The to and fro bus fare to go to Tirumala from Tirupathi is Rs. 48 only. Apart from this by crossing seven hills through steps Tirumala can be reached. This will give you lot of Punyam. Tirumala is situated at a distance of 11k.m from the base known as Alibiri. Alibiri can be reached from Tirupathi by town bus. Alibiri means Adipadi. At Alibiri Karudazhwar is seen with both wings out stretched and with folded hands as if worshipping Perumal. Through the ghat road only in olden days Azhwars, Rishis, yogis and big kings by climbing the hill went to Tirumala to worship Perumal. By keeping this in mind and with that if one climbs the one will not get tired feeling. At the base of the hill pilgrims worship by breaking a cocanut with a prayer that their journey is completed without any hindrance and hardship. Some pilgrims will climb by putting Manjal and kumkumam on each step and reciting ‘GOVINDA” while climbing each step. Some will light camphor on each steo. Totally there are 3,600 steps. Though one will have difficulty while climbing upto 2,500 seps thereafter on reach Kali Gopuram the steps will be on even ground. Then it becomes easy to walk.

SRI PADHA MANDAPAM: The first place that we arrive at in the ghat road is Sri padha Mandapam. Sri Ramanujar who submitted his entire life for Sriman Narayanan while staying at Tirupathi used to give lectures on Ramayanam at the base. His uncle Tirumalai nambi used to carry water on his head/shoulder climb the hill, reach Tirumala and after performing poojas to Malayappa swami will again climb down to Tirupathi. Once while hearing the Ramayana lecture he missed the Uchikala pooja(Noon Pooja). He felt sad by thinking that by hearing Ramayana lecture he wasted his time by not doing service to Perumal. To remove his sad feeling Venkatavan appeared before him at the base of the Tirmala hill. We can see two steps there even today, the place where God gave Darshan. A mandapam has been built above that. This is called Thiru padha mandapam. There is a temple in the place where Ramanujar gave lectures. Venkatesan stands there in a simple form. There is a shrine for Andal also. Here Bhakthas can get Padhams(feet) in brass by buying a ticket for Rs.5. By carrying one should walk around the sannidhi of Andal. To enable them to worship easily without any difficulty  bhakthas offer their prayers to Andal by carrying the feet made of brass. Pilgrimage starts from here.

TALAYERU KUNDU: The next place after the Padha Mandapam is the Talayeru kundu(rock). In this rock one can see Anjaneyar’s image. By bowing before his image with our head and offering our worship, one can complete the pilgrimage without getting diseases like head ache, leg ache and body ache. In the ghat road similar Thalayeru gundu anjaneyar images can be seen at three other places. Those who want to construct houses will offer worship here by placing stones one above the other.

DASAVATHARA AZHWAR MANDAPAMS: On the entire ghat road there are Dasavathara Mandapams. In these mandapams the Dasavathara images of Perumal is chiselledAfter passing through the nine incarnations i.e., Mathsya, Koorma, Varaha, Vamana, Narasimha, Parasurama,Rama, Balarama and Krishna mandapams when we expect Kalki incarnation mandapam we see Hayagrivar mandapam. Since Kalki incarnation has to come in future, probably they have made Hayagrivar mandapam instead. Also Hayagrivar is the deity for learning and education this mandapam has been built in the interest of the studens. There there are mandapams for twelve Azhwars. By passing through all the dasavathara mandapams and azhwar mandapams we will reach the top of the hill. References about each azhwar and the books written by each one of them are mentioned in these Mandapams.

KURUVA MANDAPAM: After Thalayeru Mandapam a mandapam in dilapidated condition is called Kuruva Mandapam. Kuruva Nambi a potter by profession and birth was staying by building a hut. He made an idol of Malayappa swamy by wood and was worshipping by offerning flowers made from mud at the idol’s feet. King Thodaiman used to worship the Perumal at the hill top with golden flowers. Perumal wanted to teach a lesson to the king who was worshipping HIM with lot of ego.Perumal made to disappear all the golden flowers. He made that HIS FEET had only mud flowers offered by Kuruva Nambi. King became restless that the golden flowers offered by him were missing. On that Night Perumal appeared in the dream of the king and made him feel the true bhakthi of Guruva Nambi and his own ego. Next day the king touched the feet of Kuruva Nambi with reverence and constructed a mandapam for him. That mandapam is the present Kuruva mandapam.

KALI GOPURAM: There are three gopurams(temple towers) in the ghat road route. The first gopuram is at Alipiri. After crossing 2,100 steps, next to Guruva Mandapam lies the Kali Gopuram. During the 17th century Matlakumara Anantharayan constructed these ghat road route gopurams. Once you reach this Kali Gopuram you will get the feeling that you have climbed half of Tirupathi hill. The steps which were steep and straight will end at Kali gopuram. In this tower Namam, conch, chakra(disc) the auspicious symbols are decorated by electric lights. This has been placed in such way that one can see this even from a long distance at night. This gopuram is situated at a distance of two kilometers from the base of the hill. Hereafter the steps are arranged in a slope way so that it is easy to climb and walk through these steps. In olden days to assist the bhakthas who climb kali gopuram there was a shed serving drinking water. Now a days it looks like big bazaar. All eatables are available here. Bhakthas take rest for a while and then continue their journey.

TAPOVANA NARASIMHAR: At a distance next to Kali Gopuram one can have a darshan of Narasimhar temple. The place where the Narasimhar is situated is known as Tapovanam. Narasimhar appeared before Rishaba Rishi who performed Tapas (penance) here. Yoga Narasimhar in he form swayambu appears as a tall moorthi. At a later period a temple was built for Lakshmi Narasimhar at this spot. This tapovanam is full of ever green trees and gives a pleasant greenish sight. Those who are fond of doing meditations sit in the front portion of the mandapam and do meditation and get mental peace.

WELCOMING HRI: If one walks upto a certain distance from Muzhankaal Murichchan we arrive at Venkatathri hill. Here we see the images of Periyazhwar who sung foe Perumal Pallandu and Kothai nachiyar(andal). With this the ghat road route come to an end and we come across a road. We have reached Tirumala. Suprabatham song is heard in through out the streets.  We forgot the tired feeling that we got on having climbed through thousands of steps and a desire to see the Ananda Nilayam of Tirumalai Venkatanathan.

MUZHANKAL MURICHCHAN; While crossing the ghat road of Seshadri hill which has natural beauty of ever green foliage we come across Mokkalu Mitta. Ramanujar climbed this hill by walking through knees as he felt that if foot is placed on this hill one will incur sin. While climbing the hill with his knees, at certain place  his leg bone broke. So this place is called Muzhankal Murichchan. In Telugu it is called Mohalu Mitta. At that place there is a temple for Ramanujar. A boy wh was fond of Ezhumalaiyan and had great attachment  came to this hill by climbing. Because of hunger and thirst he became unconscious and fell down. Godess Padmavathi appeared before him and offered food. Having got the blessings of Mother Godess he sang one hundred songs in praise of HER. The life of Annamacharya with full blessings started here only who at later years sang thousands songs on Perumal.

STATUE FOR THE ISAI KUYIL; Tirupathi means our mouth will sing suprabatham even without our knowledge. Those who do not know the language also will enjoy his. That attraction towards that song was possible because of the sweet rendering by the sweet melodious voice of M.S.Subbulakshmi. There is none who have not heard of the song beginning with the words Kausalya supraja Rama  sung by her sweet voice. To honour  her a stature of her has been
Erected on the way to Alibiri from the Tirupathi bus standcted on the way to Alibri to the Tirupathi bus stand.

VARAHA  SWAMY TEMPLE: On the northern side of Venkatachalapathi temple, the temple of Varaha swamy is situated. According to Puranas this is said to be Aathi Varaha shethram. Perumal when he came to earth as Srinivasan he stayed at Tirumala only after getting the permission of the Aathi Varaha swamy. As per the information found in the Brahma Puranam before going to Venkatachalapathi bhakthas must worship the Aathi varaha swamy is a rule. In the same manner the first neivedyam also must be offered to Aathi varaha swamy. In the book Athri samhitha it is told that Varaha avatharam is worshipped as Aathi varaha , Pralaya Varaham and Yagna Varaham. In that respect the varaha swamy here is worshipped as Aathi varaha swamy.  His name is Aathi Varaha Moorthi. His temple is situated on the southern bank of Samy Pushkarani tank.

SWAMY PUSHKARANI: The teppakulam(tank) at Tirupathi is called Swamy Pushkarani. It looks like Vaikundam the abode of Maha Vishnu. Karuda Bhavan made this tank for the sake of Venkatachalapathi. Bhakthas can take bath in this tank. In the water of this Pushkarani(Theertham)three crores Theerthams from all over the world said to be mixed. On the twelfth day of Tamil month Markazhi i.e., Mukkotti dwadasi will take place on the banks of this theertham. On that day it is believed God is taking bath in this tank. On that day river Gangai also will come to this theertham and take bath to get rid of its accumulated sins. On the western side of this tank Varaha swamy temple and on the southern side Venkatachalapathi temple are situated. In the month of February or March Float festival will be celebrated. On the last day of Brahmothsawam Chakra snanam function will be held in this theertham. In the tamil month of Thai Rama Krishna theertha festival, in the tamil month Maasi on the full moon day Thumburu festival, in the tamil month of Karthigai on the sheeraphi dwadasi day Chkra theertha festival will be held.

SRI BEDI ANJANEYAR TEMPLE; This temple is situated in the Tirupathi sannidhi street. Opposite to a Perumal temple if there is a separate temple for either karudan or Anjaneyar it is considered to be of special importance and significance. In that respect on every Sundays special abishgam and poojas are held for the Sri Bedi Anjaneyar situated just opposite to the Venkatachalapathi temple. There is a special pooja on the Anjaneya Jeyanthi day. Bedi means Handcuff. . It is said that Anjana devi gave birth to Anjaneya after a long Tapas at Tirupathi. The child born out of the blessings Venkatachalapathi should not get separated from thought Anjana Devi.  But the play child Anjaneyar flew in the sky to catch the sun and returned. After Anjana devi hand cuffed him so that here after he should not go for playing to any place. In the handcuffed state she made him stand in front of Venkatachalapathi and remain worshipping HIM at all times. We cn not see this hand cuff. Because she made a coir out of the sky and tied it around his hands.  Being hand cuffed Anjaneyar He is called Bedi anjaneyar. Apart from this there is a temple for Anjaneyar in front of Varaha swamy temple.