Deities in Tirumala Venkateswara Temple

The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, an incarnation of Vishnu, who is believed to be appeared here to save mankind from the trials and troubles of Kali Yuga.

Besides Venkateshwara, the temple is also home to deities of Krishna and Rukmini, Chakrathalvaar, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman, Vishwaksena, Sugriva, Angada and Salagramulu.

This deity sleeps in a golden cot every night and abhishekams twice daily as part of thomala seva and receives Sahasra Kalashabishekam every Wednesday.

The idol is cleansed daily with holy waters, milk, curd, ghee, sandalwood paste, turmeric, and so on.

The Lord appeared in dreams, and ordered the people to find a suitable set of idols hidden in the holy Tirumala hills for the Utsavas (procession).

After these idols were brought to the temple, the number of programmes increased including Nitya Kalyanaotsavam, Sahasra Deepalankara Seva, Arjita Brahmotsavam, Nithyotsavam, Dolotsavam, and others.

This panchaloha idol resembles the main deity, and represents the presiding officer for all activities and rituals in the temple.

Koluvu Srinivasa is regarded as the guardian deity of the temple that presides over its financial and economic affairs.

According to legend, the panchaloha idols of Rama, Lakshmana, Hanuman, Sugriva and Angada were commissioned by Sage Viswambara based on his vision.

While the posture (madhyama tala and tribhanga pose) is similar to his elder brother, the idol differs from Rama in a few ways.

The right hand is bent at the elbow and touches the mouth in a posture that conveys Hanuman's mark of respect for Rama.

The left hand is in the Katyavalambita pose (left palm closed and resting on the waist and the outer side of the palm is seen to the onlookers) The Deity of Sugriva, the monkey-king and friend of Lord Rama, is seen with folded hands in a stance resembling prayer to the Lord.

[4] The deities of Hanuman and Angada are also believed to have been installed at the same time in the Ramar medai (Elevated platform of Rama).

In the mid-1990s, Sugriva along with other deities were moved to a room outside the sanctum sanctorum, where pilgrims are provided with blessings and thirtam (holy consecrated water).

The arms of the god is in the exact replica of Dhruva Bera (main deity)- the upper two holding a sankha and chakra, the right lower in Avgana hastam (blessing posture), and the left lower hand is in Gada hastam (palm resting on the hip).

After recital of holy chants, he goes to Ankurarpana mandapam with Ananta, Garuda and Sudarsana and stays there during the entire Brahmotsavam period.