Govindaraja Temple, Tirupati – The Temple

Govindaraja Temple, Tirupati – The Temple

The temple is one of the huge temple complexes in Andhra Pradesh. The Temple is east facing with 50 m high seven storied Raja Gopuram with 11 Kalasas on top. Raja Gopuram was constructed by Matla Anantaraja, a local chieftain. This structure has Ramayana scenes and portrait of Matla Anantaraja and his three wives carved onto the passage walls.  There are two prakarams in the Temple. The tall primary Gopuram is followed by a smaller but no less remarkable inner Gopuram.

The inner Gopuram holds a decorative courtyard with a spacious inner stone hall, which protects the devotee's even during the busy festival times. Presiding Deity is called as Govindaraja. He is housed in the sanctum. The deity will be in reclining Yoga Nidra posture, facing east, by keeping right hand under his head and left hand straight over his body. Sridevi and Bhudevi the consorts of Vishnu will be in sitting posture at the foot of Govindaraja.

Before Govindaraja shrine consecration, Sri Parthasarathy Swamy was the primary deity of the temple. Sri Ramanuja’ added the Sri Govindaraja deity around 1130 AD. The inner prakaram hosts the Sanctum along with shrines of Krishna with his consorts and Andal. Towards south west corner of the inner enclosure, there is a shrine dedicated to Kalyana Venkateswara which had a mandapa with finely finished colonettes on the outer piers and with central space lined with Yalis projecting inwards. The pavilion in the middle had columns of grey green granite and wooden roof.

There is a shrine, in honor of Sri Ramanuja in the inner prakaram and on the left of the second entrance is a ‘Kurma’ Deity, Lord Vishnu as a tortoise. There are also carvings depicting the pastimes of the Ramayana and Lord Krishna‘s pastimes on the second gopuram. Mother is called as Pundarikavalli. Her shrine is situated in the outer prakaram. There are also shrines Chakkarathalwar, Alvars, Lakshmi Narayana Swamy, Anjaneya, Tirumala Nambi, Bhashyakara and Parthasarathy in the Temple premises.