Chilukuru.

Chilkur Temple - One of the most famous temple which has attracted lakhs of devotees recently because of the belief in lord venkateshwara. The temple is located at a place called Chilkur which is nearby to Mehedipatnam.

The temple is visited by lot of devotees hence the government has offered bus services.This is the only temple all over the world where there are no hundi’s and they dont accept any donations or any money from the general people.

The temple has recently started a new rule of wearing just Khadi clothes on saturday in order to gain entry into the temple premises and normal devotees would not be allowed inside.

There was a poor pilgrim by name Gunala Madhava Reddy who used to go to Tirupathi every year, by foot. As he grew old, it became very difficult for him to make such a tedious journey, yet he never ceased to visit Tirumala every year. In that particular year while he was going to Tirumala, unable to bear the strain, he fainted.

Then he got a wonderful vision in which Lord Balaji appeared and said, " you need not go to Tirumala to have my Darshan. I am here in an anthill under the tree". Sri Madhava Reddy woke up, called all the villagers and went to a "Valugu Tree" under which they found the anthill.

When they started digging they found blood on the tip of the crowbar and from the anthill they heard a voice saying, "you need not dig further.My body is burning. If you pour milk on the anthill, I will appear". The villagers stopped digging and poured milk on the anthill.

The anthill melted and the idol of Lord Venkateswara in the middle with Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhoodevi on either side emerged. The Lords Shanku, Chakram, Abhayahastham and Sharanayathathvam are very clear establishing the fact that he is Lord Vishnu himself.

Some of the special features of the idol are that Sri Sridevi and Bhoodevi are made of same stone, and the idol of Ammavaru has lotus flowers in 3 hands and Sharanayathathvam in the fourth hand. About 300 years back a Gujarati Mahant came and decorated the idol with immense devotion.

He then got a dream in which Lord appeared like Srinathji of Nathdwara. Hence, Vallabh Sampradayam is followed even now in the temple. The temple is very popular among Gujaratis too. Initially only Garbha Gruha was there. Akkanna and Madana got built the arches. In 1914, the flooring was got done by C.T Dalal.

Smt. Vyjayanthimala Bali and Smt.Bhanumati Ramakrishna very famous cine actresses of yester-years donated required amount for the preparation of Uthsava Vigraham (procession idol) of Ammavaru. 1962 is the year when war broke out between India and China.

The amazing fact is that on the day of its consecrati on, cease-fire was declared between the two countries. That is why, the goddess is called Rajyalakshmi Ammavaru. In those days, the temple did not have water. Therefore, the devotees had to get water by pots from a distance of 4 to 5 miles. As such, the devotees decided to dig a well next to the lake.

While the digging was in progress, some of the devotees circumambulated the temple praying for water. There was no water to the depth of 40 feet. After they completed eleven circumambulations, sufficient water oozed out from the well. After that, the devotees completed another 108 circumambulations.