Chilkur

Balaji temple

By
Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran
About the author:
Mr T Sampath Kumaran is a freelance writer. He regularly contributes articles on
Management, Business, Ancient Temples and Temple Architecture to many
leading Dailies and Magazines. His articles for the young is very popular in “The
Young World section” of THE HINDU.
He was associated in the renovation of the Nava Tirupathi Temples, and
Tirukkurungudi Temple in Tamilnadu., and also with the production of two
Documentary films on these temples. His books on Hindu Saints, and Temples of
Pilgrimage centers have been well received in the religious circle.

Acknowledgement: Google for the pictures and many authors for the information,
Located on the banks of Osman Sagar in Hyderabad, Chilkur Balaji
Temple, popularly known as "Visa Balaji Temple'', is an ancient Hindu temple
dedicated to Lord Balaji.
According to tradition, a devotee who used to visit Tirupati every year could not do
so on one occasion, owing to serious ill health. Lord Venkateshwara appeared in
his dream and said, "I am right here in the nearby forest. You don't have to worry."
The devotee at once moved to the place indicated by the Lord in the dream and
saw a molehill there, which he dug up to clear the same.

As he started digging,
surprisingly blood started flowing profusely from the molehill, flooding the ground
and turning it scarlet. He realized that the axe has accidentally struck the idol on
the chin and the chest covered by the molehill below. The devotee could not
believe his eyes. He could not believe his ears when he heard a voice from the air
saying, "Flood the molehill 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 small
temple was built.
Later during the time of Madanna and Akkanna, the uncles of Bhakta Ramadas,
who earlier built the Bhadrachalam temple, a magnificent temple was built. From
the style, structure and appearance, it can be inferred that the temple was built half
a millennium ago. With the earnest desire to revive the former glory and
importance of the temple, the idol of Padmavathi was installed in the year after
the Sino-Indian War. After the unilateral withdrawal of Chinese troops, the
Goddess was named Rajya Lakshmi, signifying this welcome event. The unique
feature of this idol is that lotus flowers are held in three hands and the fourth hand
is in a position towards the lotus feet which signifies the doctrine of Saranagathi.
This temple has no hundi and neither accepts any money from devotees. This is
one of the special Temples in India with no green channel or privileges for VIPs
and all the devotees are treated alike.

Chilkur Balaji temple first gained its reputation

in the year 1980 when a group of software engineering students claimed to have
received visas to US after visiting the shrine, having failed in many an earlier
attempts. From then on this temple is largely known as 'Visa Balaji Temple'.

It has now nearly a lakh of devotees paying a visit every week, with a major rush
being on Fridays and Sundays. The majority of wishes by devotees are visa related.
This temple fought and won the right to stay out of government control. Sri M.V.
Soundararajan, the head priest pleaded that they have the hereditary right to
conduct the pooja, and the Court should grant them the right.
 When the judge questioned who will succeed
him, his son Rangarajan, who was at that time working as Regional Manager, of
Medtronics, having acquired Masters in Bio-Medicals, represented to the court that
he is resigning his job and will take up the priesthood. He informed the Judge that
during his younger days he got trained in the agama tradition of worship by his
father.
At a time when atrocities against the backward caste communities are on the rise,
perhaps this move by a Hindu priest could possibly trigger a change. Chilkur Balaji
temple priest, Rangarajan, has apparently performed “Muni Vahana Seva”, (a
2,700-year-old ritual famous in Tamil Nadu).

According to the legend, the devotee, who was named Thriuppan Alwar, was not
permitted to enter the Srirangam temple, one of holiest shrines, in the southern
state of Tamil Nadu since he belonged to the lowest cast. Hence he would sit on
the steps outside the temple and sing devotional songs through out the day. A high
priest who did not approve of this forced Alwar to leave by hurling a stone at him
and Alwar was bleeding as he ran away.

When the priest went back into the temple, the story goes, he discovered that the
idol was also "bleeding". Realising his mistake in denying the man entry, the priest
is said to have carried Alwar into the temple on his shoulders. Today, Alwar is a
revered saint.

Rangarajan carried a 25-year-old dalit devotee, Aditya Parasri, on his shoulders

from the entrance of the temple to the inner sanctum. This act was received with a
huge round of applause by the massive crowd that had gathered to witness the
significant event. After entering the temple, Mr Rangarajan, and the Dalit youth,
Aditya, prayed and performed rituals together.
Giving a back-story to what prompted him to do the seva, Rangarajan said, while
he was part of a round-table conference (in Osmania University), which discussed
how backward caste communities are denied entry into the temple. Since
‘Sanathana Dharma’ has treated everybody equally before God, he came forward
to reinstate it by doing the “Muni Vahanai Seva,” adding, that the prime objective
of this gesture is to propagate equality. The ritual coincided with the 1,000th birth
anniversary celebrations of the Vaishavaite saint Ramanucharya, who preached
equality of human beings.

When asked how he picked up Aditya, he revealed that he approached one of the
Dalit associations to lookout for someone, who referred to Aditya, who has been
following all the Hindu customs.
Coming to know of this incident, Tibet’s spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama, sent a
letter of appreciation to Rangarajan stating “I applaud you for your exemplary
action. I was moved by your statement that you wanted to show people that
everyone is equal in the eyes of God,”
It has been seen as a dramatic move because Dalits have historically been denied
entry into temples as they are considered "impure" by many conservative Hindus.
Even today, most temples in India do not allow Dalits to enter.