Sila Thoranam, Tirumala - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 2 km from Tirumala Bus Station & 2.5 km from Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple, Sila Thoranam is a natural rock formation in the shape of an arch and it is the only one of its kinds in Asia. This is located close to Srivari Paadalu which is the highest point of Narayanagiri. Sila Thoranam is one of the best places to visit in Tirumala.

Sila Thoranam literally means garland of rocks. It is commonly known as Rock Garden. It is a natural stone arch which was found by archeologists excavating this area in 1980. This natural arch has two different types of rocks which are connected by a link. The arch like rock formation with a length of 25 feet and a height of 10 feet is said to be formed by weathering and wind erosion. The formation is categorized as pre-Cambrian and dates back to millions of years ago. The age of the rock itself has been estimated to be about 2500 million years, and the age of the arch is computed to be about 1500 million years.

It is said that there are only two other sites like this in the entire world itself. The other two are Rainbow Arch at Utah in the USA and the Cut Through in the UK. The best time to visit the arch is between 6 am to 8 am during sunrise or during sunset when the Arch looks even more striking and mystifying in the light of the sun.

This place is on the way to Srivari Paadalu. The Chakra Teertham is in the same complex, so make it a point to visit it at the same time. There are several cabs available to this place from the main temple, both shared and private.