Off Track
Carved by time
ARUNA CHANDARAJU
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This rare geological arch is estimated to be 1,500 million years old.
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Photo: Priya Krishnaswamy
Hidden wonder: The Silathoranam.
IF there is one thing nearly as amazing as the Silathoranam itself, it is that this rare archaeological wonder is so little known. This despite the fact that it is next door to the famed Tirupati Venkateshwara temple, India's most-visited pilgrim site and the world's second-biggest one after the Vatican.
Or, may be this is the reason why. Most people who come to visit the temple are so exhausted by the long wait in interminable queues for darshan they return without having seen anything around it. Or, perhaps, in their devotional fervour they would rather focus only on God and not indulge in any other activity.
Also, of course, Silathoranam isn't really well-marketed outside Tirupati. Even those pilgrims who wouldn't be averse to a little sightseeing are largely unaware of its existence. Perhaps there is little word-of- mouth too, given that this is not your conventional tourist attraction like, say, a great waterfall or richly carved monument.
Rare formation
Silathoranam is about one km from the main temple. It is a spectacular rock formation — a rare geological arch estimated to be 1,500 million years old by geologists! The age of its rock is estimated at another mind-blowing 2,500 million years! This magnificent, naturally formed arch is the only one of its kind in Asia. And there are only two others of its kind in the world — the Rainbow Arch of Utah in the U.S., and the Arch of Cut Through in the U.K.
Ironically, this beauty is the result of a rare geological fault. The geological term for this phenomenon is the tongue-twisting Eparchean Unconformity. Silathoranam is believed to have been formed due to intensified weathering and erosion of stream action. The name comes from its shape and material — in Telugu Sila means stone and Thoranam a garland strung over a threshold, connecting two vertical columns, or arch in this case.
Ideal time to come
We saw this rare 25 by 10 ft stunner on a recent visit to Tirumala-Tirupati on a misty morning. It was a truly unforgettable experience. We recommend that this is the best time to come here — between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. However, Tirumala is a hilly area, so the mists might block your view on very cold and cloudy mornings. But you can always sit around and wait for a better view since there is a small, well-maintained garden fronting it. Sunset is also a great time to visit Silathoranam. Bathed in the orange glow from the setting sun, the arch looks even more imposing and mysterious. Only, you may not be able to view clearly all the contours of the arch in the evening light. And on a Pournami, silhouetted against the full moon, the Silathoranam looks ethereally beautiful.
You can't touch or even get within more than a few feet of the arch because it has been cordoned off by an iron fence. Mercifully so, considering the graffiti-happy tourists our country abounds in. You can drive up to this place in a private vehicle or take a 20-minute walk from the Varahaswamy temple. Either way it is a pleasure given the wide roads lined with enormous trees and the wonderfully balmy air during the mornings and evenings.
Serene pockets
For all its bustle and those popular images of milling crowds, Tirumala has its pockets of serenity. Like the Pine Meditation Centre and the Srivari Sikhara Darsanam — both about a five-minute walk from Silathoranam and must-dos once you have seen it. Srivari Sikhara Darshanam is a small mandap reached by a flight of steps and it is the place where Lord Venkateshwara is believed to have alighted when he first came to Tirupati searching for an appropriate abode. The temple gopuram is clearly visible from here (explaining the name). It is also a good viewpoint providing panoramic views of the valley around. The Pine Meditation Centre nearby is a cluster of trees around a clearing which has a few benches thrown in for those who want to sit and meditate or just take in the serene atmosphere and be one with nature.
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