BALKAMPET YELLAMMA
One of the old and among the most revered temples of Hyderabad is the Yellamma Temple located at Balkampet, popularly called the Balkampet Yellamma temple. The temple is thronged by heavy crowd on Sundays and Tuesdays and is quite famous for the annual Bonalu Jathara festivity that takes place in Hyderabad.
This temple is dedicated to Goddess Yellamma that literally means 'mother of the universe'. There is also an alternative name called Jagadamba who is considered the same as Goddess Renuka. According to a legend, Renuka, the daughter of Raja Renuka had married. Jamadagni, the son of Satyawati and had five sons, one of them being Parashurama. One day, Renuka couldn't perform one of her regular household chores and this enraged her husband who then asked her to leave the house.Dejected Renuka was reportedly suggested by saints to perform pujas near a Shivalinga and feed Brahmins for her penance. Jamadagni was reportedly furious at her and demanded his sons as well to punish their mother Renuka. Others refused and they were burnt to ashes by the father's gaze while Parashurama searched for his mother who was hiding in a village, beheaded her and even the poor woman who helped her. Jamadagni who was pleased by his son's obedience, gave him a boon and in turn Parashurama asked his father to restore the lives of his brothers, his mother and the village woman. However, during the process, the head of Renuka was restored on the other woman's head and vice versa. While Jamadagni accepted the woman who had Renuka's body, the other form came to be popular known as Yellamma, which means mother to all and is being devoutly worshipped from then by the people ofTelangana people. Balkampet Yellamma Goddess is also considered as an incarnation of Goddess Kali. Devotees offer animal sacrifice here. The most important event here is the celestial marriage ceremony of the temple goddess, Yellamma Kalyanotsavam. Bonalu Jathara Festival at Balkampet Yellamma Temple falls in the calendar only after Golconda Bonalu Jathara followed by Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu Jathara each year.
The temple was first constructed in 15th Century AD and later renovated in the early 20th century. The idol of the goddess here is seen 10 feet lower than the ground level and the devouts believe that the water in the well here can cure all ailments. The holy water is treated as Theertham. The temple also has Akhand Jyothi, which was lit during the renovation. It is situated at a distance of 10 km from Secunderabad Railway Station and is just 3 km away from Ameerpet junction.
HOW TO REACH
Balkampet Yellamma Temple, located close to Ameerpet-SR Nagar is in the heart of Hyderabad city and can be reached...
   Read moreððð One of the old and among the most revered temples of Hyderabad is the Yellamma Temple located at Balkampet, popularly called the Balkampet Yellamma temple. The temple is thronged by heavy crowd on Sundays and Tuesdays and is quite famous for the annual Bonalu Jathara festivity that takes place in Hyderabad. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Yellamma that literally means 'mother of the universe'. There is also an alternative name called Jagadamba who is considered the same as Goddess Renuka. According to a legend, Renuka, the daughter of Raja Renuka had married Jamadagni, the son of Satyawati and had five sons, one of them being Parashurama. One day, Renuka couldn't perform one of her regular household chores and this enraged her husband who then asked her to leave the house.Dejected Renuka was reportedly suggested by saints to perform pujas near a Shivalinga and feed Brahmins for her penance. Jamadagni was reportedly furious at her and demanded his sons as well to punish their mother Renuka. Others refused and they were burnt to ashes by the father's gaze while Parashurama searched for his mother who was hiding in a village, beheaded her and even the poor woman who helped her. Jamadagni who was pleased by his son's obedience, gave him a boon and in turn Parashurama asked his father to restore the lives of his brothers, his mother and the village woman. However, during the process, the head of Renuka was restored on the other woman's head and vice versa. While Jamadagni accepted the woman who had Renuka's body, the other form came to be popular known as Yellamma, which means mother to all and is being devoutly worshipped from then by the people ofTelangana people. Balkampet Yellamma Goddess is also considered as an incarnation of Goddess Kali. Devotees offer animal sacrifice here. The most important event here is the celestial marriage ceremony of the temple goddess, Yellamma Kalyanotsavam. Bonalu Jathara Festival at Balkampet Yellamma Temple falls in the calendar only after Golconda Bonalu Jathara followed by Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu Jathara each year. The temple was first constructed in 15th Century AD and later renovated in the early 20th century. The idol of the goddess here is seen 10 feet lower than the ground level and the devouts believe that the water in the well here can cure all ailments. The holy water is treated as Theertham. The temple also has Akhand Jyothi, which was lit during the renovation. It is situated at a distance of 10 km from Secunderabad Railway Station and is just 3 km away from...
   Read moreA very famous , popular and one of the richest temples in Hyderabad, is situated in Bslkampet on the main arterial road connecting Ameerpet and Balanagar. The most imp day is Sunday of each week when devotees from far and near come to offer their prayers, camp in and around the temple premises, some of them sacrfice Chicken as per their vows, and cook meals there as well. They spend the whole day there in festive atmosphere and go back in the night. The temple administration is inefficient, with no one from managing committee being present by rotation on each day of the week, making the crowd behavior erratic, and inconvinient. None of them just care for anything - attitude. The premises of such important and popular temple is not swept and cleaned at regular intervals ( say every 20 minutes) with crowd swell, the rice and other offerings are strewn all around the parikrama, being trampled and hurting the sole of feet of devotees badly. The sanctum santoram which is below the ground level is maintained neatly with goddess decorated nicely, but the wooden platform for darshan, the walls are not clean and not swept at regular intervals. The main entrance is in a dirty state all the times, the coconut breaking area is in a dirty confusing state, the sevaks demanding / expecting for money , both sides of the main entrance is obscured by vendors selling flowers, coconuts other puja items ,self appointed beggers posing as keepers of devotees foot wear inside the precients at a cost Concludingly it can be stated that the temple and it's day to day administration is not maintained . In short the temple administration Îs most callous in discharging it's duties as representatives and seem to believing more in comercial aspect than convinience of...
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