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Chinna Tirupati Temple – Salem – Tamil Nadu

Chinna Tirupati Temple near Salem in Tamil Nadu is known as Arulmigu Prasanna Venkataramana Swamy Temple. It is located atop a hill at Marakottai village near Karavalli, Omalur Town. The shrine is around 25 km from Salem off the Salem - Dharmapuri National Highway.


The main murti worshipped in the temple is Venkateswara or Balaji. He is flanked by his consorts – Bhu Devi and Sridevi.

The temple also has huge murtis of Hanuman and Garuda.

The temple walls are adorned with beautiful paintings of Vishnu and his avatars.

Story of Chinna Tirupati Temple

Once Vayu Bhagavan, the wind god, came to Vaikunta to have darshan of Vishnu. But Adisesha, the thousand headed snake, stopped Vayu. This resulted in an argument. As to find out who is mightier they entered into a competition. Adi Sesha wound himself around a peak on Meru and asked Vayu to move it and show. Vayu blew in full force but nothing happened to the mountain. There was chaos in the universe and Devas asked Adi Sesha to budge so that there can be end to the competition. Adi Sesha budged and a small chunk of the mountain flew away. The Chinna Tirupati Temple is located atop this mountain.

Another legend has it that during his search for Goddess Lakshmi on earth, Vishnu came to the spot where the temple is located and found Adi Sesha here in a pit. Vishnu entered the pit. Shiva and Brahma later came here in the guise of cow and calf and had darshan of Vishnu atop Adi Sesha.

Thousands of years later a cow used to regularly come and shed its milk in a pit on the mountain. The owner of the cow one day discovered this strange act. 

The owner of the cow then informed villagers about the strange act. The villagers then discovered the murti of Venkateswara in the pit. The Pandya king of the region then helped the villagers build the shrine.


The owner the cow who found the hill and murti was then referred as Malai Kaandan – one who found the new mountain. Even today the descendents of Malai Kaandan to services in the temple.

About Chinna Tirupati Temple

This is a small but beautiful and ornate temple with gopurams and other structures that we identify with temples in Tamil Nadu. The shrine is believed to have been built during the Pallava period.

A wall measuring 215 feet in length and 90 feet in width cordons off the main temple. Entrance to the shrine is from east and north.



Festivals

The temple festival is observed on Chithirai Pournami day. The utsava murti of Venkateswara is taken around the streets on the day. Other important festivals are Vaikasi Vasthotsavam, Aani Thirumanjam, Aadi Perukku, Avani Avittam, Sri Jayanti, Navratri, Deepavali, Karthigai Deepam, Margazhi, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Panguni Uthiram and Ram Navami.

Salem Chinna Tirupati Temple –Puja and Darshan Timings

Morning – 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Evening – 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM