Chilkur Balaji 'Visa Balaji' Temple: The 11 and 108 Pradakshina Custom Explained for NRIs

Quick answer: Chilkur Balaji, near Hyderabad in Telangana, is a temple of Lord Venkateswara that devotees lovingly call the "Visa Balaji" temple, because so many pray there for visas and travel abroad. By widely followed custom, you walk 11 pradakshinas around the shrine with your wish, and return to walk 108 pradakshinas in gratitude once it is fulfilled. If you live abroad, you can pray to Venkateswara at home or at a local Balaji temple, and complete the 108 rounds on your next visit to India.

Ask almost any Indian student who has gone to the USA, or any H-1B professional who has sweated through a stamping appointment, and there is a good chance they or their parents have heard of Chilkur. For many families it is the first stop before a visa interview and the first stop on the way home from the airport after a long stretch abroad. This guide explains the custom, how to keep the vow with respect, and what to do if you are praying from thousands of miles away.

For the full temple profile, see our main Chilkur Balaji Temple guide.

Chilkur Balaji at a glance

Why Chilkur is called the 'Visa Balaji' temple

Chilkur Balaji is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, the same Lord worshipped at Tirumala. Over the years, students hoping to study abroad and professionals seeking work visas began coming here in large numbers to pray before their interviews. Many returned afterwards to give thanks, and their stories spread by word of mouth through families, hostels and offices. That is how the temple came to be called the "Visa Balaji" temple.

It is important to understand the name in the right spirit. It reflects what devotees believe and what they have experienced in their own lives; it is not a promise. People also come to Chilkur to pray for health, for family, for a job, or simply for darshan of the Lord. The visa association is one thread in a much larger fabric of faith.

Our main temple page notes another quality that devotees often mention: Chilkur places its emphasis on faith and devotion rather than on financial offerings. For a visa applicant who is already spending heavily on applications and travel, there is something deeply reassuring in that. What the Lord asks here is sincerity, not money.

The pradakshina custom: 11 rounds with a wish, 108 in gratitude

A pradakshina is a clockwise circumambulation of a shrine, keeping the deity on your right as a mark of reverence. At Chilkur, the widely followed custom has two parts:

• 11 pradakshinas with a wish. When you come to pray, you walk 11 rounds around the shrine, holding your prayer in your heart: a student visa, a work visa, a safe stamping trip, or anything else you are seeking.
• 108 pradakshinas in gratitude. If and when your wish is fulfilled, you return to walk 108 rounds as thanksgiving.

The number 108 has deep meaning across Hindu practice; you can read more in our article on the sacred significance of 108. At Chilkur, walking 108 rounds takes time and effort, and that is the point: the gratitude is meant to be felt in the body, not just spoken.

Practices can vary from family to family, and the temple may give its own guidance on any given day. Treat the 11 and 108 as the popular custom, and follow whatever you are told on site.

How to make the vow respectfully

1. Prepare your mind before you arrive. Decide clearly and honestly what you are praying for. A sincere, specific prayer is better than a vague list.
2. Dress modestly and traditionally, as you would for any temple, and follow the dress and conduct norms displayed at the temple.
3. Walk the 11 pradakshinas calmly, without rushing or pushing past others. Temples like Chilkur can be crowded; patience is part of the offering.
4. Chant the Lord's name as you walk. Om Namo Venkatesaya (given below) or simply "Govinda, Govinda" is enough.
5. Keep count gently. Many people fold a finger each round or use a small counter. Do not worry about perfection; the Lord sees the intent.
6. After the rounds, take darshan, bow, and offer your prayer once more in your own words.
7. Make a mental note, or write it in your diary, that you owe 108 pradakshinas of gratitude. Keeping a vow is as much a part of devotion as making it.

If a parent or grandparent makes the 11 rounds on your behalf while you are abroad, that is a cherished tradition in many families. When you next visit, you can walk the 108 rounds together.

The mantra: Om Namo Venkatesaya

The simplest prayer to Lord Venkateswara, whether at Chilkur, at Tirumala or in a one-bedroom apartment in New Jersey, is this short mantra:

ॐ नमो वेङ्कटेशाय॥

oṃ namo veṅkaṭeśāya||

Meaning: "Om, salutations to Venkatesha." Venkatesha (Venkateswara) means the Lord of the Venkata hill, the sacred hill of Tirumala. The mantra is a simple bow of surrender to Him.

How to chant: while walking your pradakshinas, or at home 11 or 108 times on a mala, especially on Saturdays, the day traditionally dear to Venkateswara devotees. For a fuller guide, see our Om Namo Venkatesaya mantra guide.

If you live abroad: praying to Balaji from the USA

Many of the people who most need Chilkur's blessings are already outside India: on an H-1B with a stamping trip coming up, in a years-long green card queue, or newly laid off and counting the days of the 60-day grace period. A flight to Hyderabad just to pray is often not possible. You do not need one.

• Pray at home. Keep a picture of Lord Venkateswara in your prayer corner. On Saturdays, light a lamp (an electric diya is fine in apartments), offer a flower or fruit, and chant Om Namo Venkatesaya 108 times while holding your prayer in mind.
• Walk pradakshina at a local temple. Many US cities have a Balaji or Venkateswara temple. Walking 11 rounds around the shrine there, with the same sincerity, is a natural way to carry the custom with you. Follow each temple's own norms for circumambulation.
• Make the vow and keep it in India. Make your prayer from wherever you are, and when your wish is fulfilled, plan to walk the 108 pradakshinas of gratitude at Chilkur on your next trip home. Many families combine it with a visit to Tirumala.
• Let family help. Parents in India often love to go to Chilkur on their children's behalf. Let them; it gives them a way to share a burden they otherwise feel helpless about.

You may also find comfort in our Hindu prayers and mantras for the green card wait and our Hanuman mantras for strength and protection, which many people chant alongside their Balaji prayers when anxiety runs high.

Faith and preparation go together

This needs to be said plainly, once: prayer at Chilkur, or anywhere else, complements but never replaces proper visa preparation and qualified immigration or legal advice. No temple vow can guarantee a visa, and the custom has never been about outsourcing your responsibilities to God.

Fill your forms honestly and carefully. Organise your documents. Prepare for your interview. Follow your employer's or attorney's guidance. Then pray with a clear conscience, knowing you have done your part. Devotees often say that the real gift of Chilkur is not the visa at all, but walking into the consulate with a calm mind and a steady heart.

For the practical side, see our H-1B survival guide for Indian IT professionals. For devotional support during job uncertainty, see our mantras for job protection for IT professionals.

Visiting tips in general terms

• Chilkur is about 30 km from Hyderabad city and is reached by road, by private vehicle, taxi or bus. Allow plenty of time for traffic.
• Temple timings and arrangements can change, particularly on festival days such as Brahmotsavam and Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Please check the temple's official website or confirm locally before you go.
• Weekday mornings are usually calmer than weekends, and an early start gives a more peaceful darshan.
• Walking 108 pradakshinas takes time and stamina. Wear comfortable traditional clothes, stay hydrated, and plan accordingly if you are bringing elderly parents or young children.
• The temple itself is not known for offering accommodation; families visiting from out of town usually stay in Hyderabad or nearby.
• Be wary of anyone near any temple offering paid "special prayers" that promise a visa. Chilkur's spirit is faith, not transactions.

If you are planning a wider pilgrimage on your India trip, our Tirumala Venkateswara temple directory and the story of Tirupati Balaji temple are good places to start.

A short prayer to carry with you

"Lord Venkateswara, Balaji of Chilkur, I walk around You with my hope in my hands. I have prepared as well as I can; now I offer the rest to You. Give me a calm mind on the day that matters, protect my family wherever they are, and whatever the outcome, let me return to You with gratitude."

More guides for NRI families

• Hindu prayers for the US citizenship interview

Frequently asked questions

Why is Chilkur Balaji called the visa temple?

Because so many devotees, especially students and professionals hoping to go abroad, pray there before visa interviews and return in gratitude afterwards. Over the years it became popularly known as the 'Visa Balaji' temple. The name reflects devotees' faith and experiences; the temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara and is visited for every kind of prayer, not only visas.

What is the Chilkur Balaji visa 108 pradakshina?

By widely followed custom, devotees walk 11 pradakshinas (circumambulations) around the shrine while holding their wish in mind, and when the wish is fulfilled they return to walk 108 pradakshinas in gratitude. Walk calmly, keep count respectfully, and chant the Lord's name as you go.

How many rounds at Chilkur Balaji for a visa?

The common practice is 11 rounds when you make your prayer and 108 rounds of thanksgiving after it is fulfilled. Follow any guidance given at the temple on the day of your visit, since arrangements can change.

Can I pray to Chilkur Balaji from the USA?

Yes. Lord Venkateswara can be worshipped anywhere. Devotees abroad pray at home with Om Namo Venkatesaya or visit a Balaji or Venkateswara temple near them, and many complete their 108 pradakshinas at Chilkur on their next trip to India.

Does praying at Chilkur Balaji guarantee a visa?

No. Devotees go there for faith, courage and peace of mind, not for a guaranteed result. A visa depends on eligibility, honest and complete documents and proper preparation. Pray sincerely and prepare thoroughly; the two go together.

What are the Chilkur Balaji temple timings?

Timings can change, especially on festival days, so please check the temple's official website or confirm locally before you travel. Arriving early on a weekday is generally calmer than a weekend.

Editor's note (7 October 2026)

This guide describes the 11 and 108 pradakshina practice as the widely followed custom among devotees; arrangements at the temple can change, so follow any guidance given on site. It is consistent with our main Chilkur Balaji Temple page and does not include timings, fees or official statements. It is a devotional guide, not visa or legal advice. The mantra is reproduced from our verified source list.

Related guides

• Chilkur Balaji Temple, Hyderabad: the main temple guide
• Hindu prayers and mantras while waiting for green card approval
• Powerful mantras for USA visa approval
• Mantras for NRIs: visa, settling and business abroad
• Mantras and poojas for USA student visas and H-1B
• Mantras to chant during layoffs in the software industry
• Which god to pray for: job, marriage, health, money, studies