Janhvi Kapoor's Tirupati Devotion: 'I Must Climb Every Step, Even With VIP Access'

In an industry where privilege often smooths over tradition, Janhvi Kapoor stands apart with her unwavering devotion to Lord Balaji at Tirupati, visiting the sacred shrine multiple times each year. What sets her apart isn't just the frequency of her visits, but her remarkable approach to spiritual practice.

Despite having access to VIP darshan privileges at the temple, Janhvi has made a personal commitment that resonates deeply with devotees everywhere. "I know how many devotees wait for hours just to have a glimpse of Lord Venkateswara in Tirupathi, and I feel incredibly blessed for the time I get. Yet, no matter what, my darshan never feels complete unless I climb all 3500 steps every single time. I can not just go and have darshan, and I can only compute it when I climb all the steps," she recently revealed.

This isn't mere celebrity posturing. The actress regularly undertakes the challenging 3,550-step climb via the Alipiri Footpath, the same route used daily by thousands of devotees as a sign of faith, choosing to walk instead of using vehicles to reach the temple and following tradition like other pilgrims. Her most recent pilgrimage on her 29th birthday, captured in viral videos, shows her walking barefoot along the sacred path with a small group of friends, appearing calm and focused during the climb while occasionally greeting devotees who recognised her.

What makes Janhvi's devotion particularly compelling is her understanding of the spiritual economics involved. While privileged enough to access VIP darshan, she doesn't boast about it, instead approaching her temple visits through a different lens entirely. Her decision to always climb every step, regardless of available shortcuts, speaks to a deeper spiritual conviction that has clearly struck a chord with the public.

On the professional front, Janhvi expanded into Telugu cinema with a brief role opposite Jr NTR in Devara: Part 1, which emerged as her first commercial success since Dhadak and the highest-grossing film of her career with over ₹5 billion worldwide. She's next set to appear in the Telugu film Peddi, continuing her South Indian journey.

In an era where celebrity spiritual practices often feel performative, Janhvi's consistent, humble approach to her Tirupati pilgrimages offers something genuine. Her willingness to physically earn her darshan, despite having every privilege to do otherwise, reveals an artist who understands that some things simply cannot be shortcutted: not even by stardom.