At Tiruchanur, near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, stands the temple of Sri Padmavathi — Alamelu Manga — the consort of Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala and a form of the Goddess Lakshmi. Tradition holds that Mahalakshmi was born as Alamelu, daughter of King Akasha Raja, and wed Venkateswara; she is said to have manifested here upon a golden lotus in the sacred Padmasarovaram tank, from which she takes her name Padmavathi, she who arose from the lotus.
So cherished is she that pilgrims hold a visit to Tirumala incomplete without first seeking the blessing of Padmavathi at Tiruchanur. Administered, like Tirumala, by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, the temple draws vast crowds, above all during its grand Panchami Teertham festival. Padmavathi of Tiruchanur is among the most revered Lakshmi shrines of the South, the divine consort of the Lord of the Seven Hills.
