Karnataka's 116-Year-Old Navaneethamma Walks Up Tirumala Hills For Lord Venkateshwara's Darshan

By Oneindia Desk

Updated: Monday, July 6, 2026, 16:53 [IST]

A 116-year-old devotee from Karnataka has become the centre of attention at Tirumala after choosing to climb the sacred hills on foot for darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy. Navaneethamma, accompanied by her family, completed the demanding pilgrimage in Andhra Pradesh and drew admiration from devotees who watched her make the climb with determination.

Videos of the elderly pilgrim walking up the Tirumala route have been widely shared on social media, where many users praised her faith, physical resolve and the support shown by her family. Her journey stood out because walking to Tirumala is considered a devotional vow by many pilgrims, but few attempt it at such an advanced age.

AI Summary

AI-generated summary, reviewed by editors

Navaneethamma, a 116-year-old devotee from Karnataka, completed a pilgrimage by walking up the Tirumala hills in Andhra Pradesh for Lord Venkateswara Swamy's darshan, earning admiration and a special VIP darshan arranged by the TTD.

116-year-old Navaneethamma trekking up the Tirumala sacred hills

TTD arranges VIP break darshan for Navaneethamma

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams arranged a special VIP break darshan for Navaneethamma and her family early on Monday, July 6. The arrangement was made after her pilgrimage drew attention among devotees and temple officials, allowing the family to have a smoother darshan at the hill shrine.

The gesture was seen as recognition of her extraordinary effort and devotion. Tirumala receives large crowds through the year, and darshan queues can often be long, especially during weekends, festivals and auspicious days. For elderly pilgrims, the physical demands of both the trek and darshan process can be significant.

Why the Tirumala foot pilgrimage matters

For many devotees, walking up the Tirumala hills is not merely a route to the temple. It is treated as an offering, often linked to prayers, thanksgiving or personal vows. Pilgrims commonly take the footpath routes to the hill shrine before joining the darshan process at Tirumala.

The climb is demanding even for younger devotees. It involves long stretches of steps, changing gradients and crowded sections during peak seasons. Families often pace the journey slowly, take breaks along the route and support elderly members who wish to complete the vow themselves.

Navaneethamma’s decision to walk, rather than use easier transport options, is why her journey resonated so strongly. In a pilgrimage culture where endurance and faith are closely connected, her age made the act exceptional. Her family’s presence also became part of the story, reflecting how religious commitments are often carried across generations.

Recommended For You

21,000 Litres of Ghee Spilled as Tirumala Tanker Overturns, Villagers Rush With Buckets - Watch

Such journeys frequently become shared public moments at Tirumala. Devotees walking the route often encourage one another, offer help and celebrate those who complete the climb despite visible difficulty. Navaneethamma’s pilgrimage became one such moment, later amplified by social media.

Tirumala’s place in India’s pilgrimage map

The Tirumala temple, also known as the Venkateswara Temple or Tirupati Balaji Temple, is among India’s most important Hindu shrines. Located on the Tirumala hills near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, the temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu.

It holds deep importance in Srivaishnava and Vaishnava traditions. Devotees visit the shrine with vows, offerings and rituals such as head tonsure. The temple is also known for its Tirupati laddu prasadam, which remains closely associated with the pilgrimage experience for millions of visitors.

Tirumala is one of the most visited Hindu temples in the world. Its scale is reflected not only in the number of pilgrims but also in the systems managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, including darshan arrangements, accommodation, prasadam distribution, crowd control and services for devotees.

The temple’s hundi offerings are among its most closely watched revenue streams. In recent years, annual hundi collections have generally been in the range of about ₹1,200 crore to ₹1,600 crore. TTD reported ₹1,365 crore in hundi offerings in 2024, while the FY 2023-24 budget expected about ₹1,591 crore from hundi donations alone.

These figures refer mainly to offerings placed by devotees in the temple hundi. The institution also receives income from laddu sales, darshan tickets, accommodation and other services. The scale of these operations reflects the temple’s central place in India’s religious and cultural life.

A personal act of faith becomes a public moment

While thousands walk to Tirumala every year, Navaneethamma’s journey drew wider attention because it combined devotion, age and family support in a striking way. The story travelled beyond the temple route after videos showed her continuing the climb despite the effort involved.

For many viewers, the appeal lay in the simplicity of the act. There was no spectacle beyond an elderly devotee fulfilling her wish to reach the hill shrine on foot. In a place where faith is often expressed through physical commitment, her pilgrimage became a powerful image.

The TTD’s decision to facilitate her darshan ensured that the difficult journey ended with a comfortable visit to the sanctum. For Navaneethamma and her family, the climb was a personal offering. For many others who saw it, it became a reminder of Tirumala’s enduring pull across age, region and generation.