Penukonda

Ananthapur

Penukonda is located 70 kms from Anathapur.  There are several temples in this village.  It is also said that there are around 365 Anjaneya swamy vigrahas were installed by a king around the village, though very few are visible at present.  This region was controlled by chalukyas, vijayanagar rajas and nawabs etc.  but the town was established by Hoysala kings.

Some prominent places to visit here are Penukonda fort, Anjaneya swamy huge vigraham, Gagan mahal, Sri Ramabhadralayam, Sri Muktheswaralayam, Sri Kanyaka Parameswari temple.

Due to time constraint we restricted to visit few places from above list which are unique in their prominence.  By the way, the village is also best place for mountain trekking. 

Sri Kanyakaparameswari temple:

The first place we visited is Sri  Kanyakaparameswari  temple where we wanted to meet “Amma” a blessed woman by Goddess Parameswari. She was initiated by Kanyakaparameswari goddess to write Devi Bhagavatham though she was never been to schooling.  By the grace of goddess she (locally called as ‘Narasamma’ avva) could write up entire grantha in a single night without her bodily consciousness.  She is very humble and motherly caring lady.  After taking her blessings we wanted to move to our next place, but she insisted us to take lunch and move ahead.  By the time the lunch was prepared we took her permission and moved to further.  We also enquired about place of “Seethamma Padam” (Sita devi left foot print) and started.

Gaganmahal:

We reached “Gagan Mahal” an old architectural resembling cultural heritage.  Many religious and secular structures have been added at this place during Vijanagara Kings period.  It was summer place for the rulers.  The pyramid roof built up in tiers is adopted from Sikhara of Dravidian style.  Palace was built by a combination of Indo-Persian architecture. 

Ramabhadrayalam:

A very unique temple of Sri Ramachandra murthy in Yoga mudra.  Perhaps this might be the only temple with Sri Rama in this posture.

We felt blessed to reach this place, but disappointed to find that the temple doors were closed.  By the grace of god we could get pujariji’s(Priest) phone number and requested him to come and open the temple doors.  It was around 11.15 am.  Fortunately pujariji came and opened temple, our souls got immediately connected to god after seeing Sri Rama with his parivar (family).  A very pleasant and spiritual inner feeling flourished as soon as we stepped in.  Very decently decorated with colorful flowers and  graceful moorthys (idols). 

Sri Ramachandra prabhu is seen in padmasana with yoga mudra, showing his right hand in abahayamudra raised his palm to his middle of chest (a gesture of protection) and left hand in vara mudra.  Seethamma is on his left side in padmasana and with dhyana mudra.  Laxmana swamy is little behind, standing on right side of Sri Rama, with mukulitha hastha (folded hands with respect).  Anjaneya swamy on left side Seethamma in veerasana with mukulitha hastha.  A very rare and unique of posture of Sri Rama parivara.  Our souls immersed in bhakthi paravasa (devotion).

Sri Muktheswaralayam:

In uttara disha (north side) of Sri Ramabhadralayam, Sri Shiva temple depicting our Indian historical heritage can be seen.  The Shiva Linga in this temple is brought from Kashi (Varanasi) and established by Sri Krishnadevaraya.   Very powerful gods with many proofs of his glory are seen even today.  The present priest in the temple is a devoted pujari to this god and through generations their family is serving the god. Their family did not think about other occupation for their lively hood but totally dedicated to this god and taking his blessings.  The four side walls of inner temple (garbha gudi) are sculptured depecting shiva purana and shiva kalyaana.  Sri Dakshinamurthy is also sculptured on south wall.

By seeing these glorious places we forgot about our initial task of seeing “Seethamma  padam” (left foot) that happened to be stamped by her when Ravana taken over her (stolen).  While the right foot print is available in “Lepakshi”.   But none of the people in those areas could direct us, but by the gods grace the priest in the Shiva temple could explain its where about.  There is huge hill behind the temple where Sri Narasimhaswamy temple is available.  There also about five wells (bhaavi) on the hill in which the devetas had dipped get rid of their sins or banes.  Seetamma padam is present in “Veeranna konda” (a hill called Veranna) to which there is not proper path to reach.  Disappointed but happy for seeing such glorious places and confirmation about Seetamma padam. Then we started our return journey to “Sri Kanyakaparameswari” temple  “Amma” was getting our lunch prepared.

Our entire troop tiered and enjoyed the meal as it was more than just a food a blessing prasadam for us.  We have rush fast as we have to catch train at 5.00 pm in  Ananthapur.  Amma insisted us to take meals dinner parcel for our train journey.  With lots of her love and blessings being bagged by us, hearts filled with joy we back started  our journey.

Sri Khadri Laxmi Narasimha Swamy
Ananthapur Dist.

One of  the great historical temple in Ananthapur district is “Sri  Khadri Laxmi Narasimha swamy”  along with sri “Sri Amruthavalli”  devi.  This (Kadiri) area was called as “Vedaranyam”.  There is a hill called “Kadiri” where lord Vishnu foot print is  known to be present.  

Kadiri is also called “Khaadri” where “Kha” means “Vishnu padam(lord Vishnu foot)”, “Adri” means “Hill”.  As Vishnu foot print is present on hill it is called “Khaadri”.  There is also another story that lord Vishnu emerged from khadri  tree to rescue his devotee Prahallada and gave moksham(liberation) to him.   Many khadri  trees were present on this hill. 

Here we can see lord “Narasimha” with ashtabahu (eight hands).   Keeping Hiranyakasipa in his lap holding head with one hand, foot with one hand, cleaving stomach with two hands, two hands having sankham and chakram and two hands holding sword and kehtakam.  Moolavirat (main idol) is shown with this roopam(posture)  not as emerging from sthambha (pillar).  Beside we can see bhaktha Prahallada standing with praying hands.  It’s a very rare posture of main idol along with Prahallada.  Though it is a ugraroopam  of lord, because of presence of Bhakta Prahllada beside him, it called “Moksha sthanam” (place of liberation).

Daily Abhikesham is performed to lord in the mornings, it is claimed by Archakas (priests) that the diety/vigraha to be sweating continuously inspite of being repeatedly wiped off.

Previously there were plenty of water lakes (theerthalu) among which many are unseen now.  Bhrugutheertham (koneru called Bhrugu) which is available now is known to be auspicious lake to take dip and serve lord.  It is also good perform religious kaandas in this place.

Beside Narasimhaswamy moolavirat temple, we can see Sri Amruthavalli mandapam.  In an extended area Alwar vigrahas are present.  In outer area of garbhagudi we can see Govindarajula temple, Kodandaramalayam and annadana kendram of devasthanam.  

 Best darshanam is during the abhishekam time where the moolaviraat can be seen original without alankara. It is also one of the nava narimha kshetras apart from vedadri, mattapalli, vadapalli, yadadri, mangalagiri, ahobilam etc.

There are direct buses available from Puttaparthi to Khadri which takes an hour journey.  Another route is to catch bus from Puttaparthi to “cross” and again reach “Gorantla”  from here many buses are available to Kadiri as well as Lepakshi . From Kurnool it takes about 3 and half hour journey to reach this place. 

Great saint Sri Chandolu Sastry garu

Om

After a long waiting period we were fortunate to visit Chandolu near Tenali on the way to Replella in Guntur District.   There lived a great saint Sri Tadepalli Raghava Narayana Sastry garu who was a great scholar and veda pandit.  

He was also Sri Bala upasaka .  Mother goddess was always around him in house.  He was great yogi with high divine powers which were not used for his personal requirements.  He accepted everything as prarabda karma.  He also mastered in Ayurveda shastram  where he treated many medical problems like women abdominal issues (Grabha dosha) and blessed them.   A Veda pathashala is also running there till today.

After his demise his son is carrying out the tradition and culture in the same place.  He is also well versed in Vedas and Ayurveda shastra.

The time we visited that place it was not less than a feeling of entering holy shrine⁄temple. We  were cordially received by his grandson, as the son of Sastry garu went to bless somebody on a occasion.  Very patiently he explained about his grandfather (Sastry garu) and miracles of that time.  It was told that sri Sastry garu (Also refered as Chandolu Sastry garu) was a great Sri Bala mantra upasaka and sometimes the mother goddess used to represent him in her voice and answer.  He frequently immersed in the Samadhi for days together in the huge backyard of his home.  He planted many Ayurveda trees and plants.  There is one peepal  and neem tree which are nearly 100 years old.  There is a huge gowshala (Cow shed) with 100 cow capacity where the vedic  students used to do thri-kala sahasra gayatri seated scattered in that huge place.  

All the objects used by sastry garu are kept in respective places and worshipped.  Navaratri  (Dussehra) utsava is celebrated gloriously in same tradition even now.  Sri Dattatreya and Sri Dakshinamurthy are also worshipped at same place. 

There used to be nearly 100 students in veda patashala during Sri Sastry gari time for learning Vedas and Smartham.  The father of Sastry garu was also great veda pandit and upasaka with capability of vision  of Kailasa(abode of God Siva) from his place.   The walking God Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathiswamy once visited Sri Sastry garu and addressed him as Yogi following Sanyasa Asharma Dharma though living in the Gruhasthashrama.  Sri Vangala Ram murthy garu Ghanapathi is also an close associate of Sastry garu who train many aspirants in Veda Sastra patanam even today.    

Out of 100 students in Veda Patashala,  now hardly 10 students are carrying out their studies.  Such huge Gowshala now look pale and empty with only one Gowmatha (Cow).  It’s a pathetic  feeling to see such a glorious place is underutilized due to lack of vedic aspirants.  Even now the same principles and rules are followed as were during Sri Sastry gari regime.  Any out gone student of Chandolu Patashalal has good recognition and fame.  Apart from pandits of same family there are even inhouseVeda⁄Sanskrit lecturers who run the school now.

Chathurmukha brahma, Nageswaraswamy and Aadikeseva swamy temples

A very old heritage of India. These temples are located at Chebrolu in Andhra Pradesh. Approx 40 min journey from guntur. We can see both Siva Keseva temples build by Cholas. Chathurmukha brahma, Nageswaraswamy and Aadikeseva swamy are main temples. Aadikeseva swamy is a unique vigraha with Sankham in right hand and chakram in left hand. The idol stand on banabattam symbolizing the thrimurthy swaroopa. We can also see Vedavimanam at gopura as we see Vimanavenketeswara at Tirupati and another at Srirangam.

A must place to visit. Also visit the temples at Ponnuru.