Tirumala or Tirumalai is a spiritual place in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

It is a hill town where Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is located, a popular shrine of Vishnu.

[6] The prefix "Tiru" (or "Thiru") is a widely recognized Tamil word meaning "sacred" or "holy," and is used in many South Indian place names.

[7][8] Tirumala is located 980 metres (3,200 ft) above sea level and covers an area of approximately 26.8 square kilometres (10.33 sq mi).

Surrounding the hills are seven peaks of Seshachalam range, Eastern Ghats namely Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabadri, Narayanadri, and Venkatadri.

At the 12 km (7.5 mi) point on the Tirupati – Tirumala Ghat road, there is a major discontinuity of stratigraphic significance that represents a period of remarkable serenity in the geological history of the Earth.

This unconformity separates the Nagari Quartzite of the Proterozoic from the granite of the Archean, representing a time gap of 800 Mya.

Pertaining to orographic relief, the northeast monsoon remains active over the region for 2 months.

Consumption of non-vegetarian food, alcohol, and tobacco products is strictly prohibited in Tirumala, and smuggling any of these is considered a serious offence.

Srivari Brahmotsavams is the most important festival in Tirumala that is celebrated every year during September/October and receives lakhs of devotees over a short span of a nine days.

[17][18] The city celebrates all major Hindu festivals including Sankranti,[19] Ugadi[20] and so forth.

[21] Rathasapthami is another festival, celebrated during February, when Venkateswara processional deity, (Malayappa) is taken in a procession around the temple on seven different vahanas from early morning to late night.

It has a wonderful collection of Tirupati temple architecture and historical artefacts, such as ancient weaponry, pooja items and idols.

It has a comprehensive photo gallery that gives a unique insight into the Tirupati region's culture and traditions.

[32] Renigunta Junction is another important railway station which lies on the Chennai – Mumbai rail corridor is 38 kilometres (24 mi) away from Tirumala.