8 Unbelievable Facts About Tirupati Balaji Temple That Most People Are Unaware Of

8 Unbelievable Facts About Tirupati Balaji Temple That Most People Are Unaware Of

The Temple of Shri Venkateshwara Swamy in Tirupati, also popular by the name of Tirupati Balaji is one of the most revered Hindu sacred places in India. The temple is considered to be the richest of such establishments across the country and receives a rush of millions of devotees every year. However, despite its popularity, there are several unbelievable aspects about the temple which are most people are not aware of. The most mystifying of these facts related to this holy place of worship are as a follows.

Tirupathi Balaji

  • The temple features a unique arch at its entrance, which is made from stone and appears like a garland that has been strung over a threshold. Another unique aspect of this arch is that its height is exactly the same as the height of the lord Vishnu located in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Some people also find the arch to resemble the shape of a serpent’s hood, a conch and even a discus, all three of which are the Hindu religious symbols associated with Lord Vishnu.

Tirupathi Balaji 1

  • The main idol of Lord Venkateshawara Swamy inside the temple features real hair, which has silky smooth texture and never tangles. It is believed that this hair was implanted on the head of Lord Balaji by a Ghandharva princess, named Neela Devi, after he lost some of his own upon being hit by a shepherd. It was then that Lord Balaji promised Neela Devi that she would be the sole recipient of all the hair rendered by the devotees visiting his temple.

Tirupathi Balaji 2

  • It is believed that the back of Lord Venkateshwara Swamy’s idol can never be dried completely no matter how many times the devotees try to wipe it. It is also said that upon placing their ear at the back of the idol and listening carefully, devotees can hear sounds of the ocean, even though the temple is situated on a hill.

Tirupathi Balaji 3

  • The temperature of Lord Balaji’s idol is believed to be no less than 110 degree Fahrenheit, even though the temple is located at a height of 3000 feet amongst cool surroundings. It is also said that soon after the deity is bathed in milk and water every morning, the idol develops beads of sweat which are then wiped. Even the ornaments that are removed every Thursday before the sacred bath are found to be warm.

Tirupathi Balaji 4

  • Even though the idol of Lord Balaji appears to be standing in the center of the main sanctum sanctorum, it is actually located at the right side corner of the temple. No one has been able to understand how the idol seems to be centrally located to the devotees when it is actually not there.

    Tirupathi Balaji 5

  • It is believed that Lord Balaji possesses a third eye, which he opens only at the time of abhishekam, conducted during the wee hours of the morning. It is also a common belief that no one knows exactly since how long the earthen lamps placed before the Lord’s idol have been lit and in fact they are believed to have been lit for over thousands of years without ever being damaged.

    Tirupathi Balaji 6

  • Every day the idol of Lord Balaji is rubbed with raw camphor, which is known to cause cracks and damage on being applied to stones. However, there has been not even the slightest damage reported to Lord Balaji’s stone idol despite these practice being continued since thousands of years.

    Tirupathi Balaji 7

  • On every Thursday, Lord balaji’s idol is decorated with white wood paste and when paste is removed, the imprints of Godess Lakshmi left behind on the idol are clearly visible. There is also the practice of applying sandalwood paste on the Swamy’s chin to cover injury he suffered as a child while being punished with the stick that is still kept near the temple’s main door.