India is a land on uniqueness and diversity. And most of the time you will see people here driven by their emotions and beliefs. And the kind of religious belief that the people have here is the result of so many popular temples all over the country. One such temple is located in Hyderabad which is the Chilkur Balaji Temple. This is an important temple that is also popular as the VISA Temple. And that is interesting enough right? The devotees of the presiding deity Lord Balaji believe that God can bless them with USA VISA approvals. And the same belief attracts a massive number of devotees here from all across the country and beyond.
However not just VISAs, even otherwise this is one of the most important temples in Telangana. You can check out the Chilkur Balaji Temple photos and check out the magnificent construction here as well. Furthermore the legend associated with the temple is also something that makes this an important temple to visit. So if you want to know more about this temple in Hyderabad then keep on reading this article. It will be a helpful article for you if you are travelling to this temple any time soon.
Chilkur Balaji Temple
Location: Chanda Nagar Village, Chilkur Balaji Temple Road, Chilkur Village, Hyderabad, Telangana
Location on Map :
Timings: Chilkur Balaji Temple timings are from 6 am to 1 pm and from 4 pm to 6 pm
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport is the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. The airport is located 31.3 km away from the temple and it would take about 37 minutes to reach there. You will get flights from major cities to reach Hyderabad. And from Hyderabad you can get buses to reach the temple. Or else you can also take a car or hire a cab as well to reach this temple conveniently.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station to reach the Chilkur Balaji Temple is the Budvel Railway Station. From the railway station Balaji Temple is located at a distance of 20 km. It would take you around 35 minutes to reach there from the railway station. Another nearest railway station to reach the temple is the Himayat Nagar Railway Station. From the railway station the Balaji Temple is located at a distance of 2.4 km. It would take you around 10 minutes to cover the Chilkur Balaji Temple distance from the railway station.
By road
The most convenient way to reach the Chilkur Balaji Temple is to travel via Hyderabad by road. If you are travelling from major cities or towns you can first reach Hyderabad. Hyderabad is however a location that is well connected to the temple. You will get TSRTC buses from Hyderabad to reach Mehdipatnam. The buses ply regularly on this route from Hyderabad. And then again from Mehdipatnam you will have to take another bus to reach the Balaji Temple.
You can also opt for a cab as well to travel within the city. Or else you can opt for the city buses as well if you are travelling within Hyderabad. Furthermore you can also take your own vehicle as well to travel through the city to reach the temple in Hyderabad.
Best time to visit
The ideal time to visit this temple in Hyderabad is from October to December. This is the time when the weather here is most favourable and comfortable. If you are visiting here during comfortable weather you will be able to explore the whole area and also take part in rituals comfortably. Avoid visiting here during the summer months as the summer in Hyderabad can be too uncomfortable. Especially during peak summer months from March to June the temperature can go above 40 degrees so avoid visiting at that time.
In terms of the best days to visit, you can visit here during the weekdays to avoid long queues. If you wish to follow the Pradakshina rituals then you must visit here during weekends or during early morning hours. These are the times when the temple will be less crowded so it would be favourable to carry on the rituals. On weekends mostly the temple faces a huge crowd and there can be a very long queue. So you must be ready for that and plan your visit accordingly.
Overview of Chilkur Balaji Temple
Located 30 km away from the main city of Hyderabad, amidst the beautiful village of Chilkur, the Balaji Temple is one of the most important sites of pilgrimage. It is not just an important temple in Hyderabad but one of the most important temples in the country. This temple holds so much importance for its devotees that it is considered as an alternative to the Tirupati Temple. This beautiful temple is situated on the banks of the Osman Sagar Lake near the Vikarabad Road and is popular as the VISA Temple. Now this is one important aspect of this temple and this is the reason why it attracts a huge number of devotees too. According to beliefs if a devotee prays from their heart to the presiding deity Lord Balaji Venkateshwara then they will get their USA VISA approved. Lord Venkateshwara therefore is also popular as the VISA God.
Chilkur Balaji Temple or the Chilkoor Balaji Temple is also one of the oldest temples in Telangana as well. The beliefs on VISA are deep rooted with the beliefs of the devotees here. It started when once a few students visited here who had rejected applications for their VISA. But after they paid a visit to this temple they got their applications accepted. At present this temple is also one of the most visited temples in the country. Every week the temple records a huge footfall of 75, 000 to 1, 00, 000 devotees. Furthermore this is one of the few temples that is still surviving out of Government control. And the temple also does not have an entry fee, nor does it receive any form of monetary donations from the devotees.
What’s more?
The temple is extremely popular for its visitors and during special festivals it attracts even more devotees. The major festivals of this temple are Annakota, Poolangi and Brahmotsav. Various famous personalities like religious and spiritual leaders have also paid their visit to this temple. Some of them are Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya of Sringeri Mutt, Jeer of Sri Ahobila Mutt, Tilakyaths of Shri Vallabhacharya and more. So when you visit Hyderabad make sure you visit the Balaji Temple once to pay your visit to Lord Venkateshwara.
History of Chilkur Balaji Temple
The Chilkur Balaji Temple is one of the oldest temples in Hyderabad. According to beliefs the construction of the temple goes back a long time and was built during the period of Madanna and Akkanna who were the uncles of Bhakta Ramdas. A number of beliefs and tales are also associated with this ancient temple. According to one such belief, once upon a time there was a devotee who used to visit the Tirupati Temple every year. But one year he was so ill that he could not make it up to the temple there. But seeing his devotion and faith Lord Venkateshwara himself appeared in his dream. He instructed him to find his idol along with Sridevi and Bhoodevi. And then he should construct a temple here.
The devotee was so happy and pointed out a mole hill and started digging that hill. But suddenly his axe stuck at Lord Balaji’s idol and he saw blood oozing out of his wound turning the ground red. It was then that he heard a divine voice that instructed him to flood the area with milk. Upon doing that the idols of Sridevi and Bhoodevi also emerged from the ground along with Lord Balaji. Later these same idols were installed inside the temple. Since then it is believed that Lord Venkateshwara is blessing the devotees who are unable to visit Tirupati for any reason.
Rituals at Chilkur Balaji Temple
When a devotee visits the Balaji temple they follow the usual rituals for puja. But other than that there are special rituals here as well. Here the devotees offer their prayer to the Lord by 11 Pradaksinas. They also express their wish to the deity for him to fulfill it. However if that wish is fulfilled then the devotee again comes and visits the temple. This time they follow the 108 round Chilkur Balaji Temple ritual. This ritual is to take 108 Pradakshinas to show their gratitude towards God. Amidst chanting the devotees go through this ritual and the priests here guide the procedure. Also the priests of this temple are highly educated and they motivate the devotees in English and Telugu.
There is however a meaning behind these 11 and 108 Pradakshinas. 11 represent 1 soul and 1 body. And for 108, 1 represents the Almighty, 0 represents his creation and the number 8 represents the time that a human takes to come out into the Universe. Majority of the devotees visit here for the VISA issues and offer their prayers to the God to solve them.
Things to remember before visiting the Chilkur Balaji Temple
1. The temple is located at a beautiful location in a quaint village. So other than visiting the temple, also do explore the surrounding for some scenic beauty.
2. You will find shops outside that temple that sell flowers, coconuts etc. But do not buy any of these because the temple does not accept any offerings.
3. This temple does not have any donation box and neither do they accept any sort of donations here.
4. You can however contribute any amount as per your will if you want. For that you can deposit the amount into their bank account.
5. If you are visiting her for the 108 Pradakshinas, visit with time in hand as there might be a long queue.
6. Also if you are doing the 108 Pradakshinas here make sure you take breaks in between. And also make sure you do not come here empty stomach.
7. This is one such temple where there are absolutely no privileges for VIPs. The temple believes in the idea that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Chilkur Balaji Temple and now you simply need to pay a visit here. If you are in Hyderabad, make sure you are surely visiting this temple. Let me know if this article in the Chilkur Balaji Temple is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
