TIRUPATI By Air Begumport in Hyderabad is the nearest major airport. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways have daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Calcutta. Jet Airways has introduced a new 1 hr 15 minutes-flight between Hyderabad and Tirupati. By Train Tirupati is well connected by rail to Hyderabad (by Venkatgiri and Krishna, Narayanatri and Rayalseema Express), Mumbai (by Chennai Express, Dadar Express and Grand Trunk), Chennai (by Saptagiri) and Bangalore (by Mysore Express). By Road Buses by private operators, Karnataka State Transport and Andhra Pradesh State Transport run from Chennai (150 km), Bangalore (250 km) and Hyderabad (725 km). Buses also ply the route from various South Indian cities. Some of them are Vijaywada, Hindupur, Guntur, Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, Mysore (Karnataka), Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Tiruchirapallai (Tamil Nadu) and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu). September to March. Reasons why: Don't miss the annual Brahmotsawam festival in September. Temperatures gradually fall after September, making winter the best season to be down south. From the Airport Catch a train or a bus from Hyderabad. Taxis are also available. From the Railway Station Taxis and auto rickshaws are available from the station. Remember to fix the price for unmetered taxis beforehand. From the Bus Station Take a taxi or an auto rickshaw to your hotel. Tourist buses, local buses and buses operated by the temples are easily available. You can also travel around in a taxi or an auto rickshaw. Tirupati is a small, dusty, bustling town. But it beats Mecca, Jerusalem and even Rome when it comes to the number of pilgrims visiting it each year. The deity in Sri Venkateshwara Temple is one of the most generous Gods and grants all wishes. It is also one of the richest. The annual collections go up to a whopping billion rupees. Situated at the foothills of Tirumala hills, Tirupati rests at the southern-most tip of Andhra Pradesh. As many as 25,00-50,000 pilgrims come to the town everyday. Ancient Hindu scriptures like Puranas and shastras claim that one can attain mukti in Kaliyuga only if a visit to the sacred temple is made. Even if you are a sceptic, the devotion and energy levels brewing in this small place are sure to strike you with a force never felt before. . Summer records a maximum of 43 °C and a minimum of 22.3 °C. Winters range between a maximum of 32 °C and a minimum of 13 °C-