Konetirayala Temple Keelapatla

Getting there

• By air

  Tirupati Airport has daily flights and lies 15 km from Tirupati city centre. The temple is 120 km from Tirupati.

• By road

  The temple is 141 km from Bangalore, 203 km from Chennai and 471 km from Hyderabad. From the Tirupati bus station complex, APSRTC state buses run to various destinations.

Why devotees come here

Konetirayala Temple in Keelapatla, Chittoor district, is a Hindu temple of Venkateswara, known here as Konetirayudu. Local belief says the deity first placed his holy foot at Keelapatla before reaching Tirumala. Its main idol shows the impressions of Sridevi and Bhudevi on its chest.

Legend says Saint Brughu kicked Vishnu's chest, and to cleanse that sin Vishnu sent him to Earth to set up the idol in seven places. Konetiraya Swamy at Keelapatla is one of those places. Devotees also believe the deity first placed his holy foot here, before reaching Tirumala.

The 15th-century saint Annamacharya mentions Konetiraya in many of his devotional songs. In the past the temple was developed by the Punganuru Jamindars, who came by road from Punganuru. Records say the Punganur Samasthanam Jamindars, who were Muslims, improved the temple, and many copper coins of the Punganur Jamindars have been found at nearby Melumoi. Many dynasties ruled this place, among them the Sathavahanas, Pallavas, Cholas and Vijayanagar emperors.

Inside the sanctum the deity stands, as he does at Tirumala. The main idol carries the impressions of Sridevi and Bhudevi on its chest. Huge Jaya-Vijaya guardians stand at the gate, and the complex also holds an ancient Chennakesava idol with his two wives, five Alwars, Bhoovaraha Moorthy, Garudalwar and Anjaneya.

Tips for your visit

• The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams board runs the temple, the same board that runs Tirumala.
• Tirupati has six railway stations, and Tirupati Main is its A1 class main station.
• Tirupati Main is in the Guntakal division of the South Central Railway zone.

Questions people ask