On my Visit to Sri Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, Rayachoti (Annamyya Dist) A.P.

                     

Temple View

                                                                         
                            

Sculptures on the temple tower

                                 

56-foot monolithic lamp- pillar

                                                              

Stone Inscription

Stone Well in the temple premises

                                         

Veerabhadra idol in the sanctum

                                               

Goddess Bhadra Kali

                                                

Lord kalabhairava

                               

Wall Painting

                                          

Sculpture of a saint

 This one- thousand-year old temple is regarded as the most sacred place by Veera Shaivas, who mostly come from Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh.This place is regarded as sacred “Dakshina Kashi”. Rayachoti is the district headquarters of the Annamayya District which was formed in 2022. The original name of Rayachoti is “Rachaveedu” as many Vijayanagara Kings like Venkatapati Raya used to visit this place. Krishnadevaraya used to visit this holy place whenever he went to Tirupati. Krishnadevaraya presented a royal sword to Lord Veerabhadra transforming the name of this place to “Rayachoti.”

According to the legend, Lord Veerabhadra a fierce form of Shiva emerged from the locks of Shiva when Shiva’s spouse, Sati Devi immolated herself in the sacrificial fire after being insulted by her father Daksha Prajapati. Veerabhadra destroyed the Yagna Kundam and attacked the gods who attended Daksha’s Yagna and beheaded Daksha with his sword. To pacify the enraged Veerabhadra, Goddess Ambika appeared as Bhadra Kali. Sage Mandavya doing penance there requested both of them to stay at this sacred spot near the banks of the Mandavya River. The original temple dates back to 10^th to 12^th century during Chola and Kakatiya periods. The Tamil inscription dated 1233 A.D. mentions the royal grant made by the Chola King, Nissanka  Prataparaya. This temple was renovated by the Chola King Rajaraja in the ninth century and later by the Kakatiya King Ganapati Deva in the 12^th century. During the Vijayanagara period of rule, Proudadevaraya II (1426-1446) undertook a complete renovation of this temple. In 1520 the Vijayanagara King Krishnadevaraya visited this temple and donated land. In 1546 the King Sadasivaraya re-built the sanctum sanctorum of this temple. In 1570 Venkatapati Raya, King of Chandragiri, served the Lord several times. The temple architecture shows the classic Vijayanagara style with multi-tiered Rajagopurams and stone-carvings.

The temple has three main Gopurams in the East, North and South directions. The East-facing gopuram has three-tier Rajagopuram with five Kalasas and sculptures of various deities. A single 56-foot-tall rock-cut Deepa Sthambham is seen followed by the Nandi statue after entering the main gopuram.

In this temple one can see a unique 56-foot monolithic lamp-pillar (Deepa Sthambham) in the East on which a giant -lamp is lit during Kartik Purnima. In the Sanctum one can see a life-size 5ft.6 inches black granite statue of Veerabhadra with four hands, holding a bow and an arrow in two upper hands and a sword and a shield in the two lower hands. The Lord is seen mounted on a horse.  The Lord Looks majestic with a mustache and a royal look.  The sword of Veerabhadra symbolizes the sword of knowledge which removes ignorance and sins. 

Generally, in other temples Lord Veerabhadra is shown in standing posture. But here the lord is shown seated on a horse. Two Nandis are seen in front of the sanctum. They are called “Veera Nandi” and “Shiva Nandi”. On the right side of the main deity, a sacred Bana Shiva Linga worshipped by the Sage Mandavya is seen. The idol of Daksha is seen with folded hands showing obeisance to Lord Veerabhadra. Every year in late March the sun’s rays fall on the feet of the Lord at 6.00 a.m. for five consecutive days. Special poojas are performed on Mahashivaratri and during 11-day Brahmostavam festival. On the 8^th day or the final day three hundred measures of cooked rice mixed with pumpkin and other roots is placed in a heap, and the priests using the sword of Veerabhadra violently scatter the rice in all directions symbolizing the destruction of Daksha’s Yagnashala or sacrificial arena. Both Hindus and Muslims participate during the Brahmostavam celebrations indicating communal harmony. 

Every Monday the Utsava Vigrahas (processional deities) of Lord Veerabhadra and Bhadra Kali are taken out in a palanquin in procession. Every morning Abhishekam for Veerabhadra is done from 5.30 a.m. to 6.30 a.m.; for Bhadra Kali, from 5.00 a.m. to 7.00 a.m.; for Kala Bhairava, from 5.30 a.m. to 7.00 a.m.; and for Aghora Lingam, from 9.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. respectively.

In the entrance to sanctum, one can see the idols of Lord Dakshina Murty, Tatpurusha Linga and Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka. There is an idol of saint bearing a sacred staff. Some say that it is the idol of the saint Madhvacharya, the preceptor of Dwaita cult. Near the sanctum on the other side, one can see the idol of Renuka (Yellamma).  Beside the main shrine the idol of Mother Bhadra Kali is seen.  In front of the shrine, one can see another idol of Nandi. In other sub-shrines one can see the idols of Lord Kala Bhairava, Subramanya Swamy, Lord Shaneeswara and Aghora Linga. The timings of this temple are from 5.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. in the morning, and from 4.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. in the evening.  The nearby temples are Sri Gangamma Devata temple, Ananthapuram Village (12kms), Sri Reddamma Devata temple, Gurram Konda, Sri Gandi Veeranjaneya Swamy temple, Gandi (48.5 kms), Sri Lakshmi Narasimha swamy temple, Tarikonda (57kms), Devuni Kadapa(55kms), Sri Chennakesavs Swamy and Sri Siddeshwara swamy temples, Tallapaka(64kms). 

                             *************************

 21st September 2026                    Somaseshu Gutala

                              

    

Too Many DON’TS

                 

                                      

                               

                 “Please don’t go out

                   You will fall out;

                   You are too old

                   You will catch cold;

                   Don’t eat too much sweets and bread

                  “Diabetic you are”, the doctor said.

                   Don’t too much read

                   Your eyes hurt, please heed;

                   Neither should you write

                   It affects your eyesight;

                  Too long you should not sit

                  Move your limbs; walk a bit; 

                  Don’t watch T.V. long

                  You are too weak, not strong;

                  Don’t think and strain

                  Your weak, old brain.” 

                           ( I I )

              “What am I supposed to do?

                Sit like a sloth-bear in the zoo?

                Shall I sit like lifeless scum?

                Doing nothing like a bum?

                Don’t show me too much care

                A little freedom for me you spare

                I am not old Father William brisk

               My health I should not risk

               My feelings let me express

               To sit like a statue—no sense;

               Let me do whatever I please

               Let me be free and live with ease.

                   *****************

     14th September 2026                        Somaseshu Gutala

 Ref: Old father William Brisk-- In the poem" You are old, Father William" by Lewis Carrol (1865), the old man was questioned about the secret of his maintaing robust health in old age. Father William answers in a funny way and concludes with a retort saying "Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?/  Be off, or I'll kick you downstairs."

 

 

 

TIT FOR TAT

 

             

                                        
                              

                                 

 1       If you feel angry with short temper swift

You will be dealt with in the similar way;

In future or in present you have to pay

For what you did, you will get the same gift;

If you are jealous, and treat others with disdain

You will receive the same for inflicting pain.

If you speak harsh words and insult

Others, you will get the same result;

If you commit violent acts to vent

Your revenge, same you get and can’t prevent.

 

2        The murderer becomes the victim

The hunter suffers the agony of the hunted beast;

The brutal crime of lust will soon repeat

Itself in your life too, vicious and grim;

Till you realize your sins and earnestly repent

And won’t commit again in future or present;

If you feel proud of cheating others, know

That you will be dealt with same shocking blow.

Whatever we do with evil intent and mind

Remember their impact; fate is not deaf or blind. 

 

3          Beware of your deeds and thoughts that go astray

That shape your destiny and your state

No use of blaming others and your wayward fate

In every birth we commit loads of sins in many ways

Increasing burden to go through many births again

Ignorance-bound, we have to suffer, stress and strain;

To overcome these, we should realize our faults

Seeking refuge in God’s grace to set right our hearts;

If not, you move around many years in self-created hell

Till you mend your ways, how many eons, none can tell.

 

4          Control your ego and amend your evil acts

If not, your acts will rebound on you and plunge

You into the dark depths from which you can’t expunge

Yourself; Your future is shaped by your thoughts and acts;

Humiliating others, a deadly sin

Be kind and patient and forgiving to win

God’s grace; in all beings try to behold

God and in meaningful ways your life try to mold

You can’t escape from your past; an undeniable fact

Yield not to your passions and rashly act. 

               *****************

8th September 2026                    Somaseshu Gutala

Note : "Just as a calf among thousands of cows finds its mother, previously performed karma follows the doer." - Panchatantra.

                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

 

 

 

 

 

On my Visit to Paakashala Restaurant at Koneripalli, Hosur, (Krishnagiri Dist. Tamilnadu).

 

          

                              

 

                             

                                 

                              

This is a popular pure vegetarian restaurant located on the Bangalore-Chennai highway at Nallakanakothapalli, Shoolagiri, behind CoCo Indian Oil Petrol Bunk, Koneripalli, Hosur. Paakashala is a brand owned by Sri Anantheswara Foods Private Ltd belonging to Sri Vasudeva Adiga. This restaurant chain was founded by the renowned culinary expert K.N. Vasudeva Adiga in 2018 in Bangalore. Later he expanded the chain in Mysore and Mangalore.  He was also the creator of Adiga’s restaurant chain which he later sold. He is also the driving force behind Nandi Upachar restaurants.  In Bangalore, Paakashala restaurants are in prominent places like Rajarajeshwari Nagar, M.G.Road, Dickinson Road, Malleswaram, Jayanagar 4^th and 8^th Block and in Vidyaranyapura.

There is very spacious parking space and the restaurant is also very spacious. There are many varieties of pure vegetarian and vegan dishes to choose from. The menu consists of South Indian, North Indian, Chinese and continental cuisine along with Chats, hot beverages, juices and desserts. Among South Indian dishes there are many delicious items like Rava Idly, Rava Dosa, Idly Vada Sambar combo, Badam Halwa, Vegetable Biriyani, Idli-Vada-Kesari combo, Bonda Soup, Madduri Vada, Chapati with Kurma, Pakoras, Baji and Banana Bun to mention a few.  Health-conscious people can also try Raagi Roti and Akki Roti. 

Many types of salads and dosas are also available here. The filter coffee is very refreshing and makes us feel quite relaxed after a long drive. When we went there after 2.00 p.m., the meals section was very busy. Tiffin section has not yet begun. Only Chapati and Biriyani were available. So, we asked the assistant to serve mini-puris served in meals. They were so tasty that we ordered another plate.  We felt refreshed after having a steaming cup of typical South Indian filter coffee. My suggestion is that a few tiffin items may also be made available during meals time so that people like us may have some option in choosing the dishes of our choice.

The hotel tariff of various items is also quite reasonable and affordable. The South Indian meal costs nearly Rs.180/- and the North Indian meals is about Rs.230/-. One can also taste many varieties of sweet dishes and milkshakes here. The timings of this restaurant are 6.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. from Monday to Sunday. A visit to this restaurant near Hosur is a very welcome spot especially for travelers on Bangalore- Chennai highway.

                      *****************************

    31st Auigust 2026                 Somaseshu Gutala

DANCING SIGNATURES

                    

                           

            Whenever I sign, I am in a fix

            My fingers move random beyond my control

            They assert their freedom once I put

            My pen on paper, they move jig jag

            To draw a hieroglyph or a Chinese design;

            Here comes the rub; I have to prove

            My credentials; they take my specimen sign

            But no guarantee I vouch next time;

            My fingers dance their way again;

            They obey not of what I say

            Like belligerent cattle they go astray;

           Some look like crooked curves like slithering snakes

           And some with rough ridges look like rugged hills

           Some shake like shivering old men in cold;

           The clerk's face turned a big, queer question mark

           As if to mean,"is there any sense?

          Yes-every time a new creative twist

          Looks like an unpredictable unending list.

          My problem is to fix my sign

         A futile attempt I feel; just like in olden times

         Better to use a seal or smudge my finger print

         To get rid of this never-ending crisis.

                      *****************

                18th August 2026                   Somaseshu Gutala

   Note :

 A humorous sketch of the prdicament faced by elders at offices and banks  as their manner of signature does not match and varies from time to time due to their age factor.

  1. Hieroglyphs : Pictorial script with various symbols used by Egyptians 

 on temple walls, tombs and monuments to record their history.

 2.  Chinese designs : Intericate pictorial script with dots, horizontal and 

  vertical lines, hooks and block-like symbols.

 3.  Family seals ; During Elizabthan times illiterate people used rings with a unique symbol or a small hand stamp pressed into hot beeswax to sign a document which was recognised as their legal signature.

                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

 

 

 

ON MY STAY AT COURTYARD MARRIOT HOTEL, TRICHY (TAMILNADU)

     

Courtyard Marriot, Trichy

                             

                                        

Courtyard Marriot Guest Room

                                       

Executive Room

                                 

Family Suite

                

                       

Premium Kingsize Room

                                

                               

Vasantham Hall for weddings and receptions

                                  

Vasantham Hall Courtyard

                                

Courtyard Lounge Cafe

                               

Trichy Kitchen

                      

This five-star famous hotel is in the heart of Trichy city on the collectorate office road (near Raja colony, Major Saravanan Road).  The Sangam group of hotels was founded in Trichy, Madurai and Thanjavur and served public for more than four decades. The Sangam hotel in Trichy was taken over by Marriot, the international hotel brand, and is completely re-modelled and upgraded into the Courtyard Marriot.  Stylish sophistication and providing maximum satisfaction to customers is the characteristic of this hotel.  It has smoke-free environment and pets are not allowed. It has 108 rooms on four floors with modern amenities and trained professionals. It is one km from the Trichy railway station and six kms from Trichy International Airport. This is a high-end hotel and the hotel tariff varies starting from Rs.12000/- onwards. But one gets unforgettable experience and enjoys delectable tasty delights in a serene ambiance with all luxurious comforts.

 

It has Trichy Kitchen, the hotel’s primary restaurant with a rich mix of cuisines and local Tamil Nadu flavors. The breakfast timings are from 6.30a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and the lunch timings are from 12.30 p.m. to 2.45 p.m. and the dinner timings are from 7.00 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. Room service is also available to enjoy meals in the comfort of their rooms. T Longe at the lobby offers a wide variety of pastries, bakeries, frappes and shakes. The “Bar Soma” serves imported beverages, local spirits and signature cocktails. It also offers a light food menu and coffee or tea all day long. It has also a Business Room for official work and Meeting Rooms to host talks and hold discussions. The fitness center is open at all hours (24x7) and the outdoor swimming pool is open from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.  The "Vasantham Hall" at Courtyard Marriot is used as a large banquet and event space for weddings, receptions, social celebrations and corporate gatherings. it can accomodate up to 800 guests.

 The hotel provides free parking, free wifi, electric car charging station, room service, coffee and tea supply at all hours, buffet breakfast, buffet dinner. This hotel has all modern amenities such as lift, full-service laundry, wakeup calls, house -keeping, valet parking, fitness center, swimming pool, spa and meeting rooms. In every room there is electronic room keys, non-slip grab rails in bathrooms, A/C, T.V. coffee/Tea maker, shower, toiletry material, mini-bar, writing desk, phone facility and bottled water. There are different types of rooms to suit the needs of customers such as the Guest Room, Premium Room, Family Suit, Junior Suite and Executive Suite. The staff can speak Tamil, Hindi, Bengali and Telugu. The check-in and check-out timings are 3.00 p.m. and 12.00 p.m.

The nearby tourist attractions are: Srirangam Temple (7kms), Vekkaliamman Temple, Woriyur (5kms); Rockfort Temple (5kms), Anna Science Planetarium (7kms) Jambukeshwar temple (6.3kms) and St.Joseph’s Church, Ponmalai (7.3kms).    

                                                *******************************     

         10th August 2026                          Somaseshu Gutala   

ON MY STAY AT “THE GOLDEDN TULIP”, TIRUPATI (A.P.)

The Golden Tulip Tirupati

                                           

Deluxe with king size bed

                                              

                                        

Deluxe Room with three beds

                                                          

The Deluxe Suit

                                
                                     

Adayar Anand Bhavan the veg restaurant

                                   

The Function hall

                            

      

This is a four-star hotel situated near Nandi Circle in the heart of Tirupati at the foothills of Tirumala just opposite 100-feet by-pass road near Alipiri toll plaza. It has three floors with 88 rooms out of which five are suites, sixty-three are Deluxe rooms with king-size beds and twenty Deluxe rooms have separate twin beds. One can have a fine view of surrounding Tiurumala hills filled with greenery from this hotel.

This hotel belongs to Sarovar Hotels, India’s leading Hotel Chain, which has nearly 149 hotels in eighty-seven destinations across India, Nepal and Africa.

This hotel has all amenities and facilities such as 24-hour front desk service, free-parking, the speed internet, fitness center, T.V. minibar, locker facility, bottled water,  tea or coffee-maker, a refrigerator and blackout curtains, room service, dry cleaning and laundry service, lift, A.C., banquet hall, facilities for specially- abled people, complimentary breakfast, transfer and tour facility, a multi-cuisine international menu and a vegetarian restaurant along with coffee/ tea supply to the room.  

The” A2B Restaurant” on the ground floor is a pure vegetarian restaurant which offers South Indian, North Indian and Chinese dishes. In this hotel local people especially women from villages are specially trained and given employment and one feels very much impressed by their prompt service and courteous behavior.

 It has a spacious banquet hall within an area of 1400 sq.ft. with the main function hall with an area of 344 sq.mt. and is suitable for conducting weddings along with social and corporate meetings and functions. The rooms are elegantly designed with scenic view of Tirumala hills and greenery. The staff are professionally trained and very prompt and helpful with polite behavior.

The airport is nearly 20.6 kms and the Tirupati railway station is four kms from this hotel. Tirumala is twenty-one kms and Tiruchanoor is 3.5 kms from here. Kapilatheertham is within a walkable distance within one km.  Distance from this hotel to Sri Kalhasti is nearly 42 kms reachable within an hour and distance from here to Srinivasa Mangapuram is 19 kms only. One can also visit Kanipkam (68kms), a famous Ganesha temple in Chitoor District.

Check-in and check hours are from 12.00 pm to 11.am, and early check-in or late check-out are available at an additional cost. For tourists this hotel offers a comfortable stay with all modern amenities and the stay at this hotel gives a very memorable experience in a serene atmosphere.

                             ************************

   21st July 2026                                    Somaseshu Gutala

The Dance Of death

 

                                   

                                                 

               

               1.    Under the eternal shades of sleep

              Under the graves buried so deep

              Transported to the world of death

              You lie; no grief, no pain; no disturbing breath.

 

             2.    I put an end to raging powers

              My might demolishes lofty towers;

              No beauty tempts my timely call

              No discrimination; I equalize all.

 

         3.           I terminate here miser’s greed

            I wind up here stern dogmatic creed;

            I break down here vile brutal lust

            I burn away all passions to dust.

 

      4.              With perfect cold equanimity

           With philosophic tranquility

           You lie, waiting for your future fate

           Like sages immersed in breathless state.

 

    5.                 Dwelling in another dimension

          Above the pull of earthly terrain

          Above the stress of sensual rut

          You lie like silent statues cut.

 

  6.          I play on your grey graves

         I leap on the grassy waves

         I kiss your icy lily lips

         I touch the shiny marble chips.

 

7.                     I dance on your static crowns

       I care not your frozen frowns;

       I sport with your muddy hair

       I pluck off roses red and fair.

 

8.                  I dance aloft like crackling fire

      Upon your bones with crimson spires;

      Your motives and cravings all I end;

      Your disparities all I mend.

 

9.              Ev’n God with meditative gaze

    Watches my playful destructive craze;

     I let loose souls from fleshy chains

     I liberate them from worldly pains.

10.      Though dreadful my actions may seem

    I work for all and I redeem

    Souls and make their onward journey clear

    Without rotting forever in stasis here.

                     *********************

    12th July 2026                            Somaseshu Gutala