Once Vishnu and Laxmi had a quarrel. Laxmi left Vaikuntha in a huff, and came down to earth. Vishnu followed her and tried coaxing her to return, but she refused. So, Vishnu decided to remain on earth, until he could convince her to return. He looked for a home on earth that reminded him of Vaikuntha, and found seven hills on a mountain range that reminded him of the seven hoods of the great serpent, Adishesha, on whose coils he rested in the ocean of milk. He made his home there. Today he stands there, as Tirupati, atop the seven hills of Tirumala.

This idea of a city located in seven hills is found not just among Hindus, but around the world. Rome, for example, is said to be built on seven hills by Remus and Romulus, twin brothers who were raised in the wild by a she-wolf. The city of Mecca is said to be built amid seven hills. Jerusalem is associated with seven hills. It is interesting that in the Bible, in the Book of Revelations, there is a line that says that the Whore of Babylon stands on seven hills. Scholars believe it refers to Rome, which was then persecuting its Christian followers.