Tirumala Venkateswara Temple

The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is the most visited place of worship in the world, drawing an average of 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims every day to the Tirumala hills in Andhra Pradesh. Dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, the temple sits atop the Seshachalam hills at an altitude of 853 metres. The presiding deity is believed to have appeared here in the Kali Yuga to guide humanity toward salvation, and the temple is one of the wealthiest religious institutions on earth. The main Ananda Nilayam shrine features a distinctive golden vimana visible from a great distance. The famous tradition of tonsure, where devotees shave their heads as an offering, produces thousands of kilograms of hair annually. The queue system for darshan can involve waits of 12 to 24 hours, yet pilgrims come in undiminished numbers throughout the year.