Why visit the Chilkur Balaji Temple
- The Chilkur Balaji Temple of Hyderabad is a beautiful and sacred place that is definitely worth visiting.
- Chilkur temple is located in a small village 35 kms from Hyderabad and is also one of the most popular temples in India, attracting devotees from all over the country.
- The temple is over 500 years old and is dedicated to Lord Balaji, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Devotees come here to seek the blessings of the lord for good health, wealth, and prosperity.
- The temple is also known as the ‘Visa Balaji Temple’ as it is said those who pray with sincere devotion will be blessed with a visa to travel abroad.
- The temple is unique in that it does not accept any donations or offerings from devotees.
History of Chilkur Balaji
Chilkur Balaji Temple is a Hindu temple of Lord Vishnu located on the banks of Osman Sagar in Hyderabad, India. The temple is over 500 years old and is a popular pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Every year, millions of pilgrims visit the temple to offer prayers and seek blessings from Lord Balaji. The temple is also known as the ‘Visa Balaji Temple’ as it is believed that those who pray here with sincere devotion will get their visa approved.
The temple is over 500 years old and is one of the oldest temples in Hyderabad. This temple was built during the time of Madanna and Akkanna, two Brahmin brothers in the court of Abul Hasan Qutb Sha in the 17th century, who were also the maternal uncles of the bhakta Ramadas, a popular saint.
Legend of Chilkur Balaji:
There is a story that tells how the temple’s construction took place. The legends say that a temple was constructed by a devotee who was suffering from health problems and was unable to go to the main Tirupati temple that he used to frequent.
He started praying to Lord Venkateswara, and the Lord appeared in his dream and asked him to dig at a specific place.
The devotee went to the place shown by God in his dream and dug up the spot and located an idol of Lord Venkateswara along with Sridevi and Bhoodevi, His consorts, and got a temple built there.
It is now possible to visit Sri Balaji Venkateswara at Chilkur to receive His blessings in case the devotees are unable to go to Tirupati.
Significance of the Chilkur Balaji Temple:
This temple has a rare idol of Lord Venkateswara accompanied by His consorts, Sridevi and Bhoodevi. The temple is also known as the “Visa Balaji Temple” as it is believed that those who pray here will be granted a visa to travel abroad. Every year, thousands of Hindus visit the Chilkur Balaji Temple to offer their prayers and seek the blessings of Lord Balaji.
The Chilkur Balaji Temple is also known for its unique way of worship. The temple does not have a priest or any other type of religious authority.
Instead, the temple is open to all Hindus, regardless of caste or creed. This place is also called as Telangana Tirupati by some people.
Uniqueness of Chilkur Balaji Temple:
- You will not find a Hundi in this temple and the temple does not accept any offerings or money from devotees.
- There is no special treatment for any dignitaries or VIPs here. All people are expected to have the darshan of the Lord in the same line.
- This temple is not under the control of the endowments department of the Government. The temple trustees fought against government intervention and managed to retain their control.
- Typically devotees on their first visit take 11 rounds (Pradakshinas) around the inner shrine and make a wish. Once their wish comes true, the devotees come back and do 108 Pradakshinas around the same inner shrine to thank God.
Tip:
- The Temple opens at 5 AM. So it’s best to visit the temple at 5 am since the temple tends to get crowded after 6.30 AM.
- It’s best to avoid going to the temple on weekends too as it is quite crowded.
Timings of the temple:
5 am to 1 pm
4 pm to 6 pm
Open on all days
Address:
Chilkur Balaji Temple
Chanda Nagar Village,
Hyderabad,
Telangana – 501504,
India
What to do next?
Check out my article on 41 amazing places to visit in Hyderabad
