Visiting Tirupati in August - Need advise on trip

v_init

Hi,

This is my first trip to Tirupati and here is what I want to plan for:

Leave Chennai - 27th August night / 28th morning or daytime

Balaji Darshan - 29th early morning followed by a head shaving puja.

Return to Chennai - before 6 pm on 29th August and rush to the airport to catch a flight back to Delhi.

My questions:

1. How much time does it take to travel from Chennai to Tirupati and back?

2. What is the best way to go about for planning this itinerary, I dont mind taking a taxi from Chennai but not sure if that is safe but can be fine with taxi/train/bus. I dont mind catching a helicopter ride as well if it is around Rs.2000-Rs.3000 like the one for Vaishno Devi up in North India. Please advise.

3. How should I go about booking a hotel/guest house for 28th night?

4. How and when can I get a ticket for the Darshan? Please let me know various options, I would like to finish my Darshan by 6 or 7 am and leave for Chennai before noon.

5. How do I go about the head shave-off ritual? Do or should I do it after the Darshan or before it?

6. I want to make a donation when I am there, not the high value ones, somewhere around Rs.10,000. Do I do it when I am there and should I carry cash or they take checks? Should I do it after the Darshan or before? Where should I make the donation, is there any office there that accepts such donations?

Please help a devotee accomplish this pilgrimage, all answers will be helpful. May god be with you.

Thanks
Varun

Shiver me Timbers

I can only kelp with #1 I'm afraid...

From what I remember, it took about 4-5 hours by bus from Chennai to Tirupati. We got the train back, which took a little bit shorter I think. My memory's a bit hazy on this....

Get ready for long q's btw.....we tried to get a VIP ticket, which would have whisked us ahead of the crowds, but even the q for that was long.....

Enjoy your trip!

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karthik_mitta

Book a package from chennai.. thats the best way to ensure dharshan too...

do your donations online.

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KM

In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds - Martin Luther King Jr.

Amyth

Check this for darshan/puja/accomodation/donation etc...

http://www.ttdsevaonline.com/ and http://www.tirumala.org/travel_chennai.htm for travel bookings.

Going by car is the best deal, takes around 4-5 hrs from chennai.

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