A shrine for Chitragupta cries for attention in Old City of Hyderabad

A shrine for Chitragupta cries for attention in Old City of Hyderabad
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Highlights

Chitragupta temple in the Old City of Hyderabad? Are you kidding asked a tourist? A few know about the 300-year-old temple at Kandigal gate near Uppuguda. 

Hyderabad: Chitragupta temple in the Old City of Hyderabad? Are you kidding asked a tourist? A few know about the 300-year-old temple at Kandigal gate near Uppuguda.

The only other Chitragupta temple is in Lucknow. While tombs and minarets dot the skyline in the Old City, the temple has withstood the vagaries of time but now is in dire need of repair.


HIGHLIGHTS:

  • General apathy left glorious temple of Lord Yama’s aide in tatters
  • The second temple for Chitragupta is in Lucknow

Just a few ardent devotees know about the temple of Chitragupta, the ‘Kula Devatha’ of Kayasths. Thanks to the donations of the devotees the temple administration is managing to just about meet the expenses of maintaining the temple. For how long, is something that worries the devotees as well as the priests.


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Sudharshan Reddy, chairman of the temple committee, says, “We approached the Endowment Department for help to develop the temple but there is no response. We don’t even have a toilet facility at the temple.”

The temple is vulnerable for thefts. “Temple has stone idol and the idols which are made of panchaloha are used only during utsav and on main occasions,” says Reddy.

Abhiskekam is performed every Wednesday that attracts devotees. Chitraguptha is considered the aide and the chief accountant of the God of Death, Lord Yama. He is the account-keeper of all the good and bad deeds of humans and decides who would go to heaven or end up in hell.

“Locals believe that a prayer at the temple does a world of good and has remedies for ‘doshas’. Also there are special pujas for those affected by ‘ketu graha dosha’ which is ‘rahu kethu puja’,” says temple priest Ch Rangacharyulu. The 18th century temple has a charm of its own.

Over the years, a Ramalayam, Sivalayam and temples for Lord Anjaneya and Sai Baba were added. Also, it has an old ‘Jammi Vruksham’ just at the entrance of the temple.

The priest of the temple reads out the names of the 12 sons of Chitraguptha from the framed photo from the temple named Srivastav, Suryadwhaj, Nigam, Kulashresta, Mathur, Garg, Saxena, Gaud, Asthana, Ambasht, Bhatnagar and Valmiki also the two wife’s Iravati and Dakshini.

It is believed that the special puja for those affected by ketu graha dosha is very affective. This makes devotees go to temple.

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