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about temples

Location:
In Andhra Pradesh, India.
Significance:
Famous for its cave temples.
Climate:
Tropical climate with temperature ranging from 28°C to 45°C in summers and 15°C to 30°C in winters.
Vijayawada or Bezawada is situated on the shores of the Krishna River and is bounded by the Indrakiladri hills on its West. The largest railway junction of the South Central Railway, it is situated along the Chennai-Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail route. Sprawled across an area of 58 sq km, the literal meaning of Vijayawada is the 'City of Victory'. It is named after the popular legend, which states that at the Indrakiladri Hill, Arjuna, the Pandava Prince had succeeded in winning the blessings of Lord Shiva after hard penance. The city progressed under the British rule. The Krishna Barrage and the Railway Bridge on River Krishna have helped in the expansion of the city's agricultural and commercial base. Today, Vijayawada is one of the big business centers of the State. A number of temples are there in Vijayawada including the abode of Kanaka Durga (Goddess of power, riches and benevolence), the presiding deity of the city. A base for important Buddhist sites around the city including Amaravati, Gudivada and Ghantasala, it also an important base to visit Kuchipudi, the city of dance, Mangalagiri, the city of temples and Kondapalli, the city of handicrafts. 'Krishna Pushkaram', an all-India festival held once in twelve years and delicious mangoes and pickles are also a specialty of the place. A centre for Carnatic music and 'Kuchipudi' style of classical dance, it houses Andhra Pradesh Dance and Music College, Natraj Kala Samiti and Kanakadurga Gana Sabha. K L Rao Vihara Kendram on Prakasham Barrage Lake offers a variety of water sports including rowing, canoeing, water-scooters and pedal boats.
Shopping Attractions:
One can buy everything here from antiques, handicrafts and jewellery to dresses, leather goods, pearls, and semi-precious stones. Kaleshwara Rao Market is the famous vegetable market while Vastralatha is a wholesale cloth market. Gandhi Nagar is famous for shoe making Industry and is one of the entertainment areas in Vijayawada. The nearby toy-making village of Kondapalli and 'Kalamkari paintings' at Machilipatnam, Vijaywada offers a delightful shopping experience.

Location: In Andhra Pradesh, India.
Significance:Ancient Capital of Kakatiya dynasty.
Climate:
Tropical climate with temperature ranging from 23.2°C to 39.6°C in summers and 13.5°C to 30°C in winters. The monsoon season is from June to September.
The ancient capital of the Kakatiyas, a 12th century Andhra dynasty, Warangal has beautiful lakes and temples rich in antiques and relics and is teeming with wildlife. The ruins of Warangal's fort display the traces of the outer wall and the four stone gateways ('sanchar') of the inner wall. The 12th century thousand-pillared temple is the most famous of all the attractions of Warangal. Now a commercial and industrial center, Warangal has been identified as Worakalli, the 8th century capital of the Adeva Rajas of Tuluva Andhra or Telengana. Warangal or Varankal is said to be by the name of Orugallu or Omtikonda in the ancient times on account of a hillock situated near the Swayambhu Siva Temple called 'Ekasilanagaram'. The city has found reference in the travel diaries of Marco Polo.The creative genius of the past in the field of architecture, literature, and engineering can be seen in the ruins here. Located near the Ekashila hill rock, the fort shows the signs of a very deep and high mud wall fortified inside with colossal blocks of stone joined together. Rudramma added the deep and wide moat surrounding the double wall to add to the defense tactics of the fort. The brave queen who ruled for 30 years is a legendary female warrior who is said to have died at the age of 80 while leading her troops into the battlefield. The remnants of the majestic Sahastralinga Temple show four massive torans still standing erect housed in the fort premises. Immaculate delicate black basalt sculptures adorn the doorways, perforated stone lattice screen, vibrant leonine figures and graceful swans look elegant and give an aura of opulence and grandeur.

Amaravati is famous for its world famous Buddhist sculptures and the Lord Amareswara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is said that three principal things that make Amareswaram so sacred are River Krishna, on whose banks it is situated, an important Kshetra with a 'Sthalamahatyam' and the Sri Mahalinga Murthy, which is said to have embodied three sacred principles in one. It is said that in this temple, Lord Siva is in the form of five lingas that have been named as Pranaveswara, Agasteswara, Kosaleswara, Someswara and Parthiveswara. However the principal deities of the temple are Lord Amareswara and his consort, Bala Chamundika, the fourth of the 18 goddesses. Though there is no definite fact known about its origin, thousands of pilgrims visit the place every year. There are also other deities inside the temple. The origin of the temple shrouded in mystery, though there are many legends, puranic and historical, about it. But the sanctity and the holiness of the place attract thousands of pilgrims even now. Though the main River Krishna flows from West to East, the ancient temple of Amareswara is situated at a point where River Krishna takes a North-to-South course. According to a local belief, even if there is a flood in River Krishna, it will never harm the temple and would opt to take up a different course. This is the reason that it has taken a North-to-South course here. According to the ancient Hindu beliefs, the places where the river takes a different course for short distances were considered to be very holy and sacred places and thus, temples were built there to pay homage to the Gods. The temple is built in the Dravidian style architecture and enshrines a 15 ft high white marble Shiva Lingam surrounded on all the four sides by towering gopurams and sporting the 'Vimana'. Some people believe that this temple was originally a Buddhist shrine because of the characteristic Buddhist slabs that has been found in its foundations. The Mula Virat in the Garbhagriha is a long vertical marble cylinder that have been used extensively in the Buddhist monuments and the white marble lotus Medallion above it has the delicate and ornate style, typical of the early Buddhist sculptures. Thus, this shrine is also considered sacred by the Buddhists. Amaravati is also known for housing the world famous Buddha Stupa.

152 km of Chennai, Tirupati, the abode of the Hindu god Venkateshvara or the Lord of Seven Hills, is the backbone of Andhra Pradesh plgrimage and tourism industry. The world-renowned temple is situated at Tirumala hill, 10 km from Tirupati, at an altitude of 750 m above sea level. The strict rituals followed here are evident from the fact that until late 19th century, non-Hindus were not permitted to ascend the hill itself. The ancient shrine have blossomed with the generous aids and contributions of the all the kings from great dynasties of the southern peninsula including the Pallavas of Kancheepuram, the Cholas of Thanjavur, the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings of Vijayanagar empire. However, the donations multiplied astronomically during the rule of the Vijayanagar dynasty and the legendary king Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the Tirupati temple.Raghoji Bhonsle, the Maratha general, visited the temple and said to be the first person to set up a permanent donation for the conduct of worship in the temple along with offerings of valuable jewels and a large emerald to the Lord. The emerald is preserved carefully in a box named after the General to this day. The rulers of Mysore and Gadwal have also been amongst the biggest contributors to the temple. Lord Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala is popularly known as the temple of Tirupati Balaji. The other noteworthy temples at Tirupati are Padmavati Temple dedicated to Goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara. A visit to this temple also known as 'Alamelumangapuram' is customary to complete the pilgrimage to the Tirumala temple. Govindaraja Swami Temple was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 and is one of the most important temples of the city. The 10th century Kodandaramaswami Temple dedicated to Sita, Rama and Lakshmana was built by a Chola ruler. Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple is only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Tirupati. Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple at Srinivasa Mangapuram is believed to be the place where Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavati Devi before returning to his abode at Tirumala.

about temples

Said to be the world's richest temple, the Tirumati Tirumala Balaji Temple is situated on the Tirumala hill on the outskirts of Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Famous all over the world as a significant pilgrimage place, this ancient temple of Sri Venkateswara, the Lord of Seven Hills, is so called as Tirumala hill is a cluster of seven hills known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam at an altitude of 2,800 ft above the sea level. The grand history of the temple spans over several centuries and it is the backbone of the pilgrimage and tourism industry of Andhra Pradesh. A fine example of Dravidian temple architecture, the Tirumala Temple received generous offerings from the great dynasties like the Pallavas of Kanchipuram, the Cholas of Tanjore, the Pandyas of Madurai and the Kings and chiefs of Vijayanagara.The gopuram of the temple is splendid. Elaborate rituals and modes of worship as stated by the saint Ramanujacharya and followed in the temple even today. However, the most popular and well-known customs of the temple are anointing the idol with camphor and the offering of the hair by the pilgrims who visit the place. For the latter, one should go to the licensed barbers only. The gold-plated 'Vimana' (Cupola) over the sanctum sanctorum is known as 'the Ananda Nilayam'. Along with the idols of the deities, this temple also houses statues of Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya and his consorts, and Todarmal, the minister of Akbar. The principal deity, Lord Venkateswara is also known as Venkataramana, Srinivasa and Balaji and is said to have attributes of Vishnu and Shiva, the preserver and the destroyer of the world.

abuot dasra

Navaratri and Dussehra/Dassera are long festivals celebrated over a period of ten days. The first nine days constitute the Navaratri festival. Navaratri itself means nine nights (Nava = nine, ratri = night).The term "Dussehra" or "Vijayadashmi" which is the last and tenth day are derived from the word for number ten i.e. Das (in Hindi) or Dasha (in Sanskrit).

Navaratri is a joyous festival which is celebrated every year by followers of Hinduism, during early fall season (occurs during late September and early October). The Goddesses in the form of the Universal Mother is worshiped for nine nights and hence the name nava-ratri.' On the tenth day, the festival comes to an end with a special puja called Vijaya Dasami. During the ten days of the Dasara festival (ten days and nine nights), it is common for Hindus to read and recite slokas on the greatness of Mother Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Mother Durga symbolizes the power of purposeful action (Kriya Sakti). Lakshmi represents the will power (Itchaa Sakti) and Saraswati stands for the power of knowledge (Jnana Sakti).

In the first three days, Goddess Durga is invoked in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days Goddess Lakshmi is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth. The final three days is is spent in worshipping as the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. In order to have all-round success in life, believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence the nine nights of worship. During Navratri, some devotees of Durga observe a fast and prayers are offered for the protection of health and property. A period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious time for starting new ventures.

Navratri Celebrations in Different Parts of India

In West Bengal, it takes the form of Durga Puja, an occasion to celebrate the Triumph of Good over Evil. According to legend, a vicious buffalo headed-demon, Mahishasura, had raised hell at the gates of heaven, causing widespread terror. The Goddess Durga was actualised by the combined efforts of all the deities to slay him. Thus, Durga astride a lion, with an assortment of weapons in her 10 hands, slayed Mahishasura. Durga is also worshipped as Shakti, and beautiful idols of the Mother Goddess adorn elaborate pandals (small tents) for five days (starting from the fifth day of Navratri). On the tenth day of the celebrations, the idols are carried out in colourful processions to be immersed (visarjan) in a river or a pond.

In the state of Punjab, people usually fast during this period, for seven days, and on Ashtami, the eighth day, devotees break their fast by worshipping young girls who are supposed to be representatives of the Goddess herself by offering them the traditional puris (sort of deep-fried Indian bread), halwa (a dessert primarily made of flour and sugar), chanas (Bengal gram) and red chunnis (long scarves). In this region, the festival is predominantly linked with harvest. This is the time of the khetri, (wheat grown in pots in the urban context) that is worshipped in homes, and whose seedlings are given to devotees as blessings from God.

In the state of Gujarat, The Garbha dance is performed around a pot containing a lamp. The word "Garbha" by which the pot as well as the dance is known is etymologically close to the word Garbha meaning womb. In this context the lamp in the pot, symbolically represent life within a womb. Another prevalent practice is of sowing pulses, cereals and other seeds on the first day of this festival in a pot, which is watered for nine days at the end of which the seeds sprout. This pot is worshipped throughout the nine days. This custom is also indicative of fertility worship.

Celebrations in South India

In the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the festival of Navratri is celebrated in a different manner. Women adorn their houses with dolls (Bommai Kolu), draw traditional designs or rangolis (patterns made on the floor by using various coloured powders and flowers), and light lamps. During this festival (also known as Kolu in the state of Tamil Nadu), families proudly display traditional wooden dolls and gather to sing songs and depict scenes from the various epics, for a period of ten days. Another runaway hit is the sundal, a special sweet made from lentil and brown sugar. Families and friends exchange the traditional gifts of coconuts, clothes and sweets on this occasion.

Ayudha Puja

The ninth day is also the day of the Ayudha Puja. The Ayudha Puja is a worship of whatever implements one may use in one's livelihood. On the preceding evening, it is traditional to place these implements on an altar to the Divine. If one can make a conscious effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will help one to see one's work as an offering to God. It will also help one to maintain constant remembrance of the divine. (In India it is customary for one to prostrate before the tools one will use before starting one's work each day; this is an expression of gratitude to God for helping one to fulfil one's duties.) This is also a day of rest for the machines or tools. Children traditionally place their study books and writing implements on the altar. On this day, no work or study is done, that one might spend the day in contemplation of the Divine.

Vidyarambham

Hindus consider knowledge to be sacred and consider knowledge to be bestowed b. The ceremony of Vidyarambham (Vidya means "knowledge" , arambham means "beginning') for the children is held on Vijayadashami (the last day of Navaratri) day. Initiation into the world of alphabets usually begins with the writing of the mantra "Om hari sri ganapataye namah" Hari refers to the Lord, sri, to prosperity. Initially, the mantra is written on sand or in a tray of rice grains. Then, the master/teacher/elder would write the mantra on the child's tongue with gold. Writing on sand denotes practice. Writing on grains denotes the acquisition of knowledge, which leads to prosperity. Writing on the tongue with gold invokes the grace of the Goddess of Learning, by which one attains the wealth of true knowledge.

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about temple

Vijayawada
HistoryVijayawada is known in mythology as Vijayavata, and is mentioned in some inscriptions as Rajendracholapura also. it is a famous place of pilgrimage on the river Krishna, and 'has a temple dedicated to Lord Siva in his aspect of Malleswara or Jayasena. The origin or installation of Kanaka - durga Devi at Vijayawada is unknown. She is said to be Swayambu or selfmanifest. She also takes the aspect of Chandi or destroyer of the demon Durgama who was causing havoc among the peace - loving inhabitants of Dakshinapatha.The installation of Vijayeswara is said to have been done by Arjuna, one of the Pancha Pandavas, to commemorate his victory with Lord Siva in the shape of Kirata or hunter. The place Vijayawada is surrounded by many hillocks and the most important of them is Seethanagaram, while the less important is called the Kanakadurga or Kanaka konda. On the southern side of the Kanakadurga temple, is a hillock with sculptures bearing inscriptions, indicating the names of Gods and Goddesses cut below them. Most of these figures are forms of the Goddess in her aspect of Durga, which are dealt with in the Mantra Sastras. Traditionally these hills were originally continuous and at the command of the Lord, they got separated, making enough space for the river Krishna to pass through. One of these hills is called Indrakila, which is a famous hill mentioned in the Mahabharata as the place where the Pandava hero Arjuna obtained from Lord Siva an important weapon called Pasupatastra. The aspect of Lord Siva who appeared before Arjuna for granting him the boon is Kirata or the hunter. Bharavi in his celebrated Kavya "The Kirtarjuneeya" has immortalized this. The temple of Vijayeswara is attributed to Arjuna to commemorate the event of obtaining Pasupatha. The shrine has the representation of this and many other events of the Mahabharata commemorated in sculpture. It is stated that, prior to the Kaliyuga, the sage Agasthya had named the Lord at Vijayawada as Jayasena.The Mahabharata hero Arjuna, who was a great wrestler or Mallayoddha, called the Lord as Malleswara. Thus famous Lord Siva so goes the legend, graces with his presence and blesses the town Vijayawada on the banks of the sacred Krishna River. There is an inscription in the temple, of the 9th century A.D., in the usual Telugu script. The inscription is strangely recorded from bottom upwards. Its purpose is to say that a certain Thrikoti Boyi or Trikoti Boyu, the son of Kaliyama-Boy of Pechchevada, set up the pillar as a commemoration of his own fame, in order to secure distinction for his race. The Thrikoti Boyi is identified in the inscription with a Guhyaka Yaksha, who in Dwaparayuga was directed by Indra to direct Arjuna to Indrakila hill, where Arjuna should worship the Lord Siva in order to obtain Pasupatha from him.Besides being a religious centre, Vijayawada is also the very centre of Andhra culture. The Chalukyas of Kalyan once conquered this place, and the famous Chinese Hu-yan-Tsang had visited this place in 639 A.D. when Buddhism was at its zenith. How the place got its name? The legend is as follows: During their wanderings in the forest, the Pancha Pandavas came to Darukavana, where Vedavyasa met them, and told them that one of them should perform Tapascharya in praise of Lord Siva, and obtain from him, the Pasupatastra as a boon, so that they may easily conquer their enemies. Arjuna was chosen for this task and be betook himself to the top of the Indrakila hill (which is said to be the same as the Indrakila hill of Vijayawada) and was performing intense Tapascharya, with his arms upraised, and standing on one foot, and surrounded by the Pancha Agnis or five fires, with four artificial fires around him, and the fifth being the Sun God himself above him. Being pleased with the great Tapascharya of Arjuna, Lord Siva wanted to further test his sincerity, before granting him the desired boon, and therefore took the form of a Kirata or hunter. Parvati also dressed herself as a huntress and the Sivagana of the Lord also came in several disguises. Accompanied by all these, Lord Siva was hunting on the Indrakila bill, driving a wild boar in front of him. The wild boar came to the side of Arjuna, and Arjuna being a great warrior, took up his bow, and shot it with a single arrow. At the same time, Lord Siva who was following it also shot it with an arrow, and being struck by both the arrows, the boar fell down dead in the middle. Both the Lord and Arjuna claimed the boar as their kill, and a controversy arose between them, as to whom the boar should belong. Words led to physical quarrel shortly, and the Lord and Arjuna began to wrestle with each other. An experienced and powerful wrestler though he was, Arjuna was no match before the Lord himself, and was soon exhausted. Even in the midst of that desperate struggle, he never lost his one-pointedness of mind and devotion to the Lord.To invoke divine aid in his favor, he made a Shivalinga out of the earth, worshipped it, and offered prayers to it. He saw the flowers, with which he worshipped the Linga, as physically falling on the hunter before him and he thereupon realised that the hunter was none other than the Lord himself. The hunter immediately disappeared and the Lord appeared himself before Arjuna, in all HIS glory. Arjuna prayed to HIM and his prayer was granted, and Pasupathastra was given to him by Lord Siva, As a commemoration of this great event, Arjuna is supposed to have installed the Vijayeswara temple here, in the Indrakila hill. In the Indrakila there are several rock-cut temples. These were supposed originally to be ancient temples, but during the course of time, they were completely buried under debris. When quarrying for stone and road metal was done, they were revealed, and the rock-out temples were preserved as protected monuments.

about templae

The Goddess in the form of the Universal Mother is worshiped for nine nights and hence the name nava-ratri. On the tenth day, the festival comes to an end with a special puja called Vijaya Dasami, the tenth day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Ashwayuja or Ashwina.



The Legend ACCORDING TO THE INDIAN MYTHOLOGY Mahishasura, the king of Asuras, through years of austerities, was once granted a boon by Lord Bramha, that no man or deity would be able to kill him. The immense power filled in him the urge to rule over the world. He started to terrorize heaven and the inhabitants. He pervaded the world with his battalion of Asuras and plundered and ruthlessly killed the people. Chaos and anarchy reigned. Gods were driven from heaven and Mahishasura usurped the throne.
The Gods scared and unable to combat him, requested Lord Shiva, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu to stop Mahishasura's tyranny. In answer, the three Gods combined their divine energy and summoned up a feminine form so brilliantly glaring that it illuminated the heavens. From the glow emerged Devi Durga, a beautiful yellow woman with ten arms riding a lion. Despite her grace she bore a menacing expression, for Durga was born to kill. Fully grown and beautiful Durga was immediately armed by the gods and sent forth against Mahishasura bearing in each of her ten hands, symbols of their divine power.
Vishnu's discus; Shiva's trident; Varuna's conchshell; Agni's flaming dart; Vayu's bow; Surya's quiver and arrow; Yama's iron rod; Indra's thunderbolt; Kubera's club and a garland of snakes from Shesha and a lion as a charger from Himalayas. A fierce battle took place. Finally when Mahishasura in the guise of a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi beheaded the buffalo and from it emerge Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the trident and relieved the world from the evil power. That is why she is 'Durgatinashini Durga', our mother goddess who destroys the evil, protects her devotees and establishes peace and prosperity on earth.

According to mythology it is believed that the Puja was first started by Rama who invoked Her blessings before setting for the battle against Ravana.
Temple in Vijayawada The city of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh is home to three distinctive temples - the Kanakadurga temple, the Malleswara temple and the Vijayeswara temple. Near Vijayawada is the hill temple complex of Mangalagiri dedicated to Narasimha.
Historically the Malleswara temple goes back to the period of the Tribhuvana Malla, a Chalukyan ruler of the 10th century CE. The Malleswara temple enshrines a Shivalingam believed to have been held in worship by the sage Agastya. Legend also has it that this temple was established by the Pandava prince Yuddhishtra. It is believed that the Lakshmi Narasimha temple at the foothills of Mangalagiri nearby was also built by Yuddhishtra the Pandava prince, and that the Vijayeswara temple was founded by Arjuna.
It is believed that Agastya worshipped Shiva at this temple as Jayasena, while Arjuna worshipped him as Malleswara.

The Indrakila hill in Vijayawada is said to be associated with the legend of Arjuna (Vijaya) obtaining the Pasupataastram from Shiva. The Vijayeswara temple has this and many other such legends illustrated in stone sculpture.

The Kanakadurga temple is a well visited temple in Vijayawada enshrining the Chandi or the Durga aspect of Shakti. The spiritual leader Aadi Sankara is believed to have visited this shrine and installed a Sree Chakra.

Lord Bramaramba MalleswaraTemple Of Kanakadurga Legend has it that Arjuna, of the epic Mahabharata, prayed on top of Indrakiladri hill and won the blessings from Lord Shiva. The name of 'Vijayawada' is derived from this 'Vijaya' - victory. Kanaka Durga, goddess of power, riches and benevolence is considered the presiding deity of Vijayawada. The temple is set on Indrakiladri hill. A temple of Lord Maheswara is also within the city area. It is said that Adi Sankara visited this temple and installed Sri Chakra here. Special celebrations are held during Dussehra festival. At the Kanakadurga temple, the enchanting four-foot high icon of the deity gleams into sight even before one enters the garbha griha. The goddess with eight hands and equipped with eight powerful weapons is seen in a standing posture over the demon Mahishashura and piercing him with her trident. The Goddess bedecked in glittering ornaments and floral decorations is the epitome of beauty. Devotees worship goddess Kanakadurga to bestow them with health, wealth and prosperity. The temple authorities at the Kanakadurgeswari shrine have made elaborate arrangements for devotees to have darshan from different points. The first is the special darshan from within the sanctum sanctorum in close proximity of the deity and the second special darshan is from just outside the sanctum sanctorum. The third type of darshan is from a distance. Chanting of mantras and devotional music euphonises the air in the mornings creating a serene atmosphere.



`Mula Nakshtram', the `Janma Nakshtram' of the goddess.

First friday of Shravana Month (Shravana Masam) is considered very holy and scores of devotees throng the temple on that day

SRI DURGA MALLESWARA SWAMY TEMPLE

The temple of Kanaka Durga the Goddess of power, riches and benevolence and the presiding deity of Vijayawada, is swarmed by lakhs of pilgrims for worship during the “Navarathri” festival which is celebrated with Religious fervour, pomp and festivity. The small but ancient temple of Kanaka Durga , a top the Indrakeeladri hill on the banks of the Sacred river Krishna in Vijayawada abounds with legends of historical interest.

Indrakeeladri is unique in that it has been the chosen abode of Kanaka Durga and Her consort Malleswara as Swayambhu (the self-existent one). Here Durga is one the right side of Malleswara as against the tradition of Goddesses taking their position on the left of their consorts. This shows that Shakthi is predominant on the Indrakeeladri.

Legend has it that the demons acquired great powers by appeasing the Gods and began harassing the sages on the earth. Goddess Parvathi assumed various forms to kill these demons. It was kausiki to kill Sumbhu and Nisambhu, Mahisasura Mardini to kill Mahishasura and Durga to kill Durgamasura. “Kanaka Durga because she was aglow with golden hues, and prayed Her to stay on earth and bless them. Kanaka Durga asked Keeludu an ardent devotee to take the form of hill to enable Her stay on him. Thus Keeladri became the abode of Durga. She took the form of Mahisasura Mardini with eight arms holding different weapons, riding on a lion and trampling Mahishasura on the hill of Indrakeeladri. Her consort Shiva took his place on an adjacent hillrock as Jyothirlinga. He was worshipped by Lord Brahma with jasmines (Mallelu) whereby he got the name of Malleswara Swamy. As celestial beings like Indra visited the place, the hill came to be called Indrakeeladri.

Here it was according to another legend, that Arjuna performed penance and fought with Lord Shiva, who had appeared in the guise of Kiratha to win pasupathastra, the most powerful weapon. So this place is also called phalguna theertha.

When Indrakeeladri came in the way of the River Krishna the Gods requested the hill to allow the river to pass through it to join the sea. Keeludu obliged and gave a small passage for the river. But the ferocious Krishna made the passage larger than permitted and carried a part of the hill four miles downstream to Yanamalakuduru, where there is now a hillrock called “Thelukonda” or floating hillrock. According to another legend, Kanaka Durga borrowed the nose-stud of the Krishna and to avoid returning it jumped up the hill. Krishna vowed to take back her ornament by raising her level to the hill top by the end of kaliyuga.

Adi-Sankaracharya visited the temple and installed the Srichakra and initiated workship of Kanaka Durga in vedic ways.

Hiuan Tsang, a Chinese traveler wrote that he has seen many stone inscriptions in the vicinity of the temple that revealed historic events.

Palakethu Bhupaludu made two inscriptions in the period 1150-1240 A.D. One related to unimpeaching Madhava Varma the ruler of this area. The son of poor women was killed when he fell under the wheels of the chariot of the king’s son.

When she sought justice, Madhava Varma’s advisers said that he should be punished with death. But they felt that the offender being the son of the king, could be spared the punishment. When Madhava Varma shown his impartiality by punishing his son with death, there rained gold on Vijayawada and both the boys were blessed to live again.

In yet another incident Malleswara stood by one of his staunch devotees Sripathi Pandithaiah, who believed there was no other God by Malleswara; and his stubbornness made the people ostracize him and he was even refused fire. The enraged Pandithaiah sought the blessings of Malleswara and cursed the people that they would not get fire any more, for he had taken possession of it, packed it in a silk cloth and hung it on a branch of a Sami Vriksham. The people had to apologise to Pandithaiah at the instance of their King, to get back the fire.

The nine-day festival of Navarathri ends on Vijaya Dasami Day when people worship arms and perform ayudha Pooja. Local chieftains used to celebrate the festival with pomp. Once a police officer refused them permission to display their arms on Vijaya Dasami day. He got a cable from that he was dismissed from service following many complaints against him. Terrified by the events, the Officer not only permitted the people to celebrate Vijaya Dasami but also took part in it. Later he got another cable canceling his dismissal order. Thenceforth, it became a tradition for policemen to celebrate Vijaya Dasami, which is still in vogue.

Kanaka Durga is specially decorated as Balatripura Sundari, Gayathri Annapoorna. Mahalakshmi, Saraswathi, Lalitha Tripura Sundari, Durga Devi, Mahissura Mardini and Raja Rajeswari Devi on each day of the Narvarathri festival. On Vijaya Dasami day, the deities are taken in a swan-shaped boat around the Krishna river, popularity known as “Theppotsavam”.

Though a ghat road was laid in 1969, most of the pilgrims prefer to climb the steps leading to the temple an arduons task for women and children. Some devotees climb the hill, decorating the steps with turmeric powder and vermilion to redeem their pledge of Metla Pooja.

The number of pilgrims visiting the temple has been ever increasing and its present annual income is touching Forty Crores. A second prakara Mandapam is constructed with first floor on the North and West, besides under taking several other works for beautification and public convenience.

For the first time in the living memory “Sathachandiyagam” was performed in the temple from 28-12-1987 to 2-1-1988, for the benefit of mankind, as also to protect them from all evils.

This temple is under the administrative control of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, and is presently managed by an Executive Officer of the rank of Joint Commissioner of Endowments.

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