About Aluva
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Aluva Blue Bird Travels is a town and a municipality in Ernakulam district and also a part of Kochi metropolitan area in the state of Kerala, India. It is one of the most industrialised towns in Kerala, though most of the factories are actually situated in the newly minted town Kalamassery. It is famous for the Aluva Sivarathri festival at Manal Puram (sand bank) on the banks of Periyar River. Aluva serves as a transit point to the following four towns in Ernakulam district - Angamaly to the North, Kalamassery to the south, North Paravur to the west and Perumbavoor to the east.
Aluva is one of the important towns in India. It’s in the state of Kerala and rich in History, Culture and Heritage. Aluva is now in the International aviation map due to the close proximity to Cochin International Airport Limited.
Periyar,a beautiful river and second largest in the state is the life line of Aluva. A trip down the river and its silken-smooth sand-banks will be one of the most memorable experiences in any ones life.The history of Aluva brings to the picture the history of Periyar. The pres- ence of the river has given Aluva one of the most exquisite culture as could be com- pared to that of any part in Kerala. As it is known, the rivers of Kerala have brought with them the behavior and trad- itional aspects of the population living on their banks. The case is no different here either.
Take a walk down Periyar river and you will find some kind of a gracefulness envelope you. The cool river, it’s silken-smooth sandbanks and the people around gets into your mind to stay there emanating a sacred feeling that you would want to come back to its banks over and over again.The Periyar is indeed Aluva’s lifeline. The activities along the long stretch of its banks are always hectic as if life proceeds alongwith the quiet flow of water downstream. Small-scale as well as cottage industries thrive along the riverbed bringing in revenue and smiles into every home.
The riverbank has its ornamental look with huge tall coconut palms lending its own charm. The green canopy along the shores fills the mind with happiness. The temples, churches and mosques along the banks of the Periyar give a touch of Aluva’s diverse culture and beliefs.The town is also known for its communal harmony and the goodness that comes with it.Periyar is the most important river in the Ernakulam district. The Periyar with a length of 229 km. is the longest river in the district. Among the rivers in the State, Periyar is second only to Bharathapuzha in length. During its course five important tributaries join the river. They are Muthirapuzha, Mullayar, Cheruthoni, Perinjankutti and Edamala.
The Chalakkudy river also joins the Periyar at Elanthikara, 10 km. east of Kodungalloor. Periyar is very high in hydro-eletric potential. There are a series of dams and power stations viz. Pallivasal, Kundala, Madapetty, Senkulam, Neriaman- galam and Panniyar on this river basin. Idukki Hydro-electric Project is the most important scheme of its kind in Kerala. Kalady, the birth palace of Sankaracharya, the greatest Advaitha Philosopher is on the bank of Periyar. Other important places on its bank are Malayattoor and Aluva which are places of pilgrimage for Christians and Hindus respectively. The Periyar traverses through all the Taluks in the district. The river is highly beneficial to the district for irrigation, drainage and navigation. The river plays a very important role in the agricult- ural, industrial and commercial develop- ment of the district. The Periyar Valley Irrigation Project is capable of irrigating a net area of 30414 ha. as at the end of 1990-91.
Thus Aluva is also one kind of tourist place which Blue Bird Travels makes the way.
About Tirupati
The city of Tirupati is one of the biggest pilgrimage centers of the world. Positioned at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is most famous for the VenkateswaraSwamy temple located in the Tirumala Hills. 50,000 - 100,000 pilgrims visit Tirupati every day, traveling from far and wide to offer Darshan to Lord Venkateswara. The number of Darshan seekers who take the tour in a single day can skyrocket to 500,000 on special occasions, making Tirupati the busiest religious destination in the whole world. The Venkateswara Temple is found atop the last of the seven Tirumala hills near Tirupati, at an elevation of 853 meters. Other major centers for the pilgrim’s tour include the Govindaraja shrine within Tirupati and the Padmavati shrine in Tiruchanur, about 5 kilometers south of Tirupati.
Historically, the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala is claimed to have been an established center of Vaishnavism by 5th century A.D. The town of Tirupati formed itself much later around the foundation of the Govindarajaswami Temple, which was established by the Vaishnavaite teacher, Ramanuja, during the twelfth century. Prior to this the only settlement in the area was a tiny village named Kapilatirtham, a short distance to the north of modern-day Tirupati. ‘Ramanujapuram,’ expanded a great deal during Vijayanagara times, gradually forming a big township. Over successive centuries, several other shrines too sprouted up lending to Tirupati’shighly regarded sanctity. Today, with never less than 5,000 pilgrims offering Darshan to Lord Venkateswara, the temple has turned into one of the richest places of worship in the entire world, second only to SreePadmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala.
Entry and regular Darshan at the TirupatiVenkateswara Temple is free, however, those who choose to pay extra may join the express lane for a quick Darshan. Touring pilgrims may also buy quick Darshan tickets that are available at the Vaikuntam Queue Complex- a series of inter-linked hallways leading up to the main shrine where the BalajiDarshan takes place. The queue system regulates a minimum of 5,000 worshipers seeking Darshan at any given point and ensures orderly movement of pilgrims. The free Darshan is called ‘SarvaDarshan,’ translating into ‘darshan for all.’ This common Darshan is normally allotted between 18 and 20 hours daily and has different timings each day. The ‘SeegraDarshan’ ticket was introduced in 2009 to provide a quick and convenient Darshan for Pilgrims who are willing to pay extra. The cost of a SeegraDarshan ticket is Rs. 300 per pilgrim and can be made available as part of the package tour. On purchasing the SeegraDarshan ticket, pilgrims are allowed their Darshan directly. SeegraDarshan tickets are available at all times when the SarvaDarshan is open.
The DivyaDarshan is provided for those who make it to Tirumala by foot via the GaliGopuram or SrivariMettu, facilitating free Darshan, accommodation and food. The Sudarshan token, issued from various TTD-counters at Rs.50 was introduced to reduce waiting time by indicating a particular time when the pilgrim may enter the Vaikuntam Queue Complex. A Special Darshan is also available for the Physically Challenged, the Aged and infants, along with attendants, through a separate gate at the main temple entrance. E-Darshan counters are available in major cities from which bookings can be made 60 days in advance of the tour.
The seventh of the sacred hills (Tirumala) that houses the Venkateswara temple is known as Venkatachalam Hill and is the predominant part of all tours to Tirupati. It is located 12 kilometers northwest of Tirupati and is surrounded by hills of higher altitude. At the final leg of the tour to Tirumala are five different routes, two from Tirupati- a pathway built of steps and a motorway, a third from Chandragiri, a fourth from Mamandur Railway station and a fifth via Nagapatla.