Balaji Jayanti

Balaji Jayanti is a highly revered Hindu festival that is celebrated with great splendour all over the country. It is observed on the �Ashtami� tithi (8th day) of the �Krishna Paksha� (the waning phase of moon) during the month of �Margashirsha� in the Hindu lunar calendar. The day of Balaji Jayanti, as the name implies, commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Balaji. The devotees on this auspicious day throng the 600 years old Tirupati Balaji Temple and offer prayers. Special rituals and prayers are organized on this day in the temple. Hindus worship Sri Balaji devotedly on this day to seek His blessings for a prosperous and happy life. Balaji Jayanti is one of the most awaited events in Lord Balaji temples in Southern India.

Significance of Balaji Jayanti:

Balaji Jayanti is an auspicious event for Hindus. According to the Hindu mythological stories, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Balaji for the upliftment of humanity and to free earth from all the evils. He is also worshipped as Lord Venkatesh on this day. The Tirupati Temple is considered to be the �Vaikunth� (Lord Vishnu�s celestial abode) of Kalyug. It is believed that by worshipping Lord Balaji removes all the fears and fills one�s life with never-ending happiness and success. By praying to Lord Venkatesh wholeheartedly on Balaji Jayanti all the desires will be fulfilled. Lord Balaji helps His devotees to attain peace and also work for the welfare of others. A person who performs Lord Balaji puja with dedication also attains �moksha� or salvation in the end.

Rituals during Balaji Jayanti:

• The preparations for Balaji Jayanti begin several days in advance. On this day, the temples are cleaned and beautifully decorated with flowers. For this occasion, Lord Balaji is adorned with new clothes and jewelry.
• On the day of Balaji Jayanti devotees get up at the time of dawn and take an early bath. They then perform the �Angapradakshina� of the temple and surrender themselves to Lord Balaji. Hindus worship Him with full devotion, love and faith on this day. In the Tirupati Balaji Temple, Maha Aarti is performed in the evening, which is witnessed by thousands of devotees from every corner of the country. Prasad is distributed at the end of all the ceremonies.
• Some devotees even worship Lord Balaji in their homes. They present kumkum, garlands and other sacred offerings to the image or idol of Lord Balaji.
• On this day chanting Vedic mantras like �Om Namo Narayana� that are dedicated to Lord Balaji is considered to be highly rewarding. These acts of devotion purify the soul and take the person close to the Supreme Being.
• In some communities there is also a tradition of offering hair to Lord Balaji. This act is done to free the soul from all ego and negative feelings.