Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Rajasthan

Every follower of Sanatana Dharma has a special place for Ramayana in their hearts, and they all know that this epic is absolutely incomplete without Lord Hanuman. Being one of the favourites of the Gods, Hanuman has literally millions of temples spread across the holy land of India.

Located in the middle of two hills, a certain Hanuman temple in Rajasthan has a very special place amongst all of them. This temple is known as a powerful energy centre, which has a tremendous spiritual vigour to exorcize the demons. Every day, thousands of the possessed devotees come here and get rid of the demons within them.

Lord Balaji

Balaji is considered a reincarnation of the Divine Lord Vishnu. However, here, amidst the Aravalli hills of Rajasthan, Balaji is referred to the Lord Hanuman in the form of a kid, who is the primary deity in the temple. Three feet tall Swayambhu (believed to have appeared on its own) statue of Lord Hanuman in the temple blesses the devotees coming all the way across India.

If you see the Vigraha closely, you will find a small hole in the chest of Bal Hanuman. A constant stream of water flows through that hole, getting accumulated in the small pool below, which is given to the possessed as an antidote for the evil possessions.

Every day, Aarti (prayer ritual) is performed in front of the Lord twice a day. Being one of the most favourite foods, Laddoos are presented to Him as offerings. Hanuman Vigraha faces the beautiful trio of Lord Rama, Lord Lakshmana, and Divine Mother Sita in the temple.

Lord Pretaraj

Lord Hanuman is well known as the God of strength, courage, and intelligence. Apart from Lord Hanuman, there is another deity named Pretaraj, who serves as assistant to the Lord, helping the devotees get rid of their negativities. Pretaraj (translated as the Lord of the Corpses) is also known as Dandadhikari or the Punisher.

It said that Pretraj is the God of reverence and emotion. Pretaraj punishes and neutralises the evil forces, negativities, and demons after they have been extracted from the devotees. This is a unique deity in the temple, not to be found anywhere else in the world.

Police officer Captain Bhairava Dev

Bhairava is the fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva. He acts as the protector of the holy land, belonging to the temple. With a severed head in one hand and the sword in another, he protects this holy pilgrimage site along with his vehicle, the dog. In the Balaji temple, every day, Bhajan-Kirtan, Aarti, and Chalisa of Lord Bhairava are sung with absolute devotion. Vada, made up with Urad Lentil and Kheer, is offered to Lord Bhairava.

The Temple

Temple was built in the 11th century. Temple has three walls, and the mountain from which the Idol of Balaji had emerged acts as the fourth wall. When the idol of Balaji Hanuman emerged from the rocks, a temple was built around it. The temple is built in Rajasthani architecture, with spacious balconies and delicate pillars adorning the whole temple.

This temple of Balaji is famous all over the world for the removal of supernatural obstacles; it is believed that even a person suffering from super powers like Tantra Mantra etc., returns healthy without medicine by the grace of Balaji Maharaj. The person suffering from grief has to reach the temple and offer Prasad to the three Deities.

Mehandipur Rituals, What you need to know:

If you look superficially, the Mehadipur Balaji temple appears just like any other Hanuman temple in the country. Opening very early in the morning and closing very late at night. Two-time prayer rituals, offerings, and long lines of devotees waiting patiently outside the main shrine. But when you look closely, the rituals in the temples define it. Mehandipur has its own set of rituals making it stand out from all the other temples in India.

Darkhwast (request) ritual: Darkhwast Laddoos can be purchased from any of the stores located outside the shrine. The laddoos will be served on two plates, which devotees hand over to the priests waiting in front of the shrine door. They will select the laddoos in random order and place them on the fire in front of the deity. The first plate is to alert Lord Balaji that the devotee has arrived to seek his blessings, and the second plate is used to ask him to guide the devotee toward his or her Sankalpa or the resolution. Darkhwast is offered before the evening prayer and after the morning prayer.

The devotee then approaches Pret Raj Sarkar and Kotwal Bhairav Ji, and the same procedure is repeated. After the devotee completes the Darkhwast ritual, they must consume two laddoos from the leftovers. The remaining leftovers are held above the head, circled around the head seven times, and tossed away without looking directly at it.

Arzi (application) ritual: After the devotees are finished with Darkhast, they move on to the Arzi ritual. Arzi must be ordered at a predetermined price of INR 270 from any of the businesses outside the shrine, even before the Durkhwast process begins. 2.25 kilogram Urad Dal, 1.25 kg Laddoos, and 4.25 kg Boiled Rice make up the contents of Arzi. The devotee must offer this in two separate containers, one to Pret Raj Sarkar and another to the Kotwal Bhairav Ji.

Sammani (honour) ritual: Before leaving the temple, the devotee does not forget to visit the Balaji again and promises him that he will come back to offer the Sammani to him. When the resolution is fulfilled, the devotee visits the temple on Tuesday or Saturday and presents the offering to Lord Hanuman, saying thanks to the Gods.

-Devotees should not eat meat, onion, or anything non-veggie lover, prior to visiting the sanctuary. -While leaving the sanctuary, devotees should not turn around to have a brief look at the Lord once more.

-The devotee should not try not to talk or contact outsiders inside the sanctuary premises. Devotees must not carry the Prasad or Bhog back with them while leaving the sanctuary at any cost.

-Before leaving the town, they should avoid all the food bundles and jugs and toss them in the dustbins.