TIRUMALA, the abode of Lord Venkateswara also known as Kaliyuga Vaikunta is located in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the 108 Vaishnavite Kshetras in antiquity and is mentioned in the verses of the Divyaprabhandam. It is regarded as the Holiest among the Holy Lands. Lord of Seven Hills known as "Balaji" in North India and "Srinivasa" or "Venkateswara" in South India, is the presiding deity in this kaliyuga. It is considered to be the sporting hill (Kreedasaila) of the Lord situated in the Paramapada.
During the 11th century, there lived a great devotee of the Lord on the "Sri Sailapurna" hills. He dedicated his entire life to the services of the Lord and in His aradhana. This great devotee is none other than Peria Tirumala Nambi, grandson of Alavandar (Yamuna Charya). He was also known as "Sri Sailapurna". The affectionate "Thatha" as called by Lord Srinivasa was commanded by HIM that the Theertham for Pooja be brought from the nearby water-fall namely Akasaganga.
How Tirumala Nambi got blessed with the title "Thata" by the Lord himself is known from the following anecdote:
Tirumala Nambi used to bring water from Papanasam situated at a distance of 8 kilometers from Tirumala for the puja. One day a fowler approached and demanded him for water to quench his thirst
after addressing Tirumala Nambi as "Thata". Sri Sailapurna refused to give water intended for the Abhishekum of the Lord. Thereafter the fowler following Tirumala Nambi pierced the pot and
drank the water which oozed out of the pot. The fowler then discharged an arrow at the hillock near by and water came gushing from the place hit by the arrow. The new fountain is called
Akasaganga. The fowler commanded that the water for the Lord's puja should thenceforth be brought from Akasaganga and disappeared. Sri Sailapurna was convinced that the fowler was none other
than Lord Srinivasa.
Sri Sailapurna performed various kainkaryams such as Akasaganga Theertha Kainkaryam, Thomalaseva, Mantrapushpa Kainkaryam, Saathumurai, Thirumanjanam and Vedaparayanam. Hence he was also called "Uthama Purusha" or "Acharya Purusha" of Tirumala Temple. His descendants known as "Thozhappa Charyars" continue to perform the above and other services to the Lord Srinivasa in Tirumala, and other temples including Tirupati, Tiruchanur.
Sri Sailapurna or Peria Tirumala Nambi was the maternal uncle of Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja and a source of inspiration for Sri Ramanuja in initiating him to inner truths of Ramayanam which is the perennial fountain head of the unfailing "Saranagathi Sastra". There is a historical evidence that Tirumala Nambi lived in Tirumaaliga, South Mada Street, Tirumala. Now the descendents of Tirumala Nambi are managing the temple at this place where the Utsavar and Moolavar deities of Acharya Tirumala Nambi is housed.
The unique Kainkaryams are performed by descendants of Tirumala Nambi even today. Please check back later to view the family tree starting from Tirumala Nambi to his descendants from 973 AD to 2000 AD currently under construction.