In India, there are countless beliefs related to the temples of Gods and Goddesses, some children give happiness, some wealth is attained and freedom from diseases. But have you ever heard that people go to a temple and pray to get a visa? Surprisingly, but it is true. There is an ancient temple located in Chilkur village of Telangana state, Chilkur Balaji Temple, which is known as ‘Visa Balaji Temple’. The temple is located about 40 km from Hyderabad, and has become the largest center of faith and expectation for those who want to go abroad.
Can’t get a visa? So put a dizziness with Balaji!
There are usually two important documents to go abroad – passport and visa. Getting passports is a government process and has become very easy, but getting a visa is still no less than a challenge for many people. In such a situation, when people are unable to get a visa even after all efforts, they turn to the Chilkur Balaji temple. It is believed in this temple that if a person prays to Balaji with a sincere heart and takes a special 108 circumambulation, then he gets a visa within a few weeks. People who are upset to get a visa say – “It is better to visit the embassy, make a round of Chilkur Balaji.”
Airplane offering: Flight of unique faith
There is also a special thing about this temple that devotees offer airplanes here. This symbolically shows that they are seeking permission from Balaji to travel abroad. Small toy airplanes, plastic models, and even paper planes offer devotees to Balaji. Devotees believe that after this symbolic offerings, they not only get visa but also makes the entire process of going abroad easily.
Historical and mythology of ‘Visa Balaji’
This temple is not new, but about 500 years old. According to the belief, a devotee of Shri Venkateswara Balaji used to travel long distances for visiting Tirupati Balaji temple daily. One day when his health deteriorated and he could not go to the temple, the same night he saw Lord Venkateswara in his dream. God told him that “Now there is no need to come to Tirupati, I live here in the nearby forest.” The next day when the devotee reached that place, he found the self -proclaimed idol of God there. The temple was established there, and over time this place became famous as Chilkur Balaji Temple.
Vowels also seem for jobs and success
Not only the vow of going abroad in the temple is sought, but people also come here for desires like jobs, studies, interviews and promotion. Especially in the youth, there is deep faith in this temple. Students from areas like engineering, medical, management come here to visit abroad with aspiration to study or work.
Confluence of rules, tradition and faith
Another specialty of Chilkur Balaji temple is – there is no donation and no VIP philosophy. The temple is completely based on private offering and voluntary service. The priests and trusts here believe that God is the same for all, and their philosophy should also be equal to all. There is a tradition of setting up 11 circumambulation for darshan in the temple, and when the visa is imposed, people come again and do 108 circumambulation – it is called the circumambulation of gratitude.
