 |
| River View Park |
During my one-day stay in Srikakulam I could not see many
temples. Just before leaving that place I went to see this local temple located
beside the old road bridge. Going through the narrow lane we saw this temple
just beside the banks of the Nagavali River. On the way we also came across the
River View park with children’s playground and animal models. This park was built in 1999
with the M.P. funds sanctioned by the erstwhile M.P. Late Sri Yerram Naidu. The
temple from the outside appeared to be an ordinary one without much artistic
sculptures. But it has got mythological significance.
Lord Balarama
travelled towards south at the time of Mahabharata war as he wished not to take
sides and fight in the war. When he came to Dandakaranya near the Bay of
Bengal, he saw people suffering from drought and harassed by the demon Pralambasuti.
To save the people from the demon and the drought, he killed Pralambasuti and
dug with his plough (called nagali in Telugu) and made a river flow which is
called “Nagavali”. The Nagavali River flows from Kalahandi (Orissa) and flows
through Rayagad and Koraput districts of Orissa and Srikakulam and
Vijayanagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh and joins the Bay of Bengal at
Kallepalli near Mapasubandaru village in Srikakulam Diustrict. He also set up five Shiva temples so that
people may seek the permission of Shiva to see the Lord Kurmanatha in
Srikurmam. Before that only gods used to worship at Srikurmam temple. These
Shiva temples are called Pancha Linga Kshetras. They are: Payakeshwara Swamy in
Rayagad(orissa), Someswara Swamy at Gumpa village near Parvatipuram, Sangameswara
Swamy near Rajam, Uma Rudra Koteswara Swamy in Srikakaulam and Mani Nageswara
swamy at Kallepalli village near the bay of Bengal. Balarama built the fifth
temple (Patala Siddeswara Swamy) in front of the Kurmanatha Swamy temple.
Sri Uma Ruidra
Koteswara Swamy temple is the Kshetrapalika temple on the western border of Srikurmam
temple. Another legend says that Lord Indra’s pride was humbled by Nandi when
he tried to enter the temple by force after it was closed. Nandi hurled him
with such power that Indra fell down exhausted and weak. He prayed to Lord
Surya to give him relief from the pain. Surya touched him with his healing rays
and made him recover his strength. Indra requested him to stay there and give
relief to people. Surya directed him to find out his idol at the place where
Lord Indra fell. Indra dug the place and
got the Surya idol and constructed a temple for Surya. This place is called
Harasavalli (later called Arasavalli). Indra also dug a lake with his Vajra
near the temple and it is called Indra Pushkarini. Indra worshipped Lord
Umarudra later to get relief from his sins. Thus there is close connection
between Arasavalli temple and Uma Rudreswara Temple.
This temple was built
with Salihundam red stine in South Indian style. Pujas in this temple are done
as per Panchayatana Agama Sastra tradition. This temple was first built by Lord
Balarama five thousand years ago. Later it was re-built by Magatapalli Kamayya
Setti of Konada village, Vijayanagaram Dist. in 1774. Since 2001, renovations
are being done by Samkrg Pistons (a local factory) and Krushnam Vande Jagadgurum
(a local spiritual organization). In the Mukha mandapa we can see a very big
and beautiful statue of Nandi . In the inner sanctum there is a big idol of
Shiva in Linga form. There is a shrine for Shiva’s consort Rajarajeswari in the
Mukha mandapa just on the left side of the sanctum. The temple was very much
crowded when we went there. Special poojas are done here on Mondays and during
Kartika month and on Maha Shiva Ratri festival. The temple timings are from
6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from 5.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. if you visit Srikurmam
take time to see this important Shiva temple also.
********************************************
10th January, 2020 Somaseshu Gutala
No comments:
Post a Comment