Don’t Believe in Ghosts? After Visiting the Mehandipur Balaji Temple You Will

Do you believe in the power of the unknown? Have you ever experienced a close encounter of the third kind? How many of you would actually travel to see live exorcism?

If the answer to even one of the above is yes, then you’re in the right place. Most of us, after watching a horror movie at 2 am, think we are Igor the Invincible. Well let me puncture your thought right away. I guarantee that nothing can be more horrifying than witnessing a sea of humans (all possessed by evil spirits) under one roof! Where, you’d ask? The legendary Mehandipur Balaji Temple, which is believed to be the only religious place in India where live exorcism takes place. I once challenged my friend to visit this temple, and boy, was she brave to accept the challenge! Now, whether it was out of sheer curiosity to unveil the dark truth or to prove her mettle, I had no clue, but did she regret her visit? We’ll discover soon enough.

One fine morning, Shruti, my friend started her journey to the temple from Delhi. The road leading to Mehandipur Balaji is pretty straightforward but somehow she ended up losing her way, not once but thrice! “Despite following the GPS, I kept getting lost. Don’t know whether it was a warning of sorts…” she explained. Unsure but undeterred, she continued her search. And finally, after five long hours, she made it to the Mehandipur village in the Dausa district in Rajasthan.

She saw a large entrance and followed the directions to the temple. At first glance Mehandipur village didn’t scare her. Like a typical village, there were small shops, children walking to school and people busy in their everyday routine. But the moment she reached the temple premises, the vibe instantly changed. There was a long queue outside the temple accompanied by petty shopkeepers who were trying to sell prasad to her. But Shruti dare not say no, for it is considered unlucky to refuse them. Ironically, the prasad (black-coloured balls) served here are not meant to be eaten but thrown into fire. Isn’t that strange?

A Temple Full of Evil Spirits

As she stepped inside, she realised that the eeriness of the temple is reflected in its architecture. Broadly divided into four sections or chambers, she was welcomed not by the sound of bells but by the loud scream of men and women, err… spirits! The first two chambers have idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Bhairon, where she was asked to throw the black-coloured balls into the ceremonial fire. The legend here says that by doing so, you keep all evil forces at bay. Since the temple is dedicated to the most powerful of Hindu deities- Lord Hanuman, it is believed that his power can actually ward off any black magic force on Earth.

However, when Shruti crossed the verandah to reach the third chamber, fear got a hold on her. “I felt a very strong presence of negative energy around me… as if someone was following me”. People were staring at her (as if in a trance) and some were even crying. On reaching the third chamber, she was taken aback. Men and women were banging their heads on pillars, some women poured hot water over themselves without feeling any pain. The sight was enough to give her goosebumps! As if that wasn’t enough, the last chamber (which is apparently less frequented by visitors) left her speechless. “I saw adults and children chained to big rocks, being beaten by a pundit”. It is believed that this practice is followed every day to ward off multiple evil spirits from the bodies of affected people. Also, no food or water is given to them until the spirits leave their bodies. Without spending much time, Shruti immediately left the last chamber of the temple.

Shaken by the horror and the inhuman cruelties that are a commonplace at this temple, all Shruti could say was, “I think I do regret coming here, it was damn scary”. Although it was a huge relief for her once she left the village but the brief ten minutes, rather 600 seconds that she spent inside (yes, every second counts here) was the most disturbing experience of her life. At Mehandipur Balaji, everything comes with a warning or a superstitious belief. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts that she was asked to follow when visiting and leaving the temple:

“Anyone who decides to go there, must pray constantly to come back safe and sane”, concluded Shruti after coming back from the road trip. Now, I dare you. Are you game for this journey? Keep me posted…