The temple for the Lord of Vengadam in Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh, India) is one of the richest places of worship in the entire world with ever-increasing popularity, the footfall of devotees on the Seven Hills touching a whopping figure of seventy thousand on weekdays and one hundred thousand during the weekends. The Temples annual budget hovers around 25 billion rupees. This world record to fame and riches is not without its flip side. The temple has become the focal point for a variety of controversiessome created by the political class, some by historians with an axe to grind, and some more by Hindus with a sectarian outlook. The never-ending dispute is over the identity of the idol as a result of the age-old conflict between the worshippers of Siva and Vishnu, the two most important deities of the Hindu pantheon. Taking their cue from this, Neo-Buddhists joined the fray with the claim that the temple was a Buddhist shrine and that it was converted into Vishnu temple by wily Brahmins. The book aims to unravel the mystery over the history of the temple, providing a historical perspective to the issue and thus establishing the real identity of the Lord, which is indisputably that of the Vishnu.

Lord Balaji and His Holy Abode of Tirupathi LOCATED ON THE VERDANT FOOTHILLS of the Eastern Ghats, Tirupathi is both a cultural hub and a major pilgrimage site. Nestled in its Tirumala Hills is the famous temple of Sri Venkateswara Swami, fondly called Balaji by his worshippers. Devotees believe that Sri Venkateswara, a form of Lord Vishnu, answers the prayers of all those who seek his help and performs the greatest miracles in granting their wishes. As a result, the temple draws millions of pilgrims to its doors and is the busiest pilgrimage centre in the world. Sri Venkateswara: Lord Balaji and His Holy Abode of Tirupathi is a compilation of numerous folk legends on the benevolent Balaji. The book also offers an insight into the 1000yearold customs and traditions of the sacred Tirumala Hills. Written as a mark of gratitude to the Lord, the book details all the rituals, sevas and festivals associated with him. Here also are captured glimpses of the many teerthas, lakes and waterfalls of Tirumala. Along with this is a wealth of information for visitors and devotees alike on the various educational, medical and developmental activities of Tirupathi.

Vitthal, also called Vithoba, is the most popular god in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, and the best-known Hindu god of that region outside of India. This book by Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere is the foremost study of the history of Vitthal, his worship, and his worshippers.

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Life is all about being successful and happy. Many of us have everything and yet find the real happiness missing. We are constantly in pursuit of that joy which has eluded us forever, thus far. When we realize our true nature and origin, it enables our progression towards attaining a happy and fearless state in life. Each one of us is a divine Soul; unborn, unchanging, immutable and eternal; an inseparable potency of that Supreme God, who dwells in us eternally. Though each one of us has the potential to experience a divine existence, being immortals, we have chosen to take birth in this mortal world; taking birth to die and dying to take birth again, in some 8.4 million bodies. There is a mismatch in what is happening to us. We are immortals, but the bodies we acquire in this world are not. We can attain the divine, eternal world of God, if we realize our imperishable relationship with God, who alone can grant us the state we all seek. With that realization, we can transcend causes and effects of this karmic world, overcoming grief and pain. We not only achieve material success, but also live a useful life, for the self, for our families and for the society.

History of Sri Venkatesvara Temple at Tirupati.

A Collection Of Folk Legends About Venkateshwara, The Sacred Tirumala Hills, His Miracles And The Rituals And Festivals Associated With Him-A Manifestation Of Vishnu. Contains Rare Photographs.

This book challenges thinking about the nature and causes of poverty in both the Global North and Global South. Together with a companion volume providing more detailed interdisciplinary and theoretical insights into the phenomenon of shame in relation to poverty, the book shows how the pain of poverty is emotional as well as material.

Consumer vulnerability is of growing importance as a research topic for those exploring wellbeing. This book provides space to critically engage with the conditions, contexts and characteristics of consumer vulnerability, which affect how people experience and respond to the marketplace and vice versa. Focussing on substantive, ethical, social and methodological issues, this book brings together key researchers in the field and practitioners who work with vulnerability on a daily basis. Organised into 4 sections, it considers consumer vulnerability and key life stages, health and wellbeing, poverty, and exclusion. Methodologically the chapters draw on qualitative research, employing a variety of methods from interview, to the use of poetry, film and other cultural artefacts. This book will be of interest to marketing and consumer research scholars and students and also to researchers in other disciplines including sociology, public policy and anthropology, and practitioners, policy makers and charitable organisations working with vulnerable groups.