So much so, that the Temple Management feels very proud of recognition by a foreign journal. The Indian TV Channels are also agog with the news and are showing the clippings of the news repeatedly, along with the web page of the Washington Post.
So now, thousands more will visit the temple and fill its coffers.
It is how temples flourish on superstitions.
BLOGGER'S VIEW
ASSUMING that God is accessible, and willing to fulfil the desires of devotees, what a devotee has to seek from the God? Even let it be the worldly things.
Should he ask for a US Visa? OK heshe gets as US Visa. What next? Does he get a job in US? Will he be happy in US? Won't he be shot by an unscrupulous fellow like a pigeon by a hunter? Suppose after going to US, he becomes sick?
The devotee has to ask for: health, family joys, food, clothing, shelter, old age security etc. in that order.
The temple authorities can issue booklets to devotees in this respect. It is a moral obligation on them, because they enrich from hoondi collections. They get prestige when the name of their temple is shown on the first page of a Western Journal.
8 comments:
I agree with you.
This is looking like superstition and no good devotee should request god for any material benefits.
Thanks
Prashant
Thinking again may be this superstition is infact correct.
My Logic:
When each god has his own task like
Lord siva for destruction
lord brahma for creation
lord vishnu for preservation
goddess saraswathi for education
.....
if we think in this angle i think i will also believe Chilukur Balaji is for Visas.
As you said again if that same person falls sick then he should pray to the responsible god.
Have you ever visited Chilkur Balaji Temple? If not then do so, you will not find any hundi or donation box any ware in temple. This is the only famous temple in AP which is not under any endowment board and will not collect money for lord darshan. And they don’t collect single rupee from its devotees. Just look out for any hundi in Temple you will not find anyware and its been this temple tradition since hundred years. Get some knowledge before positing cheap blogs
To Shri Unknown, about Hundies (Coin boxes): I have not visited Chilukuru Balaji Temple. But I have come to know through Press and TV channels that Chilukuru Balaji Temple does not have hundies. Hence, I apologise to you for my error about hundies. However, we have to keep in mind that in Capitalism, prayer-houses (of whatever be the religion) cannot maintain their buildings and structures well, without collecting donations openly, or covertly. Collecting large amounts 'in style' without installing hoondies, can be resorted to by Cleverer temples through misrepresentations and propaganda of miraculous results directly, or by acquiescing to such propaganda tacitly, And that type of Collection method will be worse than installation of hoondies, because hoondies method, ticket method will have at least transparency.
I have seen a representative of Chilukuru Balaji Temple advocating on TV Channels the 'privatisation of temples', objecting to governmental interventions. It is true that Governments running temples are mismanaging them. But it does not mean that Private Laissez faire Temples can do better. I have seen many such Laissez fair private Temples in North India which are awfully run, in spite of receiving hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, and their donating substantial amounts.
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