Sanghi Temple: Best place for meditation in Hyderabad
Sanghi temple in the series of temple visits in Telangana is perched on a Paramananda Giri hilltop, some 19 km away from our home in Manneguda, Hyderabad. It took us 20 minutes to reach the place. The route turned out to be detached from the city line. After 15 minutes, Mahi asked me why I did not choose to visit a temple which is located in the main stream of the city. Wondering the dark roads with the heavy bushes on both sides, I softly asked him whether we should take a U-turn!
Since the Google map showed that we were some 5-7 minutes away from the ‘summit’, we silently decided to ride further. Soon after, a small town appeared. I had a sigh of relief to see lights and a petrol pump, restaurants, and a few houses too. People moving in their daily routine and especially the sight of women, freed me from fear.
Sanghi Temple: History
The Sanghi Temple was built by the Sanghi family, specifically businessman Girish Sanghi. He was a prominent figure who was also a politician, editor of the Telugu daily Vaartha, and part of the family-held group of companies that included Sanghi Polyesters.
Sanghi Temple: Campus and Timings
The premises we entered were Sanghi Nagar. The way to the temple goes from that Gate only. We paid Rs 50 for parking our Garuda, the Honda CB300F. The night beauty of the sky looks ethereal with lights. The issue was timing. As the temple closes by 8 pm, we reached by 7:30 pm. So, we barely had 30 minutes to visit the temple, worship our deities, and absorb the nighttime cityscape. The opening time of the Sanghi Temple is 8:00 AM, and there is no specific dress code. Dressing modestly is suggested.
There are two ways to reach the temple. One- from steps. This too is of two types; one route has around 365 steps, while another, a shorter “shortcut,” has 145 steps. The other one that we took was from the road that took us to the main gate of the temple, where we parked our Garuda. We put off our footwear in the chappal stand placed right at the entrance and entered the premises of the temple area.
The towering temple-like structure, which is visible from far, is Raja Gopuram. This temple was constructed in the year we millennials were born – 1991, in the Chola-Chalukya style. The main deity at Sanghi Temple is Lord Venkateswara. This was the second time I was seeing the Vishnu tilak in South Indian style, after visiting the Birla Temple near Hussain Sagar Lake around Necklace Road in old Hyderabad. This Vishnu tilak is so magnetic for me that I can’t help eyeing it for as long as I want to. Bright red tilak in between shimmering silver vertically. There also the pujari blessed us with the ‘bell’, placing it on our heads and chanting the mantra.
The other two Gopurams in the Sanghi temple are dedicated to Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva. The temple also has shrines dedicated to other deities, including Durga, Hanuman, Krishna, Lakshmi, and Rama. The temple’s façade showcases a harmonious blend of South Indian and Dravidian influences, creating a unique and visually stunning structure.
The pristine white marble exterior of the temple is adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures, depicting mythological stories and divine beings. Sanghi Temple’s elevated location offers panoramic views. Pilgrims and tourists visit this divine abode seeking blessings and solace in its peaceful surroundings while marvelling at the intricate craftsmanship that adorns every corner of the premises. The temple has become an epitome of belief, with lakhs of people visiting, especially on Ekadashi and the First Day of the New Year.
By the time we sought blessings from all the Gopurams and other shrine spaces, it was 7:50 pm. We looked for prasad, but only tamarind rice was available (Rs 30), bought that. A man started to speak loudly to us to leave the temple premises as the time was up! Since only one part of our visit was completed – Darshans, the other two remained pending! The mandatory photography and enjoying the scenic night views of the place. The man actually hurried us and everyone out there to free the temple area and move out of the main entrance – grand Maha Dwaram.
We somehow took a few pictures to keep the moment alive in our memories later, and of course, to showcase our friends from Kahanigram. The Grand Maha Dwaram suddenly looked heavenly in the blue light backdrop. And it was then that we realised that the clouds were getting ready by now for a downpour.
We started for our return home. The rains started falling heavily, so we could not stop and pray at the Shri Hanuman temple, which is located at the main gate of the Sanghi Temple. The dark routes with heavy downpours added to the adventure we were ‘enjoying’. Since it was a ride of about 40 minutes only, we reached the main city roads sooner. Reached home – all drenched. Sipped our hot golden milk with jaggery and retired on the bed.