Chilkoor/ Chilkur Balaji Temple

I am grateful enough to narrate this story to the world, I am fortuitous enough to visit this temple almost all the time. I am talking about non other than Chilkur Balaji temple. This Temple, popularly known as “Visa Balaji Temple”, Apparently the temple is known for fulfilling devotees’ wishes to get a visa for going overseas If you are having trouble in getting US Visa, Chilkur Balaji Temple is your place. Famous for clearing US Visa, Chilkur Balaji temple first gained its reputation in the 1980s when a group of software engineering students claimed to have received visas to US after visiting the shrine.

It is an ancient Hindu temple of Lord Balaji on the banks of Osman Sagar in Hyderabad. This unique temple is located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, which took almost 45 minutes for us to reach with our personal vehical, it is almost 30 km from Hyderabad. It is one of the oldest temples in Hyderabad built during the time of Madanna and Akkanna, the uncles of Bhakta Ramadas. This temple has no hundi (Donation box) and neither accepts any money from devotees.

Devotees who visit this famous temple for the first time need to do 11 Parikrama or Pradakshina and then express their wish in front of Swayambhu Lord Venkateshwara idol without closing their eyes. Devotees whose wishes are fulfilled will once again come to Chilkur Balaji Temple and complete the remaining 108 Parikramas/rounds. All pilgrims are treated equal at Chilkur Balaji Temple, which is rarely noticed in other popular temples of India.

Chilkur Balaji temple darshan timings are from 5 in morning to 8 in night. It is open throughout the week. Devotees can be seen doing pradakshina since morning till late in night. Outside the temple there are many small hotels as well, for accommodation also there are many hotels nearby.

There is a story related to this ancient temple that an old man who was a great devotee of Lord Balaji was unable to visit Titupati due to his illness, so he was feeling very guilty, Lord Venkateshwara appeared in his dream and said, “I am right here in the jungle nearby. You don’t have to worry.” The devotee at once moved to the place indicated by the Lord in the dream and saw a mole- hill there, which he dug up. Accidentally, the axe struck Lord Balaji’s idol covered by the mole-hill below the chin and on the chest, and surprisingly blood started flowing profusely from the “wounds”, flooding the ground and turning it scarlet. The devotee could not believe his eyes when he saw this. Suddenly he heard a voice from the air which said,”Flood the mole-hill with cow’s milk. “When the devotee did so, a Swayambhu idol of Lord Balaji accompanied by Sridevi and Bhoodevi (a rare combination) was found, and this idol was installed with the due rites and a temple built for it.

I myself have experienced a lot of miracles in this temple, I know I can not explain them but its very true and near to my heart, if you are true devotee then you dont have to worry as lord run for helping their devotees. I feel very proud that our nation has such a rich cultural heritage where good beliefs and faiths are passed on from generation to generation with or without scriptures. Stay blessed everyone Hari bol!