Temples

ABOUT CHILUKURU TEMPLE

              Though deity in this temple CHILUKURU BALAJI has come to be known as Visa God, this is much more than that, it has that "Sthala Mahatyam" (Location Sanctity), because of which it gives the mental peace to the devotees, who visit. The practice followed by many Devotees is they make 11 pradhakshinas (Walking around Shrine) with a wish and when it is fulfilled they do 108 pradhakshinas to express gratitude. Can anyone guess how long it takes for a wish to be fulfilled?!!! - Just 10 minutes. 

                                                                      History of Chilukuru Balaji

                  My experiences - 8 years ago when I visited the temple for the first time and learned the story of Swayambhu (self emerged) Lord Chilkur Balaji, I spent whole day sitting there. It was very calm and peaceful as people at that time were very few. Since then I have been visiting the temple every SUNDAY to experience the same calmness, peace and the divinity. Later I started doing SEVA (service) as a volunteer as the number of devotees visiting the temple has increased to thousands. Years passed. Endowments Dept. doomed to take over the temple and commercialise it, issued a Notification to appoint the Board of Trustees on March 12th 2006. Dr.Soundara Rajan started eleven days NIRASANA (fasting and addressing people) against it. on 25th Feb 2006. As usual like every year, I was in the temple a day before Mahashivratri for service such as cleaning and decorating for whole night and making arrangements for performing first ABHISHEKAM (Showering deity with Milk, Honey and Water) starts at 2.30 am on following 26th May, maintaining the fast but smooth movement of queue of devotees, supplying Milk for abhishekam and so on. Over 50,000 devotees had Dharshanam and Abhishekam on the auspicious day of Mahashivrathi. On Maha Shivarathri - 26th Feb 2006, Dr.Soundara Rajan gave a press note "If the Endowments Department appoints the Board of Trustees on March 12th 2006, we will not handover charge to the Political Trust Board but will lock the Temple and handover the keys to none other than the Honorable Chief Minister himself." A press meet was organized at temple premises as Dr.SoundaraRajan had to release a press note. I could not attend the same as hardly 9 of volunteers like me were available for service and the devotees that day were more than estimated and the chances for stampede were high. At 2.00 pm Dr.SoundaraRajan released a Press Note, a copy given to me, I kept it in my pocket without reading as the Abhishekam was going on and the devotees were arriving till late evening. Alankara Seva started at 7 pm and went on till 11' o clock night. We volunteers could rest for an hour and had to start preparation for Abhishekam at 12' o clock night and Jagaran (sitting up all night) following night. It was during that time someone reminded me of the Press meet then I opened the Press Note which was there in my pocket since noon. As I read the sentence mentioned by Dr.SoundaraRajan "If the Endowments Department appoints the Board of Trustees on March 12th 2006, we will not handover charge to the Political Trust Board but will take the Temple keys and handover them to none other than the Honorable Chief Minister himself." I was shocked. I thought, since 8 years every Sunday I am coming to the temple to serve and seek blessings of Lord Balaji, now what's next, if Temple locked ?. I walked out of temple and sat under the tree and kept thinking of possibilities of initiating some agitation, staging dharna in front of Secretariat etc. which is not wise and impossible As I was alone, Praying Lord Balaji to show some way to get through this...