Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba

Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba, a staunch devotee of Lord Venkateswara, born in the family of Nandavarika in 1730 AD in Tarigonda village in Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh. Her farther Krishnaiah and mother Mangamma. Though they had five male children, they visited Tirumala and prayed Lord Venkateswara for girl child and Lord fulfilled their desire by giving a girl child in the form of Vengamamba and they named her as “Venkamma”. From childhood Venkamma was a devotee of Lord Venkateswara.

Vengamamba at Tirumala

Vengamamba always pray Lord Venkateswara all the time and lived in the Mandapa of the temple. She used to worship the Lord and had darshan everyday. She used to sing slokas in extempore on him. Sri ‘Atmaramadas’ head of Mahanth Mutt himself met her and arranged suitable place for her to live in Tirumala. She was not satisfied by singing, praying, and meditation in Tirumala, She started serving the Lord with Tulasi and garlands in the morning and Harathi in the evening every day. It has become a practice even today in Tirumala Temple to have Harathi before closing the temple.

Pleased with her devotion towards the Lord, the decendents of Tallapaka Annamacharya offered Vengamamba a place for her residence in Tirumala near their hourse. It is believed that Lord Venkateswara himself visited her kuteeram frequently to hear her sankeertanas and enjoyed a lot. The priest of the temple became jealous with her popularity and restricted her entry to the temple. At that time Brahmotsavam was taking place in Tirumala. On the day of Rathotsavam stopped at the Kuteeram of Vengamamba, the devotees, the temple priests and authorities tried their level best to move the chariot. But all their efforts became futile. Soon the priests realized their mistake that it is because of the ill treatment of Yogini and offered apology and requested her to offer Harathi to Ratham, Surprisingly the Ratham moved. On that day Lord appeared to the priest in the dream and ordered that at the end of everyday the Vengamamba Harathi should be performed , before closing the temple after the Ekantha Seva. From that day onwards the practice of offering Vengamamba Harathi has been followed and it is being continued even today. The Harathi is known as ‘ MUTHYALA HARATHI’

Unable to withstand the rush of devotees and disturbance caused to her spiritual life, at the orders and blessings of the Lord, She moved to Tumbura Theertham situated nearly 16 KMs away from the temple. She used to visit Lord through the secret cave after temple closing and offered prayer to the God. Soon the news came that she was in the Thumbura Theertham, the devotees rused to have darshan of Vengamamba. On the advice of the Lord in 1817 in Sukla Paksha Navami of Sravana Masam, she entered into Sajeeva Samadhi (mortal grave). The Samadhi of Matrusri Vengamamba is located at the north of Sri Varaha Swamy Temple.

It is believed that Lord himself used to visit the Kuteeram ( Hut) of Vengamamba and enjoyed to hear the poems of her. The news spread like wildfire. All devotees, the land lords, Zameendars and other important persons used to visit Vengamamba and preferred to have darshan of Yogini and offered huge donations. The amount which she received was used for the well being of the poor devotees and offering free meals, water and buttermilk during Bramhotsavams. As a token of respect to Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam named free Annaprasada Complex as ‘ Tarigonda Vengamamba Anna prasada Complex’ in Tirumala.

The life of Vengamamba related to Tirumala and the Lord Srinivasa will be remembered for ever in the hearts of devotees.