Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!

Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vaasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

CHILUKURU BALAJI
(A rare temple of Lord Sri Venkateshwara)

! Kalyanadbhutha Gatraya Kamithartha Pradayine!

Sri MadhVenkatanathaya Srinivasayathe Namaha!

Above sloka stands as a testimony to the benevolence of Lord Sri

Venkateshwara also known as Balaji who is an epitome of auspiciousness
(Kalyana), the one who bestows wealth and fulfills all the desires of his
devotees who sing his glory. One such place that has come up in the recent
times is at Chilukuru near Hyderabad where the temple of Lord Balaji stands
as a salutation to the above qualities of the Supreme God Sri
Venkateshwara. With its Sthala Mahatyam, sanctified by the manifestation
of Lord Sri Venkateshwara, the temple is providing remedy and solution to
the multi various desires and sufferings of devotees. The underlying principle
is that, if there is sincerity in devotion and prayers, the compassionate Lord
responds wherever it may be and that need not be Tirumala alone. We find
many such instances in Puranas and we are finding them even in these days
of Kali Yuga.
Legend behind the temple
As per Sthala Purana, about 500 years back there lived in Chilukuru village
an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Venkateshwara by name Gonnala Madhava
Reddy who used to visit Tirumala temple every year without fail to have a
darshan of the Lord. In those days people used to visit Tirumala either by
foot or by using bullock carts. On one such occasion Mr. Reddy could not
visit Tirumala due to his deteriorating health condition and old age. In his
heart of hearts he was feeling very guilty for having not visited the Lord at
Tirumala and was seeking Lords pardon. Pleased with His devotees
sincerity in devotion and honesty in his inability, Lord Venkateshwara one
day, appeared in his dream in his original form and gave darshan to Mr.
Madhava Reddy. Further the Lord blessed him and revealed that for the
benefit of his devotees, He has manifested Himself in a nearby place and
ordered him to excavate His idol in an anthill.

Thrilled with this Divine experience Mr. Reddy with the help of co villagers
started excavating for the Lords idol as per the directions given by the Lord.
Accordingly they found an Anthill in a nearby place and started digging the
same. During the course of digging, they found blood started oozing out of
the anthill. Enthralled by the incident the villagers suddenly heard a Divine
voice asking them to perform abhisheka on the anthill with milk. When the
villagers did the same the anthill started melting and there appeared a
beautiful idol of Lord Sri Venkateshwara with marks of cut injuries on the left
forehead and also on the left part of his chest. These were the marks of
injuries caused to the self manifested idol of the Lord during excavation.
Rarity of this idol found in the anthill was that the Lord Venkateshwara was
accompanied along with his consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi on either side
on a single platform. Subsequently the idol was installed at the current
place and people started worshipping the Lord known as Chilukuru Balaji.

As per the temple sources it is said that, the temple was visited by Sri
Akkanna and Madanna the esteemed ministers in the court of Abul Hasan
Thanisha who ruled Golkonda during 17th century and contributed liberally
for the construction of the temple. Subsequently the temple was visited by
several other dignitaries. During the course of a visit to the temple by a
Saint from Ahobilam the pooja rituals were set in order and since then they
are being conducted by the hereditary priests as per Sri Vaishnava
Sampradaya.
There is also a temple of Lord Shiva known as Sundareswara Swamy to the
left of Balaji temple in the same complex. The Shiva linga is said have self
manifested behind a Peepal tree where a Saint is said to have performed
penance in olden days. Darshan of both the Peepal tree and the Shiva Linga
at this place are believed and said to be highly meritorious and effective.

Salient features at the temple

Unlike other temples, there is no Hundi and offering of Dakshina at this
temple. No special darshan or VIP darshan, no special sevas by paying
money. All are given equal treatment at the temple irrespective of their
status and every one has to fall in line to have a darshan of the Lord. No
special prasadam is given or sold; only sugar crystals are given as Prasadam
free of cost.

Pradakshina (Circumambulation) around the temple is given lot of

importance and significance at this temple. Whoever visits the temple for
the first time will have to offer eleven rounds of Pradakshinas and pray for
the fulfillment of their desires. Once their desires are fulfilled the devotees
comes back and offer 108 pradakshinas as a token of gratitude and thanks
giving to the Almighty.

Actually Pradakshina is a sort of prayaschittam or penance to beseech Gods

grace to get rid of bad karmas that one may be facing in life. The guiding
principle behind this is that, if Gods worship is performed with sincere
devotion and total surrender it helps in reducing the impact of bad karmas
and not by the amount of offerings to the God. This principle we find even
in Mantralayam temple where devotees offer Seva to Sri Raghavendra
Swamy in the form of Pradakshina around the Brindavana.

Why eleven Pradakshinas are prescribed?

There is an interesting background behind this custom. It seems about 40
years back when there was no water facility at the temple and the
excavation of the priests for the bore-well failed, they undertook
circumambulation around the temple praying the Lord for success of water.
Surprisingly water came out of the bore-well after the priests completed
eleven rounds of pradakshinas. Subsequently the priests undertook 108
pradakshinas as a gesture of thanks giving to the Almighty. Since then it
has become a custom at the temple to offer 11 rounds of pradakshinas
initially and thereafter 108 rounds.

The fact that the number of devotees visiting this temple and offering
11/108 rounds of pradakshinas is increasing day by day stands as a
testimonial to the merits of this temple and to the guiding principle behind
this penance.

Management of the temple

The temple is managed by the hereditary priests and the poojas and rituals
are held as per Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. Endowments department tried
to take over the temple but in vain as the hereditary priests succeeded in
retaining the temple management through court intervention. Seven day
annual festival (Brahmotsavam) is held every year at the temple during
Chaitra Masam (March-April) commencing from the next day after Sri Rama
Navami festival. The temple is publishing a trilingual monthly journal called
VAK and the only contribution or offering that we find at the temple is
through purchase of this magazine at a nominal cost of Rs.5/-

How to reach Chilukuru?

Chilukuru is a name of the village in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh,
about 30 km away from Hyderabad city on the banks of Osmansagar Lake
nearby Golkonda fort. Plenty of bus facilities are available from Mehdipatnam
in Hyderabad city, about one hour journey from Chilukuru. Auto rickshaw
facilities are also available from Mehdipatnam and on a sharing basis it costs
around Rs.20/- per head.

Temple Timings
Balaji temple at Chilukuru is open from morning 5.00 am to night 8.00 pm.
Thousands of devotees visit this temple every day and during week ends
starting from Friday there will be heavy rush at the temple.

Chilukuru Balaji The VISA God

Chilukuru Balaji is popularly and affectionately called as the VISA God. This
is because the aspirants of VISA could get their VISA clearance after
worshipping the GOD at this temple and after performing the
circumambulations. Generally VISA is the permit to enter a country granted
by its Government. Whoever it may be have called very appropriately the
Lord at this temple who is none other than Lord Sri Venkateshwara as the
VISA God. He is none other than Lord Sri ManNarayana the President of the
Universe the one who grants VISA (Moksha) for a soul to enter Parama
Padam (Sri Vaikuntam) the abode of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu. With the
practical experiences of the devotees standing as a testimony to the Mahima
of Chilukuru Balaji (Lord Sri Venkateshwara) the temple is gaining
prominence as a mini Tirumala.

Vishnum Narayanam Krishnam! Madhavam Madhusudhanam

Harim Naraharim Ramam! Govindam Dadhi Vaamanam!!

Om! Namo! Venkatesaya!

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
bhargavasarma