Motakapalli Balabheemasena Temple is located in Sedam taluk of Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) district in Karnataka. The main deity here is Lord Hanuman, worshipped as Balabheemasena—a name that highlights His immense strength, courage, and child-like devotion.
Lord Hanuman, worshipped as Balabheemasena’s idol, is unique: originally a small three-foot figure, it miraculously grew up to six feet in height. The chest of the idol contains a Narasimha Shaligrama, while the forehead holds a Vasudeva Shaligrama, making it spiritually very powerful. The idol also carries a Sowgandhika flower in its hand, which is why it is called Balabheemasena. Devotees believe this deity grants boons, fulfills wishes, and protects from evil.
The temple showcases simple but traditional South Indian temple architecture. The sanctum (garbhagriha) houses the powerful idol of Hanuman. The temple has mandapas for rituals, and the surroundings are spacious for devotees to gather during big festivals. A sacred pond (Pushkarini) near the temple adds to its spiritual significance.
This temple is believed to be over a thousand years old. According to historical accounts, the temple was first constructed during the reign of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya. Later, a local ruler named Raja Lakshmanappa Nayaka, who ruled Kaknalwara, had a divine dream where Lord Hanuman appeared and told him that he resided at this very place. The king then discovered the self-manifested idol and built a grand temple. Over centuries, the temple has grown in fame, becoming a major pilgrimage center in the region.
According to the legend, Hanuman was once on his way to attend the celestial wedding of Lord Srinivasa at Tirupati. On the way, he stopped at this place and blessed a group of rishis performing penance. The sages prayed to Hanuman to remain here permanently and bless devotees, to which he agreed. Later, when Raja Lakshmanappa Nayaka had a dream, the deity instructed him to rediscover the idol and build a temple.
At one point, thieves tried to break the idol, believing treasure was hidden beneath. Being a self-manifested idol (Swayambhu), the thieves failed, but the idol got slightly damaged. The priests decided to install another Hanuman idol. Surprisingly, this new idol grew in size on its own up to six feet, which devotees can still see today. Later, the Lord again appeared in the priest’s dream and instructed that the broken parts of the original idol should be placed in the sacred tank and joined back. For 41 days, the sanctum remained closed, during which only milk and food were offered. After this period, the idol was found to be complete again, but marks of blood appeared on the chest and forehead. The Lord then commanded that Narasimha Shaligrama be placed in the chest and Vasudeva Shaligrama on the forehead for the idol to remain pure for worship. From then onwards, he has been worshipped as Balabheemasena Hanuman.
The main festival at Motakapalli Balabheemasena Hanuman Temple is the Jatra Mahotsava in Margashira, with the grand Chariot Festival on full moon night, and Rathasapthami in Magha, when the Lord is taken on seven vahanas in one day. Every Saturday, new moon, and full moon also draw huge crowds. These festivals are believed to remove obstacles, bring prosperity, and fulfill the wishes of devotees.
