70 years old and I seek His “Krupe” everyday.

The air of tranquility at this “Sanctum Sanctorum” that once was there then, has vanished today only to be replaced by today’s commercialization.
Chandrasekaran N on June 25, 2015 at 11:35 am

Koti Namaskaram for sharing these divine photos!
mnvrrao on June 25, 2015 at 11:35 am

Excellent photos. Great feeling. these photos took us back in time.

Lord Venkateswara’s blessings are with you for sharing these.

Aum Namo Narayana.
Deepti on June 25, 2015 at 11:35 am

Thank you Very much for the photos. These will take us back to divinity and close to Almight.
uma on June 25, 2015 at 11:36 am

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful Thirupathi Thirumala Edukondala Swamy information, may god bless u with all happiness.

Aum Namo Narayana
K.Ramanjulu on June 25, 2015 at 11:36 am

It is God given gift for these naked eyes to understand the value of anceint art.

pl upload such old rare photos of tirumala and other temples
Srikanth on June 25, 2015 at 11:36 am

Priceless photographs!! I have gone on pilgrimage to Tirupati in late seventies before commercialisation truly set in!! That experience was out of the world; alas, we do not get the same reverberating spiritual experiences nowadays. But koti namaskarams for sharing this treasure trove!!
Sreenivas Bandi on June 25, 2015 at 11:36 am

Very very thanks for sharing these beutiful memorable photos to us thank u thanku
KUMAR SETTY VBS on August 24, 2015 at 6:39 am

rare pictures, most important articals. thanks.
Thiyagarajan on January 4, 2016 at 5:01 am

Thank You very much.
These pictures give good calmness.
M.V.L on April 10, 2016 at 12:15 pm

Thanks
M.Naresh on June 2, 2016 at 12:26 pm

Thank you the most valuable archival pics thank you so much , i feel very happy very exciting, Om namo venkateshaya !!!!!!!
A V V SUBRAHMANYAM on July 2, 2016 at 10:23 am

A V V SUBRAHMANYAM, HYDERABAD

JULY 2, 2016 AT 3.50 P.M.

OM NAMO VENKATESAYA, GOVINDA GOVINDA GOVINDA
RERE PICTURES,
VERY GOOD THANKS
GANESHMUDALIYAR on September 25, 2016 at 3:21 pm

OM NAMO NARAYANIYA HOW MANY GENERATIONS WE FAR FROM STILL NARAYANA LIVES IN OUR HEARTS
Abu on October 14, 2016 at 12:43 pm

Dear sir I’m. Abu I like . kindly . how old temple details .
MOHAN NAIK on October 28, 2016 at 2:54 pm

THANKS FOR THE REAL TREASURE BROUGHT TO US . OM NAMO VENKETESHYA.
Subramanyam. A on March 1, 2017 at 1:33 pm

When i use to visit Thirumala during 90s it has the divinity, the chill climate even during the summer season. But now every thing has been changed. No old monuments like Thousand pillar mantap, rooms before the main temple. Now the temple looks like a commercial places. Seeing the above old pictures i feel very much pleased. These pictures are only available in the museum but i think not thim many. Great collection and a good archeological treat for people who value the old monuments.
Once again great work keep it up.
Thanks a lot
Chaithanya ramesh on May 2, 2017 at 5:53 am

Dear one

wonderful photographs, god bless you.
Bala on May 24, 2017 at 11:44 am

Wonderful pictures of tirumala where it seems to be the God residing indeed. Very thanks to the person who posted them for us
KVR Chary on August 8, 2017 at 6:22 am

Dhanyosmi, Dhanyosmi, Dhanyosmi
Am overwelhmed to see these photographs
Om Namo Venkatesaya! Om Namo Venkatesaya! Om Namo Venkatesaya!
Pradeep on August 29, 2023 at 4:07 am

Gobinda gobinda gobinda