Unveiling the Forgotten Journey: A Rediscovered Travelogue to Mehndipur Balaji Temple

I stumbled upon a piece of my past that I had completely forgotten about! It’s an intriguing experience to say the least. However, I am so glad, I found this piece of paper with a travelogue detailing my expedition to Mehndipur Balaji Temple back in the year 2002! It is as though fate has conspired to reunite me with a past version of myself, and through these written words, I stand a chance to rediscover the sights, sounds, and sentiments of an adventure that once captured my heart. I haven’t changed anything about this travelogue, which brought back to me, a part of me, I seemed to have forgotten. Frankly, I get a feeling, as if I wrote this in a parallel reality. Haha! That said, I plan to copy paste every word, without disowning or altering anything.

Friday, 30 August 2002, 11:49 am

I am sitting in a bus waiting for the clock to tick. Another minute and I will be on my way to Mehnidipur Balaji. Being my first trip to an unknown land with unknown faces all around, I am little excited. The driver finally took his seat at 9:50 thus giving us a signal of the beginning of our 8 hrs journey.

Having heard stories about the place there are a lot many queries in my mind, which now give a muffled up look to me. There is a silent fear dwelling in my heart. What is that makes the place so special and famous? Well, I decided to rest my racing thoughts till I reach my destination and see how the real pictures related to my thoughts.

It’s an old bus with not so comfortable seats. For air we have a slightly cool breeze coming in, despite the angry sun hitting the Earth. The tiny beads of sweat on my forehead that finally trickled down my cheeks are making me feel feel even hotter and I suddenly find my lips go dry. Even the constant wetting of lips with my tongue does not help.

The bus took an early break. I am still in the capital city of the country. With various thoughts still racing my mind I pulled out the sacred Bhagwat Gita that I recently borrowed from my friend.

The ‘Gita’ talks about the living, not having, about love and not hate, it talks about the joy of harmony and not the bleakness of despair. While I was still drinking in the lessons from Gita, I heard the loud roaring of my bus which came to a start.

Escaping the traffic snarls of the busy Delhi roads we entered a developing city of Gurgaon in the state of Haryana. Comparatively the roads are less busy and the air too seems fresh. The tall glass buildings give Gurgaon a touch of westernism.

Soon we were on the highway as I found many tourist resorts rushing across the sight, as the bus cut through the road. The sky is clear with few puffs of clouds here and there with no traces of rains. The sun is in a happy mood for it seems to be playing hide and seek with its contemporaries! The tall lush green trees that adjourns the road on both sides comes as a visual treat.

Its is quarter to 2. Another short break at the roadside dhaba. My fellow passengers have got down to refuel themselves. It was a wise idea to pack up few fruits for my sensitive tummy. My first bite into the green juicy pear tasted like ambrosia. 15 minutes was good enough time for all of us, the passengers, to stretch and ease out.

I watched as the signal bars on my mobile decreased in number till it almost vanished. We are now in Sohna, a small village in the state of Haryana. It is a not so very clean place. I watched the hustle bustle of the place as we crossed an array of small shops.

With some music to my ears and few wafers to munch on, I added one more colour to the pleasure of traveling. We crossed an ungrazen field with few cattle around, a small forgotten red walled hut, the field stretching up to not so tall trees. It was picture perfect. Wish the bus stopped there for me to capture the magical scene.

Its really hot and sultry. I envy the village kids whom I found playing in the pond. I wish I can also (smile!) do something like that for the momentary pleasure of saving my skin from the scorching heat.

Its 3:30 pm and we are no crossing a small village in Rajasthan. Mudpacked huts with hay stacked round the corner for perhaps the cattle I could not see. Walking parallel to our bus was a huge camel drawing a hay-laden cart. After few crawling moments the bus again picked up the speed.

We stopped at Alwar main bus depot for 15 minutes where there was a few exchange of faces. As if the nature also sensed my mood, the weather became quite pleasant. I was fully into music when I suddenly brought back with few muffled up words and the concerned look on my fellow passenger’s faces. The bus had come to an abrupt halt, I thanked my starts when came to know that it was just the radiator demanding some Adam’s wine!

With the needful done we were back on our way. I reached Mehndipur at quarter to 8. It’s a small town with narrow lanes sided by Dharamshalas. I decided to put up in the Tayal Dharamshala. You can get a decent room charging anything between Rs. 150 – 300.

I was a little tired after the long bus journey. Being the eve of Janmashtmi (the day Lord Krishna took birth on this Earth), the aarti was being performed at 12 that very night. I got fresh and made my way to the Balaji temple.

Balaji– “Bal” “Roop” (Kid – form) of Hanumanji is also popularly known as Bajrangbali by all his devotees. Despite the odd hour, the entire place was full of action. I made my way to the temple amidst the cacophony of the market place. The temple was brightly lit and it was quite easy to find my way. Balaji is said to listen and fulfill the prayers of all his devotees who offer prayers with true heart. What I am going to write is true to the real sense.

One set of people had come to seek the blessings while there was another set of people, who were present were the ones who were suffering from a spiritual problem. Spiritualism can be of two kinds – one which directs you to Divine peace and satisfaction and the other which creates a negative aura around you.

As the saying goes Good and Evil exists together. Till you experience the evil you cannot differentiate and appreciate the good. Where exists the God, exists the devil too. But, God is more powerful, and that is the reason why people from different backgrounds and economic status come here with hopes in their eyes. It is said that certain spirits do not rest even when the body meets the earth. These spirits then on their own will or by the will of certain inhuman people enter the bodies of the fateful ones, thus torturing them. These spirits instruct the body to do something out of their own will, generally bringing physical pain.

Its quite a painful sight to find people bearing the pain of 3 or more huge stones each weighing not less than 50 kg! on their arms, legs and even chest. I could see some people rolling down the stairs! It is said that these people do not feel the pain at all since they are directed by some supernatural power.

I was surprised to see kids between the age group of 2-12 behaving very abnormally. NO, it is not mental illness; for their dear ones had not left any stone unturned before truing to find solace at God’s feet.

It is said that when all the doors close one door opens and that is to God. People wait after the ‘aarti’ is over to feel atleast a single droplet of the Divine water that the elderly panditji sprinkle over the devotees moving around the temple. This Divine water is seen to be oozing out of Balaji’s belly.

Some devotees get cured in their very first visit while some have to come back. Mehndipur Balaji is the only temple I have seen in my entire lifetime where the king of devils is also given an important status and is worshipped to keep him happy.

Just opposite to the main temple are stairs that lead to the top of the hill. One can cover this distance uphill in an hour’s time visiting each small temple that comes on the way. Idols of different Gods are placed here.

Before leaving the place, one has to revisit the Mehndipur Balaji temple, informing God that s/he is leaving and seek blessings from him.

Sunday 9:30 am, I board the bus to go back to New Delhi. As I sit ruminating over the happenings in the past 1 day, I am filled with a feeling of sadness. I feel sad for the people who come and have to stay till they get cured for a period, they themselves they don’t know. May God bless them soon.

I do not expect people to believe the experience I narrated so far. I pity the ones who ridicule for there’s one thing for all to believe – ‘Things seen and experienced have far more stronger grounds than things heard of.’

One has to see it, to believe it!

Till we meet again, goodbye!

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While typing out this travelogue, I realize that while certain words still strike a chord, others no longer resound within my current being. For example, usage of words like pity. Everyone is on the same and at the same time, not same path. I know, it can sound confusing, but that’s the only thing that is not only true but also a constant, in this wide vast beautiful cosmos.

One thing is for sure, we are here to find that balance between the Good and Evil within us.

How did I come across this long-forgotten piece of paper that had slipped entirely from my memory? It remains an intriguing mystery. Yet, as the saying goes, the truth unravels itself when the timing aligns perfectly.

Om Tat Sat