Cheenu's Visit To....: June 2012

Sasanka - Chakram Sakaritha - Kundalam,
Sapita- Vastram Sarasiruh'eksanam |
Sahaara- Vaksahsthala- Kaustubha- Sriyam
Namami Vishnum Sirasaa Chatur- Bhujam ||

He who sports in His hands the conch (Sankha) And the discus (Chakra),
Who is adorned with a crown and ear pendants, Who wears a yellow cloth,
And whose eyes resemble a lotus; And whose chest is beautified
By many necklaces and the Kausthuba mark,
I bow down my head before that four-handed Vishnu. !!

After nearly eight months, today [24.jun.12] morning at 5.15, I made my trip to CHILKUR BALAJI TEMPLE [popularly known as VISA BALAJI].

This temple is about 33 kms from hyderabad... [29 kms from my room]..

The route I took was:

Lakdi-ka-pul -> Mehdhipatnam [where i had tea] -> Military Hospital, Nalgonda -> Langer House -> Rajendra Nagar ->APPA [andhra pradesh police academy] Outer Ring Road -> right turn leading to Moinabad.. to reach Chilkur.

Though APSRC runs plenty of 228D service from MEHDHIPATNAM, as usual I "safari" was in my "shadharmacharini" – bajaj pulsar 150cc, plugging my earphone to have karaoke of BHAJAGOVNDAM and VISHNUSAHASRANAMAM.

The legend says that this one of the oldest temples in Telengana Region was built during the period of Madanna and Akkanna, uncles of Bhakta Ramdas. Though it is on the bank of Osmanabad Lake… I could find no proper path to reach the lake.

My first visit to the temple was in 2008 october, but now the area around the temple has changed tremendously with lots of shops, hotels, tea stalls… and more number of Ammaa Thaayes [beggars].

The greatest plus point of this temple is no Hundi, No offerings in the thattu, No special darshan entrance. Following strictly all are equal before HIM. People can contribute by subscribing the monthly magazine VAK [The Voice of Temples] or buying sufficient copies to distributing to their friends and relatives - costing only

`5/-].

The general belief of public:

Visit the temple perform 11 circumambulations [pradhakshinams] and pray before HIM for success or anything. Once the same gets fulfilled revisit and perform 108 peradakshinams. People from all parts of the country visit and perform their prarthanas.

Many, instead of pradhaksihnam, do running race to complete the target of 108. But the pujari used to announce cautioning such persons…. GOD will not count this as your offering to HIM.

The best thing in this temple I found, which is missing in all other temples, is Pandits in turn chant OM NAMONARAYANAYA, VASUDEVAYA and other slokas, which the bhaaktas in the temple repeat them in louder voice.

In the same compound there is a SHIVA Temple. The entrance for the same is from the northern side of Balaji Temple.

Chanting OM NAMONARAYANAYA, VASUDEVAYA, prayed for my nears and dears and returned.

Some of the clicks through my lens are to you….

Till we meet again… so long…. Have nice time…

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