A nice trip to Balajipuram. Review on Balajipuram

On June,2010, I went to visit my cousins in Sarni, Madhya pradesh. I was very happy to be there for the first time in my life,and was spending a good time with my sisters. One day they suggested that we should pay a visit to Balajipuram. A beautiful temple is there,and also a garden called Chitrakot.We arranged for a car,as no other mode of transport is available from Sarni to Balajipuram.One fine morning our journey started. The sky was not clear in the morning, but around 9 the sun came out.

The journey was quite enjoyable with my cousins and aunties. The roads are very narrow,and some places there was no proper road also. We came across many tiny river beds which were dry then,the rain didn't start yet. Trees are leafless,we could see distant blue mountains,all looking scorched and dry.After one hour,the steep paths and carves of Satpura Ghats started, and the kids in the car started feeling uneasy. But soon it was over,and we came in the plain again. around 2 hours,we reached Betul city. This place is rather crowded,compared to Sarni, and we proceeded further. It took nearly 2 hrs 45 minutes to reach Balajipuram temple.

The temple looked beautiful from the distance itself. We left our foot wears in the car,and proceeded towards the temple. It has a big gate,and the archway in constructed like South Indian temples. South Indian architecture is mainly dominating,but the typical MP style also can be seen here. Use of many colors ca be observed in sculptures, but the inside view of the temple is just like the famous Thirupathi. There is a a row of fountains starting from the gate to the main entrance of the temple.Inside the main temple,There are four small chambers,2 in each side, with the deities of Laxmi Narayana, Ambe Gouri, Shiv Shankar, and Radha Krishna. After offering prayers to them,we visited the main chamber,where the statues of Balaji and Rukmani devi are there.

But the Balaji Statue doesn't look like the South Indian one,we would prefer to call him Sri Narayana only.We offered prayers there,and came out from the right side of the main entrance of the temple. One cave is here,called Sesh Naag Gufa. It's nothing,but a tunnel surrounding a small garden. I went inside along with my cousins, and it was fun. There was not much statues to see,so we came out soon. Outside the temple there are small Temples of Navagraha (Nine planets), Shanidev (The Saturn God), and I can't remember the others. Our next visit is Chitrakot Garden, which is inside the main gate only.

We had to purchase tickets here, paying Rs. 3 for each one. The theme of this garden is based on the Ramayana. Many statues of Indian Saints,and incidents from Ramayana are depicted here. Few small temples are also inside,but nobody was interested to see those. Finally we came to a place where an artificial waterfall has been constructed. The water is very clear,and the artificial hill from where is is gushing out,has a small temple of Mata Vaishno Devi. We had to cross a water-filled path,but soon it came to a dark dry tunnel. It led us to a cave,where they have two statues of Ram and Seeta. From this cave, we had to follow a spiral foot bridge which leads to that waterfall. It was quite impossible to stand there,as we were getting drenched with water drops.

So we proceeded towards the Vaishno Devi Throne. The throne is at the top of this hill,and a spectacular view lies around. But we could not enjoy it for a long time,as we had to enter the Gufa. All of us had to sit and crawl inside the tunnel,it was too narrow. Finally we reached inside the cave. It's just the same as the main Vaishno devi Temple in Katra. Sat there for a while,then came out crawling again! This place is also beautiful enough,but somehow I felt suffocated. After coming out we planned to stand there for a while. The weather was pleasant. The sun hid under black clouds,a comfortable shadow covered everything. It looked so beautiful that I took nearly 20 photos from there. We enjoyed the cool breeze,and finally when the time was up,I felt a li'l sad also. While coming down,my sister noticed something.

What's that, an ostrich? I don't think so,but it was an emu. Not even one, There were four of them, in a meshed compound. Kids were very happy to see those. They had a great time. But It's time to return! They stood near the waterfall,took many pictures, danced and splashed water at each other.........I was observing them and being amused. Such a great place,yet so unnoticed! Many people don't know about this place,other than the local people here. One great thing came into my notice. One can adopt a tree in this garden. Or as many as one wants. People pay some money,and can take a sapling home.................not like that. If you want to adopt a tree,you have to pay some fixed amount,and the money will go for the maintenance of that tree.

Something extraordinary, I felt. After coming out of that garden, we purchased some prasadam from the temple counter,we have to distribute it to our relatives while we return. Before coming out of the main archway,I stood there for a while and looked at the temple for the last time. Next time when I come here,I am going to stay here in the temple rest house,they have all arrangements for this. Good bye Balajipuram, coming back soon!