Tarikonda is a village near Tirupati, a famous pilgrim centre. There lived in that village a noble and pious brahmin named Krishniah. He was very learned. He owned many lands and possessed much wealth and commanded all comforts He was very philanthrophic and charitable. He was respected by all. He had five sons like Pancha Pandavas. They were very obedient and well behaved. Krishnaiah and his family led a very happy life.

Krishniah had no daughters. He felt sorry at this. He prayed Lord Maha Vishnu. On one auspicious day, with his wife and sons, he went on pilgrimage to Tirupati. He had darshan of Lord Venkateswara and prayed that he be blessed with a daughter. The Lord was kind to him. His wish was fulfilled. His wife soon became pregnant. She delivered a female baby on a propitious day. Every body in tl)e family rejoiced over this.

The baby was as beautiful as Mahalakshmi and as bright as the moon. As she was born out of Lord Venkateswara's blessings, she was named Venkamamba and brought up fondly. Her melodious voice and pleasant speech made every body in the family happy beyond measure.

Under her parents' loving care Vankamamba grew up. gradually. Even at the age of five she was more learned. At that tender age, Venkamamba spent most of her time in prayers. She sang the hymns of Lord Venkateswara and immersed in devotion she often danced. To her, the entire universe was a temple and Lord Venkateswara the deity.

Many appreciated her divine qualities. Some however, felt that she would be devoid of all worldly pleasures on that account and therefore pitied her. Her parents also were worried about her behaviour.

Krishniah did net know how to distract her from that path of whole time devotion. 'How about her future?' he thought. 'If she continued that way would not people curse me?' he said to himself. His mental agony grew. He was getting reduced day by day.

Krishniah however tried to advise his daughter that that was not the age for her to think so much of God. But he failed to convince her. He then threatened that he would punish her if she disobeyed him. The more he threatened the greater grew her attachment to God.

As a sort of punishment, even setting aside their love and. affection towards her, her parents forced her to do at that tender age, heavy domestic. duties like cleaning of utensils, pounding rice, grinding flour etc. They felt that if she was utilised that way she would find no time to think of the Lord and in course of time would forget Him altogether and divert her attention towards domestic duties.

Venkamamba was never perturbed. She felt sorry that even her dear parents were harsh towards her. Though the duties entrusted to her were heavy, she did the same without any murmur, praying the Lord for his guidance and help.

Venkamamba grew ten years old. Despite all the hardships she had to face, she never forgot the Lord. She began to feel that Sri Venkateswara was her husband and used to converse with Him as a wife would do with her husband. People in the village felt that her Bhakthi had ripened and that she must have been born for some divine purpose. Many even prostrated before her.