The holy abode of Tirumala sees a sacred festival performed every day. As many as 433 festivals were being observed round the year since several centuries. There was the initial mention about various types of festivals in the inscriptions that date back to 1380AD in Sri Vari Temple.
The festivals at Tirumala are broadly classified into Tingal and Visesha Divasams. Tingal Divasams are observed on certain specials days in a month in concurrence with auspicious stars that occur every month either in bright or dark fortnights. On the other hand, the Visesha Divasams are the special days connected with auspicious tithes or stars commemorating the birth of Alwars, Acharyas and incarnations of Lord.
The mention of the Tingal and Visesha Divasams is also evident in the inscriptions dating back to 1488AD, 1504AD, 1562AD and 1819AD. As per the comprehensive list of festivities that appear in the inscription of 1562 AD, about 433 festivals were actually in vogue, which includes 204 days of Visesha Titunals comprising of the Brahmotsavams, Pavithrotsavams etc.
While the Tingal Divasams are observed for 217 days with events like Nakshatrotsavams, Pournimas etc. the Visesha Divasams that are observed in the temple include festivals like Deepavali, Sri Rama Navami, Sri Krishna Jayanthi etc. which go on for 14 days.
For centuries these festivals have been performed and witnessed by ardent devotees. Most of them continue even today, thereby aptly suiting the title ” Nitya Kalyanam Paccha Toranam” to Tirumala- the abode of Lord Venkateswara.