Chilkur Balaji Temple History
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Chilkur Balaji Temple is an ancient Hindu temple of Lord Balaji. Chilkur Balaji temple is popularly known as “Visa Balaji Temple’. It is located on the banks of Osman Sagar in Hyderabad.
Chilkur Balaja temple is one of the oldest temples in Hyderabad built during the time of Madanna and Akkanna, the uncles of Bhakta Ramadas. There in no hundi and neither accepts any money from devotees in the Chilkur Balaji Temple.
Chilkur Balaji temple is one of the special Temple in India with no green channel or privileges for VIP’s.
Set in sylvan surroundings, Chilkur Balaji Temple attracts millions of pilgrims every year and is an ideal place for sequestered retreat and meditation. It enjoyed in the past, great days of pomp and glory.
Sri Balaji Venkateshwara swamy is the Pratyaksha Daivam in Kaliyugam and he is available at Chilkur to shower blessings on his devotees who for any reason are unable to go to Tirupati. Many devotees visit the temple throughout the year particularly during Poolangi, Annakota and Brahmothsavams.
During a visit the devotees perform the usual rituals of prayer, 11 circumambulations of the inner shrine, and makes a vow. Once the wish is fulfilled devotees do 108 pradikshana ( walking 108 times around the sanctum sanctorum) to the Lord. Most of the devotees wishes are visa related, thus Chilkur Balaji is also referred to as ‘Visa’ Balaji.
The 11 circumambulations represent the secret of creation — 11 means “1 soul and 1 body” — uniting both with devotion and full determination to fulfill their wish, dedicate on the lord; there is no second, everything is God. In the 108 circumambulations, 1 represents the Existence, Almighty, God or Paramathma (Balaji in the minds of the devotee), 0 represents Creation (Illusionary World, Jagath) and 8 represents the time Human Body takes to come to this universe-8 months (Jivatma).