This shrine has three deities who are worshipped: Balaji (Lord Hanuman), Pret Raj (The King of spirits), Bhairav. The idol inside which is over more than 1000 years old was never created by an artist, it is believed to have self appeared. But, the temple around it was built in the 20th century. Legend says that this temple was bestowed with divine powers to cure people possessed with evil spirits and contained by black magic.
The temple of Balaji built in mehandipur is very famous especially in northern part of india.The first mahant of the temple was shri ganeshpuriji maharaj and the present mahant of the temple shri Kishorpuriji is very strict to follow vegetarian and reading holy books. The temple of shree siyaram bhagvan in front of balaji mandir is very beautiful and the idol of siyaram bhagvan is very beautiful .The person who is suffering from evil spirits (sankatwalas) get relief from distress by the methods like arji,sawamani ,darkhast,bhog of bundi ke laddu offering to balaji maharaj ,rice and urad pulse to bhairav baba (kotval kaptan,head of army and pretraj sarkar king of evil spirits).Saturday and Tuesday are the busiest day in temple because these both are the days of hanumanji.Some other temples near to the balaji temple are anjani mata temple, Kali mata at teen pahad,panchmukhi hanumanji,ganeshji temple at saat pahad,samadhi wale baba(first mahant),are some important temples in the mehandipur balaji.The prasad from mandir is distributed in nearby schools, colleges, and Hostels and many other public places free of cost.
The temple is situated near Todabhim, Karauli district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. The village is situated at the border of two districts- Karauli and Dausa. And the temple is also divided as half and another half in districts by border. The Ram Temple in front of main temple is also divided the same. It is 66 km from Jaipur, 44 km from Hindaun City and 38 km from Dausa and is quite close to the Bandikui railway station. The distance between bandikui railway station to Mehandipur Balaji Temple is 36 kilometre. The temple is located at 3 km from the Jaipur - Agra National Highway no. 11 from Balaji Mod.
You see many crying incessantly, pounding their heads over walls and pillars, and some even pouring hot boiling water over their bodies, feeling no pain at all. By now, even those tiny hairs on your neck are shrieking their way out of your body. Somehow, you feel heaviness over your head and fear constant gaze by someone who might mean harm to you. I felt as if some intangible force was holding my head and leaning over my shoulders and back. It was a feeling that continues to haunt me even today.
By now, those who have no courage left leave from a small exit just before the fourth hall. While my parents left right after the third hall, my brother and I went ahead for the fourth chamber. And, it was there when I recalled one of my parents saying, “Jab bade kuch mana karte hai to wo humare bhale ke liye hi hota hai.” You would probably agree too.
You won’t find many along with you in the last hall, which is why it was even scarier. There were children, men and women tied to rocks and pillars with metal chains. Some of them were being beaten by priests. It looked as if many of them have not eaten for days. When I tried to inquire, it seemed I committed the cardinal sin, those glares is something I’ll never forget. This practice goes on daily to free these people of malignant spirits, ghosts, etc. It is all pain and negativity that surrounds you in this last hall.
Moment you are out, you pray never to be going back again especially for the reasons many having being staying inside. Following the strict protocol, to not look back, we went straight out to where other devotees were gathered. Once out, you are advised to immediately leave the area or the village without consuming anything not even water. It is believed once you step out, there is always an evil spirit waiting to cling, and those who look back fall prey.
One can witness people going through various physical therapies like keeping heavy stones on their body , on arms, legs and chest , to ease their pain. There are others who inhale the smoke that fumes out of the sweet Patasa's kept on smoldering cowpats. The ones with serious case of spirit possession, who tends to get violent, are even shackled in chains within the temple premises.
This may appear a bit anachronistic at the first glance, but thousands of people are believed to have been cured in this way. Festival time (Holi, Hanuman Jayanti and Dusshera etc) are regarded as the most auspicious time to emancipate from the evil spirit.
Medical science may discard such approach to the ailment as self-deceptions based on blind faith, but for the believers, the power of Balaji is something supernatural, something beyond metaphysics.
HISTORY OF BALAJI MEHANDIPUR
According to legend, the present-day forms of the "Divine Trinity" found in the Mehandipur Dham appeared around one thousand years ago in a valley amidst the hills of the Aravali Range. Shri Ganesh Puri ji Maharaj, who was the 11th Mahant of this pilgrimage center used to say that this area was covered by a thick and dense forest, full of wild animals, once upon a time. One of the ancestors of Shri Mahantji had dreams in which Sri Balaji Maharaj had indicated three divine deities and a magnificent temple. He had also heard a divine voice ordering him to get up and be prepared for Sri Balaji Hanuman's duty. He was unable to see any one initially but after years of "Sadhna", Lord Sri Balaji finally appeared and showed him the place in the forest where the temple and the three Divine Forms were found.
That ancestor of Shri Mahantji started "puja" and "arti" regularly at the sacred spot in the forest. In the early days of the religious activities of the first "Mahant", some miscreants tried to dig out the deity but they could not reach the bottom of the statue as it is a part of the hill surrounding the temple compound. There is a small pot at the feet of the "Presiding Deity" and the water in this pot never dries up due to continuous flow of "Blessed Holy Jal" from the left side of the chest of Lord Shri Balaji Hanuman. The "Divine Trinity" in the Mehandipur Dham comprises Pawanputra Sri Balaji Hanuman, Sri Bhairava Baba and "Swayam-Bhu" Sri Pret-Raj Sarkar.
Sri Mehandipur Balaji Temple is situated in Dausa,Rajasthan.Basically Shri Mehendipur Balaji Temple is Lord Hanuman Ji's Temple.Long ago the image of Lord Balaji and that of Pret Raja (the King of spirits) appeared from the Arawali hills. Now people suffering from malignant spirits and black magic or spell get their relief when they make an appeal for relief to Shri Bhairav ji and Shri Pret Raj Sarkar who holds his court and awards punishment to the malignant spirits, ghosts, goblins, ghouls, evil eyed witches etc.Shrine of Balaji, Court of Pret Raja, Pooja griha, Bhairav ji temple and Ram Darbar are some of the spots worth seeing here.
Religious ritualistic performances, charity, feeding the poor, homeless and incapacitated people, water supply for all and fodder for cows and stray animals are the activities of this temple.
Balaji temple at Mehandipur in Rajasthan is very Powerful place. It is believed that the deity in this temple has divine power to cure a person possessed with evil spirit.Hundreds of 'Sankatwalas', as the possessed people are referred to in local lingo, throng to the temple everyday to offer prayers and have 'darshan'. The temple has also become a home and the last respite for the victims.The 'Mahant' of the temple, Shri Kishor Puri Ji, prescribes the treatment. It can include reading holy texts, following a strict vegetarian and simple diet, and even afflicts physical pain to one's body.
One can witness people going through various physical therapies like keeping heavy stones on their body , on arms, legs and chest , to ease their pain. There are others who inhale the smoke that fumes out of the sweet Patasa's kept on smoldering cowpats. The ones with serious case of spirit possession, who tend to get violent, are even shackled in chains within the temple premises.
This may appear a bit anachronistic at the first glance, but thousands of people are believed to have been cured in this way. Festival time (Holi, Hanuman Jayanti and Dusshera etc) are regarded as the most auspicious time to emancipate from the evil spirit.
HOW TO REACH
The temple is located on Jaipur Agra highway in Dausa district of Rajasthan. Its distances from various places are
Delhi 270kms Jaipur 100Kms Agra 140 Kms
Alwar 100Kms Bharatpur 80 Kms Dausa 40 Kms
Bandikui 27Kms Hindaun city 37 Kms Mahavir ji 49 Kms
By Road :-
The Mehandipur Balaji is well connected with above cited stations There is very frequent service of buses on Agra Jaipur highway. The journey can be performed by car from Delhi either via Alwar-Mahwa or Mathura-Bharatpur-Mahwa.
By Train :-
Rail- Agra, Jaipur, Alwar , Bharatpur and Dausa are well connected with train route from where bus service is available for Mehndipur Balaji.
By Flight
Delhi, Jaipur, Agra are well connected with Air. The rest of the journey is to be performed by car, bus,or rail & bus.
