by Naveen
Edukondalavada Venkata Ramana Govinda Govinda!
Hey wait!
Before y’all scoot thinking this is a religious post, I swear on Balaji that you folks will be chanting the same Edukondalavada…Govinda Govinda mantra after tasting the non pareil South Indian Tiffin offered at Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, IL.
SVS Temple Aurora – Nourishing the Soul & the Stomach
After moving from the bustling Chicago downtown to a tranquil suburb, I paid a visit to the famous Balaji temple aka. SVS Temple Aurora, IL this last weekend.
My appetites were roused and I was drooling in anticipation of laying my hands on the big, soft, curvaceous and spongy… Idly.
What were you thinking, you perverts? 
Quiet, Serene and Large Parking
Balaji temple is a fine oasis for Desis in the Chicago area, especially the South Indian community, to congregate harmoniously in the name of Vishnu (Balaji/Venkateswara is a form of Vishnu) and food, two things dear to most Hindus.
The campus is sprawling and the temple itself is constructed away from the road and in the middle of man-made ponds that enhance the aura and beauty of the place.
Sylvan Surroundings of the SVS Temple, Aurora
Despite a large parking lot in front of the temple, a new additional parking lot has been opened to accommodate more guests / worshipers. The overall capacity is probably 400+ parking spaces which is adequate except on special days like Diwali etc.
The temple itself is a beautiful structure, both the interiors and the external facade.
In sheer majesty, it can match any traditional South Indian temple in India.
Services
Devout Hindus may visit this temple to worship Ganesh (Pillayar), Karthikeya (Murugan), Siva, Bhramarambhika (Parvathi), Navagraham, Balaji / Sri Venkateswara Swamy / Vishnu, Sri Devi (Maha Lakshmi), Bhoo Devi (Andal), Kanyeka Parameswari, Aiyappan and Hanuman (Anjaneyar).
Unlike major temples in India, one does not need to buy tickets for Darshan of the deities at the SVS Temple. Natürlich, you don’t have special tickets that allow you to bypass the queue either.
Balaji temple is a one-stop shop for various Hindu religious functions and activities.
Apart from the regular sevas, the temple conducts special pujas periodically based on important dates in the Hindu calendar.
Some of the regular services offered by Temple are:
1. Archana
2. Car Puja, House-warming, etc.
3. Facilities (Space, Catering, Purohit, Puja Items etc.) and to conduct family functions including Marriages.
4. A separate building called Panchavati for Dance, Musical recitals and other cultural activities
5. Gift Shop
6. Sales of Panchangam (Hindu calendar), Titan Watches embossed with Balaji’s likeness, Balaji Photos and a few other religious artifacts
7. And, of course, a Canteen
Ah, but I digress.
The purpose of this review is to cover just the temple canteen and not the temple itself.
So, y’all may visit the SVS Temple web site for details of their services and schedules and read ahead for the food review.
Busy Temple, Busier Cafeteria, and Clean Premises
The moment you near the temple entrance you cannot miss the distinctive, inviting aroma of the two South Indian favorites Vadai and Sambar.
Devotees have to walk past the Canteen on the 1st floor to enter the Sannadhis (worshiping premises) in the 2nd floor. It’s probably designed to make people spend less time worshiping and more money eating.
Not a bad commercial idea!
The temple is at its busiest on weekends.
The lovely Sari clad women, Salwar wearing belles, kids running helter-skelter, slow moving old Mamas and Mamis, loud discussions in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, kids responding in American accent to dads admonishing them in an acquired accent and the several quirkiness associated with South Indians, makes this divine island a lively place.
The clean kitchen, use of gloves to serve and a clean restroom makes us forget any lingering worries and encourage us to eat heartily with gusto.
Crowded Canteen at SVS Temple
Menu… OOPS! It’s called Prasadham
SVS Canteen offers only the popular South Indian Tiffin and snack items in its menu (with Mango Lassi being an exception).
No Garlic Naan, Paneer Makhani, Paav-Bhaji, Dhokla or Kathiawadi food served here.
And if you shaitans dare to even think of non-vegetarian items, may Balaji hurl his nastiest curses at you!
Idly, Vadai, Idly-Vadai Combo, Pongal, Pongal-Vadai Combo, Dosai, Puliohare (Tamarind Rice), Thayir Sadham (Curd Rice), Tea, Indian Coffee, Black Coffee, Mango Lassi, Laddu and Bholi is the complete menu with one or two snack items added occasionally.
How to Buy Food in SVS Canteen?
SVS Canteen is a self-service place.
The canteen is run by volunteers and a small admin staff.
1. Stand in a line and buy tokens from billing counter. Some items such as Bholi, Laddu, and Murukku etc. are pre-packed and you can collect it here.
2. Stand in multiple lines to exchange tokens for the food items.
a. Idly, Vadai, and Pongal go in one line
b. Dosai counter collects the token and issues a ticket. You may collect your Dosai when your number flashes
c. Puliohare and Thayir Sadham are boxed and go in a separate line
d. Another line for Sambar and Chutney
e. Dispensers are available for Tea, Coffee and Mango Lassi
Freshly prepared items are available only on weekends or special days.
Important: Dosai counter opens at 11:30 am on weekends only.
Be prepared for long lines during lunch / dinner hours during weekends.
SVS Temple Food Review
Instead of elaborate descriptions item by item, I would say that most of the items were simply fantastic.
My taste buds were tingled lovingly by the temple kitchen’s passionately cooked food that appeared, tasted, smelt and felt like what good South Indian Tiffin ought to be.
Idly was big, soft, spongy, warm and an absolute pleasure when dipped in the fine tangy, vegetable and aroma rich Sambar.
Coconut chutney was fresh, fragrant and left a spicy feel which made me hanker for more and more of it.
Great Idly-Vadai Combo
The Vadai was perfect in shape, rich in color, right in size, and fine in taste and surprisingly not oily!
Pongal was an absolute treat.
With the perfect temperature, it melted in my mouth giving me a loving feel of its well mixed ingredients such as Black Peppercorn (Milagu), Ghee and Curry leaf.
Simply orgasmic!
Delicious Pongal & Vadai with Chutney & Sambar
Dosai was large, thick and tasted absolutely splendid with the Potato Masala on the side.
One thing I like about the temple’s Dosai is its nice balanced thickness… neither too thin (like paper-roast) nor too thick (like Uthappam).
Heavenly Dosai at SVS Temple
Closer Encounters of the Dosai Kind
Puliohare was tangy, hot, and fragrant with a great after-taste.
The chunky rice only appears that way.
The moment you taste them you forget everything else that you ate.
Must-not-miss Puliohare at SVS Temple
Curd Rice was another fine preparation that would make any Tamil Brahmin proud given the deep roots of this dish in the kitchens of the twice-born.
The generously sprinkled green chillis and mustard with a tinge of ginger and Hing served as a perfect coolant after all the spicier items above.
Yummy Curd Rice @ SVS Temple Canteen
Our desserts Bholi and Laddu were probably the least noteworthy items.
The Laddu didn’t seem fresh.
Bholi was fine but it’s best consumed when it is fresh off the stove.
Sweet Temptations – Bholi & Laddu
The mad South Indian rush had emptied the Indian Coffee and I had to settle for Tea, which was fine by the way and so was the Mango Lassi.
Coffee, Tea or Me? Tea, for Now.
What I didn’t Like
While SVS Canteen serves divine food, we did encounter a few irritations:
1. The recent lousy demand / suggestion from the canteen admin staff to share the water cups. If you buy for 3 people, you are either asked to drink from the fountain directly or share 1 cup!! WTF.
2. The long time it takes from the moment you stand in the first line to the time you get to eat.
3. Crowd management is a problem. Despite their efficient cooking, they run out of food items from time to time and it may take a while to get what you want. In my case, they ran out of Thayir Sadham leading to a 10-minutes wait.
4. Billing can sometimes be chaotic and sometimes they are offended when you ask them for receipts.
My Verdict – People come to see the Lord and the food keeps them cumming!
Ladies and Gentlemen, the SVS Temple Canteen proudly serves the absolutely best South Indian Tiffin in the Chicago land area.
Their Idly, Vadai and Pongal are simply unmatched in quality or taste.
A guy standing behind me in the line was profusely praising the Canteen to some tourists who were in the line. He proudly boasted about his clever strategy of eating his weekend breakfast in the temple with his footwear on and how he would take them off only if he planned to go up to worship.
Despite the minor irritants mentioned above, I highly recommend a visit to the SVS Temple in Aurora for its clean and well maintained place of worship and a fine South Indian kitchen.
A visit to SVS temple is like a virtual trip to South Indian Temples, only cleaner and easier.
That puliohare was the only thing i was fortunate enough to have on both of my visits back in 2010.
I wish to Balaji that I can return someday for their other fine items in the canteen. They also have a man made pond and some resident devotees (geese) that can be seen on weekdays when the mundir isn’t so busy.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Don’t believe any of the Indian churches or Mosques here offer such ‘divine’ fare.
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Wow the pics make me drool !!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Have Indian Temples also turned into canteens?
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I was always curious as to why you visit all these temples. After all you are an atheist.
Now I know that all these efforts are elements of your never ending quest for fine food.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Yes, these days, if we deign to visit a temple at all it’s purely for nourishment of the stomach, not to seek food for the soul or surrender ourselves at the feet of the almighty.
BTW, our journey toward the safe harbor of atheism happened in fits and starts.
We were once firm believers and anchored in faith, particularly in Sai Baba (yes, really). For several years, we would not step out of the house without a parting glance at a large photo of Sai Baba hanging on the wall with this inscription at the bottom: Why Fear When I Am Here.
Then, as we started to grow hair on other parts of the body (beyond the head, that is) we swam in the turbulent waters of atheism for a while, more so because it was different.
After a few years, we didn’t return to the fold but decided to play safe from the possible tempestuous furies of a vengeful ‘God’ and took shelter under the (relatively) safe awning of agnosticism.
Finally, in the evening of our lives wisdom dawned and we came to the decisive conclusion that God, even if he exists, is a mean m*thafucka and a disgraceful charlatan. Now, as the forest beckons and the town tires of us we’re happy to let the cool tides of atheism flow about our feet.
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Which sai baba were you a devotee of?
Shirdi sai or satya sai?if you visit the balaji gift shop (aurora) you will find several pictures of shirdi sai baba for sale,why there isnt a telugu (hindu,christian,muslim ect.) on this planet that does NOT have at least one shirdi sai picture or murti in his/her house.
in fact almost every south indian i have ever met from the NW ohio mundir is a devotee of of at least one of the sai babas. Anyway back to the balaji mundir i noticed that punditji’s from this place are about a million times more sociable and friendly than the ones at other places.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: Which sai baba were you a devotee of?
Sadly enough, it was ‘Satya’ Sai Baba, the watch-conjurer with the Afro hair-style and the one in whose private chambers was found 98 kg of gold and jewellery, 307 kg of silver articles and Rs. 11.56 crore in cash. Source: Hindu.
For your edification: ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING Sathya Sai Baba
Shirdi Sai Baba seems to have been a far better human being.
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LOL.. about your Sai Baba devotion. How long did that go on?
I am also an “agnostic”. but I used to be devout.. till I was 15. reciting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVAta20pU9k every day. It is a pretty cool song.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: about your Sai Baba devotion. How long did that go on?
For the most part of our childhood.
It started when Vibhuti (holy ash) ‘appeared’ on Baba’s photo at a neighbor’s house. Honest. If you think India’s strange now, stranger things used to happen there in the 1950s and 1960s.
2. Regarding your above link, the milk wasted by pouring on the deities can completely banish Calcium deficiency in
IndiaMilky Way galaxy.Like or Dislike:
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Good Job Naveen!!!
Just couldn’t imagine temples having hotels themselves.
Here life becomes miserable when someone visits Tirupati for a darshan of Mr. Edukondalavada due to sheer boredom of tedious waiting in queues, all to get a “Jaruganti Jaruganti” Darshan. A pilgrimage to this temple now a days is fraught with humiliation, misbehaving and poor crowd management by the temple officials.
One such trip would surely turn a staunch theist into a Agnostic at least.
Naveen said : God Fearing – NO. I don’t care much about faith, religion or spirituality. I consider myself indifferent to the idea of God. I don’t accept or deny the existence of God. If God exists then I doubt if he is all that good as religion makes us believe. I think the most accurate description of my belief system is Agnostic
Naveen, add me to your list.
BTW, the temple looks visually appealing.
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Thanks Logu and congrats on the Doctorate from the SI school of blogging
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You used to be a devotee of Sai Baba? I can’t stop laughing.
Have you seen the movie limitless? Did you take a similar pill a few years back?
You believe only in things you see and has explanations.
Just to name an example, there is a butterfly migration which happens every winter which even scientists find hard to explain on how they find the exact location. I saw this on BBC Life. How will you explain these?
Let me guess. Either you choose not to think about these or you would explain these as instincts?
Now, please don’t assume anything about me.
Btw, I have a feeling that the writer of this review is not the regular reviewer. I could be wrong.
Will you ever reveal yourselves to your humble/compassionate/intelligent/humorous members? I don’t mean anytime in the near future.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: Btw, I have a feeling that the writer of this review is not the regular reviewer. I could be wrong.
You are not wrong.
They are completely different souls.
The author of the above SVS Temple review Naveen is likely a God-fearing Tamil Brahmin in the prime of his life. Au contraire, the responder to your comment is a God-disbelieving, one-time frequenter of seedy porn stores at the corner of Gerard St & Yonge St in your city and in the evening of its life.
2. No, we haven’t seen Limitless. There are limits to our movie-seeing.
3. You write: You believe only in things you see and has explanations.
The world wouldn’t be so f&cked up if there was a Balaji, Ayappa or Christ or Allah or wateva minding things. Or he must be too doped up to pay attention to what’s happening in his Kingdom.
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speaking of sai baba,there is a shirdi sai mundir not 5 min away from the balaji mundir.I went to it back when i visited the balaji one,great artika.If you ask someone at the front desk or one of the punditji’s,they will be happy to give you directions and artika timings(thats how i managed to find it)
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God Fearing – NO. I don’t care much about faith, religion or spirituality. I consider myself indifferent to the idea of God. I don’t accept or deny the existence of God. If God exists then I doubt if he is all that good as religion makes us believe. I think the most accurate description of my belief system is Agnostic.
I tried my best not to pollute this review with my personal views. Many good people follow religion. I have no reason to hurt them with my cheeky remarks. Moreover, the Aurora temple offers a fine environment to worship if you are into that kind of a thing.
Unlike SI, I was never a firm believer although i used to go to temple with parents, friends and relatives on occasions. I admit I have asked God for wishes in my earlier years but the belief system has dwindled, diluted and has ended up as skeptical.
I hope that clarifies my belief system.
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Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat. My shoulder is against yours. you will not find me in the stupas, not in Indian shrine rooms, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals: not in masses, nor kirtans, not in legs winding around your own neck, nor in eating nothing but vegetables. When you really look for me, you will see me instantly — you will find me in the tiniest house of time. Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God? He is the breath inside the breath.
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SI – Why dont you upload the other pictures somewhere and provide a link? I took effort to take some of those fine pics… especially the panoramic view.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We’ll consider a separate Photo-post on the Temple, say after a gap of three or four days. Will start on that tomorrow.
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Any plans to review the canteen @ Bridgewater Temple, NJ?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Went there eight years back but they didn’t have the canteen then. Don’t feel like going there again.
Bridgewater Temple canteen is actually run by Dakshin restaurant.
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I first thought that Dakshin was a Indian restaurant chain but after checking the link it seems the two in Chicago have nothing to do with the Dakshin in NJ.
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off topic a little:
while we’re on the topic of religion,I thought I’d post this to all those who have an interest in theology/religious history
http://ariseasia.blogspot.com/2011/01/buddhist-origin-of-rama-who-wrote.html
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Our weekend homework. We’ll read it.
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Yummy, really mouth watering stuff. I hope you guys had a great time. I wish i could be there.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Air-India has direct flights to Chicago.
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if you do come to chicago,make sure you stop by the indian bookstore on devon ave “Atlantic book and video”,they have the best selection of religious/secular indian books in the midwest i have ever seen.
Also they have a spectacular collection of bolly/tolly/kollywood movies and cd’s.
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