Tirumala

Tirumala is the most popular temple ever . Seventy five thousand pilgrims on an average day pass through its portals , and one hundred and fifty thousand on festivals . The temple is open almost 24 hours , from 2.30 am to 2 am the next day , closing ceremonially only for half an hour . Being nearly 2000 years old , it is also the oldest temple in the world which has been in continous worship as per very ancient rituals . Over fifty thousand pilgrims are fed free of cost by the temple every day . (Even the vatican , which is far richer does not do that ).

One old sanskrit verse goes -

"Venkatadri Samam Sthanam Brahmande Nasti Kinchana ,

Venkatesha Samo Devo Na Bhuto Na Bhavishyati."

ie

There is no place like Venkatadri ( Tirumala Hill ) in the whole universe ,

and there is no deity like Venkatesha , nor will there ever be .