Some ten decades ago, the pilgrims to Tirumala had to return without the
darshan of the Ananda Nilaya Gopuram if the temple was closed for the day. At that time, the temple, surrounded by thick forest, would open in the morning and close in the evening.
To help the devotees to have “Vimana Venkateswara Darshanam”, the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthnams (TTD) has mooted a proposal to provide staircases and a platform. This would help the people not having time to have the darshan of Venkateswara, the Lord of Seven Hills. The Ananda Nilayam Gopuram is also comparable to the waist and navel of the lord Venkateswara, which have become the abode of the consorts Sri Devi and Bhudevi.
The 65.2-foot tall gopuram is rectangular up to a height of 27.4 feet and later is in circular module with a huge basement of about 20 feet. The first floor of 10.9 feet is in rectangular format and does not have any statues but only green vines and leafy environment.The second floor of the rectangular gopuram of 10.9 feet has nearly 40 idols perched on four sides. The gold idol of the Venkateswara on the north-east side of the gopuram with a silver arch around it is the Vimana Venkteswara.
The third floor of the gopuram of 16.3 feet has nearly 20 idols, mostly in gold in various avatars of the Hindu Vaishnava mythology. There are eight golden idols of lions on all the sides. The last region of five feet to the top level of Kalasam on the gopuram is decorated up with golden leaves, vines, swans and birds.
According to available records, the first phase of the gopuram was built in 839 by the Pallava king Vijayadanti Vikrama Varma who also provided gold plating for it. It was completed in 1262 by the Pandyan king Sundara Pandya Jata Varma. In 1359, the Saluva king Mangideva Maharaja installed a new gold kalasam on the gopuram. In 1417, the Minister Chandragiri Malla of Vijayanagara Kingdom renovated the gopuram as part of various construction of mandapams in the complex.
It was during the reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya between 1513 and 1521 that the
Srivari temple was refurbished with gold vessels, plates and ornaments, including a huge crown and necklaces of various shapes and sizes. By utilising 30,000 gold coins, Sri Krishnadevaraya gave another gold coating to the gopuram.
In 1908, the Mahant Ramalakshman Das reinstalled a golden kalasam. Fifty years later, a ten-day mega event was held from August 18-27, the gopuram was refurbished and reworked with more idols, decorative elements as part of the Maha-samprokshanam.
Vimana Venkateswara darshanam has been defended by Srivari temple chief priest AV Ramana Dikshitulu. Quoting temple legends like Venkatachala Mahatyam, Vimanarchana Kalpam and the Vimana Venkateswara, he said Venkateswara landed on the earth in Kaliyuga as Swayambhu with his two consorts in “Tridala Vimanam”. The temple priests offer the first prayers of the day to Sri Vimana Venkateswara before awakening the presiding deity inside the sanctum sanctorum, he added.
Interestingly, garlands and flowers play a significant role and each one has a
specific identity in the legends of the Venkateswara.
According to the ‘Tiruvai Mulhi’, a local purana, the celestial ruler of the seven hills was known for his love of flowers and flowery decorations at his abode throughout the year. Ramana Dikshitulu says that on any single day the majestic idol is decorated with nearly 100 feet length of garlands. The chief priest said the garlands were made from specially cut flowers of nearly 27 varieties and six types of aromatic leaves from the gardens of Venkateswara in Tirumala.
The prominent garlands adorning the deity are – Shikhamani, Saligrama Mala, Kanthasari, Vruksha Sthala Lakshmi, Shanku Chakram, Kathari saram, Tavalamulu. To meet the requirements, the TTD maintains gardens over hundreds of acres at Tirumala to raise special rose, jasmine and marigold flowers especially for decoration of Venkateswara. Special aromatic leaves like tulasi are also raised in the same gardens.
TTD gardens Superintendent Srinivas says that an average of 525 kg of flowers and 5 kg of scented leaves are used in the making of garlands and flower decorations of the main deity and also the sanctum sanctorum of Srivari temple in Tirumala.
“At least 20 women make the garlands for the deity every day which is kept in air-conditioned chambers for decoration of the deity and also the utsava idols during the festivals and rituals,” he added.