Pancharama Kshetrams : Bheemavaram - Palakollu - Samalkota - Amaravathi - Draksharaman

BHEEMAVARAM

Bheemavaram is a town and mandal in West Godavari District in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Places to visit Bheemavaram

* Gunupudi Somarama temple, one of the five Pancharamas. Built during the 3rd century A.D., the Shivalinga in the temple is believed to assume a black-cum-brown colour on no-moon day and becomes whitish on full-moon day. The prathista of the Shivalinga is by MOON GOD.
* Mavullamma temple (Mavullamma Festival Starts on 14 th January of every year and runs for 30 days)
* Bhimeshvara (the name of the town is derived from it).
* Datta Kshetram.
* Subbarayudu Temple
* Venkateswara Temple (near Nataraj Theater and another in Narasimhapuram)
* Jain Temple at PeddaAmiram (one of its kind in the whole of AP).

PALAKOLLU:

LOCATION:

Palakollu is located in west Godavari District of Andhra pradesh of India.This place is famous for "Kshira Rama Lingeshwara Swamy" temple dedicated to "Lord Shiva" which is considered as one of the Pancharama temples.One more pancharama kshetra called Bhimavaram is located at a distance of 20Kms from palakollu.

HOW TO REACH:

Good Transportation facility is provided by government and also private org.This temple is situated very nearer to Bus Station and no additional transportation is required.

HISTORY:

The main attraction of Palakol is the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Sri Ksheera Rama Lingeswara which is considered as one of the Pancharama Kshetras. The height of the temple is 120fts and constructed during Chalukya period by Chalukya Bheema. The construction took place during 9th century. The lingam, which is white in colour, is believed as the tallest. There are 72 pillars made of black stone. Inside the Garbhalaya (Garbha Gruha), Gokarneshwara and Vigneshwara (Ganapati) alayas are situated at the left with Kshiralingam located at the center. To the right, Subramanya Swamy and Janardhana Swamy alayas with Nandi at the centre are situated. Gostani river flows through the town Palakollu and there is a sangam place near Narsapur with river Godavari. From here the river enters the sea at Antarvedi. Once upon a time this place was a thick forest with natural greenary. The Shiva Lingam (Moola Virat) can be seen from all the four sides through windows in the Garbha Gruharam. Additionally, Sun God, Kashi Vishweshwara, Goddess parvathi, Goddess Lakshmi, Nagareshwara Lingam, Dundi Vigneshwara, Veera Bhadra, Sapta Matruka, Kanaka Durga, Brahma, Saraswathi, Kumara Swamy, Kartikeya, Mahishasura Mardhini, Naga sarpa, Nataraja, Dattatreya, Kala Bhairava, Nageshwara, Shaneeshwara, Shankara, Radha Krishna can also be seen in the temple. There is a belief that the Shiva lingam is installed by Lord Vishnu. People say that, staying one day in Kshirarama is equivalent to staying one year in Varanasi. The Prakara is designed by Sri Velupathi during 10th century. The art of temple construction resembles those constructed during Chalukya period. Gopuram is constructed by Sri Alladu Reddy during 14th Century. During 17th century, Kalyana mantapam (choultry) and Ashtha Bhuja Lakshmi Narayanaswamy alaya have been constructed.

SAMALKOTA

LOCATION

samalkota is also known as Samarla-kota.It is a city ,and mandal in "East Godavari District" 12Km from Kakinada and 52Km from Rajahmundry.Samalkota is an important Railway junction for "chennai-Howrah"Railway line.

HISTORY

The place was under the yoke of several ruling houses from "Nandas of Pataliputra" to "Asaf Jahis" of Golkonda in its long history and was subjected to so many vicissitudes from the dawn of Christian era. Among the various dynasties that ruled over this region the "Eastern Chalukyas" had a lion's share in shaping its destiny and as such it is no wonder that they had the privilege of exercising greater control and conspicuous influence than other dynasties. The Eastern Chalukyas, also known as Vengi Chalukyas, ruled Andhra country for four and half centuries from AD 624 to AD 1076. The Kingdom of Vengi comprised at its greatest extent the whole area between the Mahendra Mountains in Kalinga and the Maneru River in Nellore; its Western boundary ran in general along the foot of the Eastern Ghats, though temporary extensions often brought areas of farther west under the rule of Vengi from time to time. There were about 30 kings in this dynasty starting with the founder king Kubja Vishnuvardhana (AD 624 - 642) to the last king, Vijayaditya-VII (AD 1068-1076), who ruled first from Pishtapura, next from Vengi and then from Rajamahendri (Rajahmundry) and their hisotry is largely a record of disputes about succession. For some time the Rashtrakutas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani from the West and later the Cholas from the South interfered in these dispute. Of the kings, Narendra Mrigaraja Vijayaditya (AD 805 - 846), Gunaga Vijayaditya (AD 848 - 891), Chalukya Bhima-I (AD 892 - 922) Danarnava (AD 971 - 973), Ammaraja II (AD 945 - 970) and Rajaraja Narendra (AD 1019 - 1060) are the greatest patrons of Art & Architecture and Telugu Literature. Rajaraja Narendra is said to have laid the foundation of the new city called Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry) after his name. On the request of Rajaraja Narendra, his court poet Nanayya began to translate Sanskrit Mahabharata into Andhra Mahabharata, which stood as a land mark in the development of Telugu literature. This temple, known as Kumararama at Bhimavaram in Samalkot is one among the five important and popular 'Pancharama' temples of Andhra. The other four temples dedicated to Siva are Amararama at Amaravati (Dist. Guntur), Daksharama at Daksharama (Dist. East Godavari), Kshirarama at Palakollu and Somarama at Gunupudi - Bhimavaram (both in Dist. West Godavari). There is an episode on the origin of these 'Pancharamas' which is also found in 'Bhimesvarapurana' written by Srinatha (AD 14th - 15th Century). According to it, Lord Vishnu, in his charming and fascinating incarnation of Mohini started distributing the nectar (amrita) obtained after the hazardous churning of the ocean to both the demons (asuras) and divined (devas) Dissatisfied with the injustice meted out to them in the manner of distribution of nectar, the asuras lead by the lords of Tripuras resorted to severe penance on the advice of the celestial sage Narada and were blessed with boons by Lord Siva. Thus with the power newly acquired through the boons, they inflicted atrocities on the devas, who sought refuge with Lord Siva. On hearing the pitiable plea of the devas, Siva killed the asuras with his infallible Pasupata (a spiritual weapon of flame), which reduced them and their kingdoms to ashes. This material aspect of Siva is better known as Tripurantaka. However, a huge stone linga, worshipped by Tripuras, remained intact after the encounter. This was cut into five lingas by Lord himself and distributed for the purpose of installing at five different places which came to be locally known as Pancharams. According to the inscription at Pithapuram, it is very clear that the temple of Kumaram Chalukya Bhimesvara was constructed by the famous Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima-I towards the end of the 9th century AD and the presiding god Siva, in the form of tall Sivalinga, was named after the monarch as Chalukya Bhimesvara. The inscription states that Chalukya Bhima, the son of Vikramaditya having been victorious in three hundred and sixty battles ruled the earth for thirty years. The Bhimesvara temple at Samalkot is similar in architecture to that of the Bhimesvara temple at Daksharama. The temple is surrounded by two prakara walls built of dressed sand stones. The outer prakara wall is pierced by gopura - entrance on all the four sides. The four gopura - dvaras have ardha - mandapas on either side. The inner enclosure wall is divided horizontally into two sections separated by a cornice. It has a two storeyed pillared mandapa running all the inner side. The main shrine is a free standing monument lying at the center of the inner enclosure. The temple is a rectangular structure and has two storeys. The lime stone Linga, installed in the shrine, is so tall that it rises from the pedestal on the ground floor and enters the second floor by piercing the roof, where the Rudrabhaga is worshipped. The present Vimana of the main shrine has been renovated and is covered with thick plaster. It consists of flat pattas, row of geese kutas, salas, simhalalatas, lotuses and kalasa. It is a dvitala vimana of the dravida order with regional variations. Like in Daksharama, a miniature temple model, found in the court yard of the temple, shows the whole temple with all the architectural details, possibly used as model before erecting the temple ranging from AD 1147 to 1494, recording gifts made to this temple. These epigraphs refer to the construction of mukhamandapa at the Eastern entrance in AD 1394. Further the erection of the additional structures like Srimukhamandapam and niluvu mandapam on top of it in AD 1422 are also mentioned in the inscriptions. There is a monolithic pillar on the western side, locally known as kappa stambham containing an inscription which records that when some thieves pulled down the nandi from the pillar from material gains, a new one was fabricated and installed by a lady named Lakshmi wife of Narasimudu, after bringing the stone from Kotilingalu at Rajahmundry.

FESTIVALS:

AMARAVATHI

HOW TO REACH:

Amaravati is located 46Km south west of "Vijaywada" and 35Km northwest of "Guntur".It is reachable by road or by boat on the river.Vijaywada is the main rail junction and also nearest airport to Amaravati.

HISTORY:

According to Vajrayana traditional sources the Buddha preached at Dharanikota/Dhanyakatakam and conducted Kalachakra ceremony, which would take the antiquity of Amaravati back to 500 BCE.. Taranatha, the Buddhist monk writes: "On the full moon of the month Caitra in the year following his enlightenment, at the great stupa of Dhanyakataka, Buddha emanated the mandala of "The Glorious Lunar Mansions" (Kalachakra).[3] This shows that Dhanyakatakam (Amaravati) was a very important place a the time of composition of this tantra. The recorded history of Amaravati and nearby Dharanikota is from 2nd century BCE.[4] It was the capital of Andhra Satavahanas who ruled from 2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE. After the decline of Satavahanas, Andhra Ikshvakus and later Pallava kings ruled Krishna river valley. Subsequently, Eastern Chalukyas and Telugu Cholas held sway over the region. Kota Kings were in control of Amaravati during the medieval times. Kota kings were subdued by Kakatiyas in 11th century CE and Amaravati became part of the unified Telugu empire.

DRAKSHARAMAM

LOCATION:

Draksharamam is located in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in India.This Place is very famous for one of the pancharama temple.The temple also consits one of the Shakti peetha, Sri Manikyamba. Irrespective of the kind, people who perfom puja here will be free of their sins.

ACCOMODATION:

There is a choultry in the front side of the temple where free food is served for visitors. Travellers can relax here and refresh. Well maintained toilet and bathroom facility available. The maintenance of the temple is taken care by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Photography is restricted inside the Garbha Gruham, allowed outside the temple premises.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

HOW TO REACH:

Draksharama is situated just 6 Kms away from Ramachandra Puram in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. Only bus facility is available to reach. Nearest Railway stations are Kakinada, Rajahmundry. Samalkot (junction) is one more nearest railway station where people can plan to get down in case they want to visit other places in this area. Few trains give stop at Annavaram also. Get proper information about the stoppage of trains in these stations as all the trains will not stop. Excellent bus facility is available from Kakinada and Ramachandrapuram.

People travelling by train from any part of the country, get down at Samalkot. If they get train upto Kakinada, get down at Kakinada. People can reach Kakinada by bus also. The distance between Samalkot and Kakinada is only 12Kms. From Kakinada, Draksharama is 28 Kms on the way to Kotipalli. There are frequent buses available to Kotipalli.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Durint Karthika Masam(November-December).

Grand celeberations can be witnessed during Janmadinotsav (Birthday) i.e during Margashira Shudha Chathurdashi.