I want to share this experience with you...I think everybody should go to Tirupati, it is the best place I have visited in India. I've seen the Taj, Jaipur, Kajuraho, Varanasi...and many other places...but Tirupati remained in my heart. Of course, the Taj is an objective beaty...but Tiruapi is a different beauty. On the Lonely Planet Travel Guide there is written pratically nothing on this place. It was on August 2004, I was planning to go to Madras, froma Bangalore. But I wanted to stop in Turupati for a couple of days. I did not have the more pale idea about what this place was about. But I have remained emotionally involved...for the people with their hair cut, for the devotion and the people shouting "Govinda"...and the incense so strong...I did not know anything about Lord Avalokiteshwara (excuse me for not writing it correctly)...Balaji...I spent just few seconds in front of the statue, in the gopuram (fortunatly I was allowed in, beacuse, in many temples, foreigners are not allowed). I got incredibly contaminated by that devotion, I felt I was part of the place and people there...I felt it on my skin, and in my soul...A long queue...but it worthed waiting...I am not indian, but I must have been indian in one of my passed lives....Namasté, God bless u all, Max
P.S: GO to Tirupati!

After reading your experience even i feel that i should visit tirupati Balaji ....Soon on eTalk i will be sharing my experience ..thanx for inspiring us

Your welcome Vishal. In particualr, the place where you can visit the Balaji's temple is Tirumala, up on a hill near Tirupati. In Tirumala, near Balaji's gopuram I remember I have reamined in another little temple, dedicated to Krishna & Rada; I have stopped there for at least 1 hour singing hare krishna with the people woho gathered there; they had invited me to join them the in the chanting, they had the tablas and the harmonium...fortunately it was easy to sing "hare Krishna, Hare Rama". In Tirupati instead, down the Tirumala hill, there is the proper town, where there are many other beatiful temples to visit..I remember one with a waterfall...ecstatic! 1 day is not enogh to have a compete experience, at least two days. Anyway, have a nice trip, Ciao, Max.