VIDEO - Indians pray to “Visa God” for H-1B visas
Okay, my mouth dropped when I read this article in the Wall Street Journal. To quote…
HYDERABAD, India — Lord Balaji is one of the most-worshiped local incarnations of the Hindu Lord Vishnu. His adherents flock to his many temples to pray for things like happiness, prosperity and fertility.
Lately, the deity has grown particularly popular at the once-quiet Chilkur Balaji temple here, where he goes by a new nickname: the Visa God. The temple draws 100,000 visitors a week, many of whom come to pray to Lord Balaji for visas to travel or move to the U.S. and other Western countries.
Mohanty Dolagobinda is one of the Visa God’s believers. Three years ago, a U.S. consulting company applied for a visa on his behalf. It was rejected. When the company tried again the following year, Mr. Dolagobinda’s friends told him to visit the Chilkur Balaji temple ahead of his interview at the U.S. consulate. Weeks later, he sailed through the interview. “I’ve never heard of anyone who’s gone to the temple whose visa got rejected,” says Mr. Dolagobinda.
I WISH, I WISH, I WISH I had known about this when I was in Hyderabad earlier this year. I find this all very fascinating. Maybe some of my readers in India can comment on this? Below is a YouTube video of a “Visa God” worship service I found online. Enjoy…
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Comments
It is desperation and greed. Most religious acts in India are out of ignorance, fear, desperation and to conform applicable across all religions. This is more prominently a middle class phenomenon. They see abyssimal poverty below and extravagant riches above, where do you think one wants to move? The US makes that path shorter due to the exchange rate.
Andhra Pradesh the state, is notorious for forged degree certificates, paid for degree certificates, etc. You can check this out with actual candidates now in the US. In less proportions this is applicable in a lot of other states.
I am right in the thick of it, middle class and right here in India 
So you haven’t heard of the Visa Hanuman in Ahmedabad-
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Visa_Hanuman_fulfils_dollar_dreams/rssarticleshow/2661496.cms