Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Mehandipur
Hanuman as Balaji (child form), with Bhairav and Pretraj temple · Mehandipur (Ghata Mehandipur), Dausa, Rajasthan, India
Mehandipur Balaji Temple is a Hanuman temple at Ghata Mehandipur in Rajasthan's Dausa district, between the Dausa and Gangapur City (formerly Karauli) districts. According to Wikipedia, the name Balaji refers to the childhood form of Hanuman, and unlike many comparable pilgrim sites the temple stands in a town rather than the countryside.
The temple is widely known across north India and draws pilgrims from Rajasthan and beyond. The temple's own website describes it as a shrine that lies between two small hills and has been served by one Mahant family for about fifteen generations.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Mehandipur
The main temple building houses three deities. A 1981 paper in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, which studied visitors at the temple, records the vermilion-coated image of Balaji on the ground floor, a stone slab with a carved eye representing Bhairav in a small annexe, and Pretraj Maharaj upstairs. The temple's official website likewise names Balaji, Bhairav Baba and Pretraj Sarkar together.
Wikipedia, citing published scholarship by Ann Grodzins Gold and Sudhir Kakar, says the temple has a reputation for ritual healing and the exorcism of troublesome spirits. This is a matter of belief and local practice; this page does not make any claim that such rites produce a medical or other result. Anyone dealing with illness, whether physical or mental, should consult a qualified doctor.
The Wikipedia article also notes that an international team of scientists, scholars and psychiatrists from Germany, the Netherlands, AIIMS and the University of Delhi began a study of the rituals practised here in 2013. The temple has thus been the subject of both devotional attention and academic enquiry.
Heritage
History of Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Mehandipur
The temple's official website gives a devotional account of how Balaji came to be worshipped here. It says that a forebear of the present Mahant family, Gosai Ji Maharaj, had a vivid dream in which he saw a procession of lamps and a great army pay homage to Balaji, Bhairav Baba and Pretraj Sarkar. According to the website, he later heard a voice asking him to take up the service and worship of the deity, and went to the place between two hills where the images stood. This is presented as tradition; the site says the deity manifested himself some hundreds of years ago.
The website adds that the Mahant family has continued the service of Balaji for roughly the last fifteen generations. No dated historical records for the founding are given in the sources consulted, so no construction date is stated here.
Wikipedia's article on the Madan Mohan Temple at Karauli lists Mehandipur Balaji among the four shrines described locally as the 'Char Dham' of Karauli district, along with Kaila Devi, Shri Mahavirji and Madan Mohan.
Architecture and sacred features
The sources consulted give no architectural description of the temple beyond its layout of shrines: the main Balaji image on the ground floor, the Bhairav slab in an annexe and the Pretraj shrine upstairs, as recorded in the 1981 journal paper. The temple adjoins the residence and seat of the Mahant, according to that same paper. For measurements, style or sculpture, readers should consult the temple trust directly.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple is run by the Ghata Mehandipur Balaji Trust, which maintains an official website in Hindi with sections on darshan, offerings, accommodation-related services and virtual darshan. Rituals at this temple are intense and not for everyone; visitors should follow the instructions of temple staff, respect local practices and, for any health concern, seek proper medical advice. Confirm timings, darshan arrangements and any rules with the trust, since none are reproduced here.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Ghata Mehandipur Balaji Trust (per Wikipedia citation of the official website) (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Location
How to Reach Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Mehandipur
The temple is at Ghata Mehandipur, on the road between the Dausa and Gangapur City areas of eastern Rajasthan; the official website has a 'how to reach' section in Hindi. Wikipedia places it in Mehandipur in Dausa district and lists it among tourist attractions near Hindaun. Check current transport options and routes with the temple trust or local transport operators before travelling.
Location: Mehandipur (Ghata Mehandipur), Dausa, Rajasthan, India
More in Hindu temples in Rajasthan · Hanuman as Balaji (child form), with Bhairav and Pretraj temples · Temples in Sikrai Tehsil · Temples in Dausa District
Questions
Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Mehandipur: Frequently Asked Questions
Which deity is worshipped at Mehandipur Balaji Temple?
Hanuman in his child form, called Balaji. According to the temple's website and a published study, the main building also houses Bhairav and Pretraj.
Where is Mehandipur Balaji Temple?
At Mehandipur (Ghata Mehandipur) in Dausa district, Rajasthan, in the area between the Dausa and Gangapur City districts.
What is the tradition about how the temple began?
The temple's website says the ancestor of the Mahant family, Gosai Ji Maharaj, saw the deities in a dream and was told to take up their service. This is a devotional account, not a dated history.
Why is the temple known for exorcism?
Wikipedia, citing Gold and Kakar, records that the temple has a reputation for ritual healing and exorcism of evil spirits. This is a matter of belief; for any illness, consult a qualified doctor.
Has the temple been studied by researchers?
Yes. A 1981 psychiatric study of 100 visitors appeared in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, and Wikipedia notes a 2013 study by an international team of scientists and psychiatrists.
Is there an official website?
Yes, the Ghata Mehandipur Balaji Trust runs shribalajimehandipur.org, mostly in Hindi.
Sources and attribution
- Wikipedia — Mehandipur Balaji Temple
- Ghata Mehandipur Balaji Trust — Shri Mehandipur Balaji official website (Hindi)
- Indian Journal of Psychiatry (via Europe PMC / PMC3012952) — A psychiatric study of patients attending Mehandipur Balaji Temple (Satija et al., 1981)
- Wikipedia — Madan Mohan Temple, Karauli
Further reading: Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Mehandipur on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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