Tirupati

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | 700+ words | Copyright

Tirupati city (1991 pop. 188,904), in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh state in S India. It is located in a valley of the Eastern Ghats some 35 mi (56 km) NNE of Chittoor. The city is noted for its handicrafts, which include silk weaving, wood carving, and the manufacture of brassware. It also has rice and oilseed mills and is the site of a university. Tirupati is best known as a major religious site. Famous ancient shrines occupy the sacred hill of Tirumala just northwest of the city. The Tirumala temple, which occupies the hill's summit, reputedly draws more than a million visitors annually and is said to be the richest temple in India. It is sacred to the Hindu deity Balaji (or Vankateswara), the giver of worldly wealth.

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