Trip to Salasar Balaji and Khatu Shyam Ji

This was a short trip sometime back with my family to Salasar and Khatu Shyam Ji in Rajasthan. My last trip to Rajasthan was a hippy one with crazy friends and one of the most cherished one :) This was one completely different and connected me to myself :)

I was a highly religious person as a child. By highly I mean I use to recite 3 chalisas everyday - Durga Chalisa, Shiv Chalisa and Hanuman Chalisa. I still know them by heart :). I used to observe a lot of fasts - 16 Mondays, Navratris, Shivratri and Janmasthmi and do all Pujas. But since the past decade or so, I had turned more spiritual than religious. Not that I demean them but spirituality took the prime seat. But God has his own ways to make you realize the importance of things, sometimes the hard way :) Today I feel being spiritual and religious both has its own place and reverence. One cannot supersede the other. Meditation is the highest form of prayer but bowing down to the idols, worshiping them and performing religious ceremonies has its own power. Even Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of The Art of Living Foundation which is the World's biggest spiritual organization, does all the Pujas religiously. He performs the Rudra Puja every Monday (no matter which place of the continent he may be on that day), does Ganesh Puja on Wednesday, and does a Devi Puja on Fridays. And Shivratri and Navratris are like big festival at the Bangalore Ashram!

The idols are energies. We may perceive them as a statue but with faith and surrender of sincere devotees, the energy in them manifests. And I strongly believe in this concept. Some so called modern age people may ridicule and find India funny, but it's the faith of people on the higher power which makes India Incredible.

Salasar Balaji Temple, Churu, Rajasthan

We went in a Volvo early morning and reached Salasar Balaji by afternoon.  Salasar Dham is located in the town of Salasar, Churu district of Rajasthan. I had seen a lot of my Marwari friends going there with family but this was my first time. Dedicated to Lord Balaji (Lord Hanuman), the temple is so popular that even on a day when temperatures cross 40 degrees, a steady stream of devotees gather here. Made completely out of silver, the temple is spread in a huge area. Beautiful inscriptions of ‘Shree Ram’ and intricate carvings of Shree Balaji beautify the silver walls inside the temple. The temple witnesses lacs of devotees during the fairs on Chaitra Purnima and Ashwin Purnima as well as on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. One of the most remarkable features of this famous temple is that Akhand Hari Kirtan (continuous chanting of name of Lord Rama) has been going on in the temple premises for the last 20 years.  Besides the Prasad, you can tie a coconut with moli (sacred red threads) in the temple premises to any of the trees. It is believed to fulfill all their wishes, if done with sincere faith. I tied one too :)

Tying Coconuts to make a wish!

Rajasthan has interesting temples with interesting stories. Did you read my Bike Temple story I posted last year?

The story of Salasar Balaji temple goes like this - On Saturday, Shravan Shukla-Navami Samvat 1811, a miracle happened. A farmer of village Asota in district Nagaur of Rajasthan was ploughing his field. Suddenly his plough hit some stony thing and produced a strange sound. On digging up the place, he found an idol which was covered with sand. Soon his wife reached there with his lunch and the farmer showed the idol to his wife. She cleaned the idol with her sari. On discovering that the idol was of none other but that of Lord Balaji (Lord Hanuman), they considered themselves blessed, bowed their heads with devotion and started worshipping the idol. The news of the appearance of Lord Balaji spread like wild fire in Asota. 

Inside the Salasar Balaji Temple

The Thakur of the village heard the news too. He then had a vision in which Balaji ordered him to send the idol to Salasar in the Churu district. The same night, Lord Balaji came in the dream of Mohandasji Maharaj of Salasar (who was unaware of this incident), an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman and told him about the idol found in Asota. Mohandasji immediately sent a message to the Thakur of Asota. The Thakur was amazed when he realized that Mohandasji knew the finer details of the event without even coming to Asota. He now understood that the entire episode, which was taking place, was nothing short of a miracle, undoubtedly happening as per the wishes of Lord Balaji. Soon after, the idol was sent to Salasar and sanctified at the place known as Salasar Dham today.

These stories, may be considered fictional but induce so much faith when listened to in a sincere manner. Isn’t it? We had an amazing darshan at this temple and we soon headed to our Hotel. Since we started off early morning and had been travelling for more than 8 hours, we were drop dead tired!

Khatu Shyam Ji Temple entrance

The next day Morning we visited Khatu Shyam Temple. This was my second time. I believe everyone has a timing for the divine calling. I realize the power of Khatu Shyam ji now. It is said in this Kalyuga, Lord Khatu Shyam is the saviour. My mother and sister's family follows them a lot - they organise huge khatushyam keertans and visit Khatu Shyam temple in Rajasthan. When I heard the story of Khatu Shyam, it seemed very interesting. Here it goes.

Bheema's grandson was Barbarik, and actually he never got the chance to participate in the Mahabharata battle.He was not a student of Krishna, but he died at the hands of Krishna and thus attained Moksha , as was the belief.The legend or story attached dates back to the time of Mahabharata. Before the battle of Mahabharata started, the grandson of Bhima, Barbarik came to Lord Krishna and Pandavas and requested them to fight the war from their side. Barbarik was very brave and a great warrior. He was blessed with three infallible arrows by Lord Shiva and Agni Dev or the God of Fire gave him the Bow, which would make him victorious in the three worlds. Lord Krishna thought that it would be wrong because the war might end without justice as Barbarik was very strong and the war will end in haste. 

Barbarik wanted to participate in the battle from the side that would be losing. He equipped himself with the bow and three arrows and fled on his horse. Then Lord Krishna played a trick. He took the appearance of a Brahmin to examine his strength and playing joke that he is heading to battleground to fight with just three arrows. 

Barbarik told Brahmin that only one arrow was enough to destroy all the enemies in the war. If he would use all the three arrows, it would create chaos in the three worlds. Lord Krishna challenged him to tie all the leaves of the peepal tree under which he was standing, with one arrow. Barbarik took one arrow from his quiver and released it from his bow. 

The arrow tied all the leaves together. But Lord Krishna had one leaf under his foot. The arrow then started revolving around his foot, and asked the Barbarik, whom he would favour in the war. Barbarik restated that he would fight for the side which loses. Lord Krishna foreseen the defeat of Kauravas, he thought if this brave boy joins them, the result would be in their favour. 

The Brahmin (Lord Krishna) asked for daan from the boy. Barbareek promised to give him anything he wished for. Then the brahmin asked for his head as a charity (daan) for worshipping the battlefield by sacrificing head of the bravest Kshatriya. Barbarik readily obeyed him and chopped off his head. Lord Krishna was enamoured with the sacrifice and blessed him with two boons, namely, first was that he would see the war from the small hill, on which Krishna had placed his head and the other was that he would be worshipped as ‘Shyam’ in Kalyug. 

After the battle ended, his head was buried here in Khatu.

…Many years later, a head was found at Khatu which was worshipped by a Brahmin for many days. Shortly, the King of Khatu had a dream inspiring him to build a temple here and place this head of the courageous Barbarik, today worshipped as Khatu Shyam Baba.

Inside the Khatu Shyam temple, the idol is enshrined in the form of only a head which makes the temple one of its kind in the country. The remaining part below the head is covered with garlands and flowers. It is believed to be a wish granting temple. You need to visit there and sincerely pray to realise the power Khatu Shyam Ji has. Taking the name of “Jai Shree Shyam”, one can feel a peace dawning in. :)

Hare ka sahara, Jai Shree Shyam hamara.

The market near the Temple is a must visit. Especially the shops which provide Rajasthani food items – Papads, Pickles, dal vadi and other Rajasthani items. I got some of them and they are fantabulous! Must buy!

We had our food at Kolkata Dharamshala and not only is the food super delicious, the way volunteers or sewadar serve you , it is inspirational.

I loved this trip. I think holy trips are the best ones! They take your attention inwards.

Look forward to my next holy trip :)

Swati