AMARAVATHI : AMARALINGESWARA SWAMY DARSHANAM

Around 9 pm we are in the temple of Amaravathi Amaralingeswara swamy.  The Shiva lingam here is seen outside with a height of about 9 feet but we had alread climbed a stair case and the shivalingam pana vattam is inside that can not be visited as it is completely covered within the basement. The temple has a great historic and spiritual   values as we undergo a feeling of oneness with the almighty.  Since it was night 9 pm Darshan was easy fairly.  But, in the morning hours it is understood that the rush was maximum at Amaravathi.  I prayed to Amaralingeswara swamy for the health, wealth and propserity of my three beloved children.  Pramide and vattulu with nuvvula noone I took inside the temple and did perform Deeparadhaa near the left cornerside shiva temple. Here the Godss Bala Chamundi is located adjacent to the main Shivalingam garbhagruha.

SOMESWARA SWAMY : GUNUPUDI, BHMAVARAM

From Palakollu we started at 2 pm and reached next temple of phancharamas at Gunupudi, near Bhimavaram in just 25 minutes. Prathista of this Shiva lingam is by Chandra so the name Someswaralayam. First I went upstairs and had darshan of AnnapurnaDevi.  Then, i came down and found 20 rupees ticket for seegra darshan. The croud outside the barricade has not been managed so, it was very difficult to get inside the que and into the barricade area. Once I reached inside the barricade area then there was not much of difficulty. It took about 1 hr to have darshan. Infornt of the main Soma linga on the right side is Goddess Parvathi.  Here the newly married young girls are carrying shama dumpala mokka, pasupu mokka (Plants) brown color gummadi kaya and other pooja samagri inside the temple these ae given to the poojari of the Parvathi ammavaru and with dakshina of 100  rupees.  It is the tradition that in the first year after marriage the newly wed bride should come to the temple with the above materials and plants to perform the Pooja.  The shivalangam here is about 2 feet height just as the Ramalingeswara swamy lingam at Palakollu. From Bhimavaram we started at 4: 50 pm. and reached Amaravathi around 8:45 pm.  Darshan of Amaralingeswara swamy is another interestin and important event of our Pancharama darshana.

PALAKOLLU : RAMALIGESWARA SWAMY : KSHIRARAMAM

At 9 am we started our journey to Draksharamam and visited the Bhimeswara swamy temple.  It has taken the longest time nearly 3 hours as it was the peak time and  also Drksharamam is also more popular next only to Amaravathi. Since I have already described performing ABHISHEKAM couple of moths ago, in relted blog,  l will write about the next temple that we visited that is Palakollu Ramalingeswara swamy.  As I enetered the Ramalingeswara swamy temple, Poojari approached me and told me that he will perform Abhishekam.  I took necessary Milk and archana samagri and proceeded along with him.  Poojari took us to the place near to the place where they only can enter (special door towards the rear side of the temple) and performed the slokas with markandeya Gotram and my sons Anil, Venkat and my daughter Rohini      and all near and dear were blessed by the Poojari.  This is done outside the Garbha gudi.  Then he took me and other two families also inside very near to the Shivalangam garbha gudi.  As Poojari was performing the Abhishekam I prayed to the Lord to bless all my  three children and particularly to bless my daughter with  putra santhanam.  After coming out I took blessing from the Poojar touching his feet and dakshina (Rs.20 only). He gave me the co-conut with milk that is the ksheera (milk) from the abhisheka Jala along with beetle leaves.  After taking it to the bus, I have given it to bot the drivers as theertham.  Both of them have become friends as they were intially introduced to me by Srinivas (Babai of my son-in-law who is their collegue.  In fact, Srinivas has booked the ticket for me as it was very difficult to get the booking 2 days in advance.  Many booked their tickets as early as 1 or 2 weeks in advance.    KSHIRABHISHEKAM at Palakollu has been the most satisfying Pooja that I have had in the Pancharamas.  I also took Ghee and 364 vattulu and lighted the deeparadhana in a earthen Pramida at Palakollu.  Almost in all the places I performed the Deeparadhana and prayed to the Lord to bless my children with peaceand prosperity. 

  

PANCHARAMA TEMPLES

SAMARLAKOTA :

KUMARARAMA BHIMESWARUDU

THE TEMPLE of Kumara Rama Bhimeswarudu is located near to Kakinada. Samarla kota is railway junction about 10 kms from Kakinada town. We have boarded APS RTC bus at 9 PM on Sunday night 1st Nov. 2009 on Pancharama darshan and reached Kovvuru Goshpada Godavari at 3 am early hours on 2  Nov. 2009. The locals called it GOPADA instead of Goshpada as is written on the boards.  The river is clean and the bathing place is clean with white sand layer spread on top of the stone stair case.  First  took the Cow ghee packet, deeparadhana vatthulu and banana stem just below the leafy portion that served like Kundulu and match box.  I lighted 5 vattulu with the Cow ghee on top of the small banana trunk opposite the godavari river on a stair nearer to the waters.  I took bath and changed my clothes.  Went for darshan of SUNDARESWARA SWAMY  AND MATHA CHAMUNDI DEVI (PARVATHI).

From there we proceeded to Samarla kota and reached by 7 am.  Since we have already finished bath at Kovvuuru straight we headed for darshan.  There are two stairs and first I went to the ground floor where the Shiva linga Peetam is worshipped.  TheLingam in samarlakota is white in color where as the DRAKSHARAMAM  SHIVALANGAM OF nearly same height is black.  Since it is Kartika somavaram and full moon day the devotees thronged all over and it has taken more than hour to reach the upper stair where the Shivalingam abhishekam is done.  I gave the coconut to the Poojari and had satisfactory darshanam  and returned.  I bought a book of Pancharamas for Rs.15.

SRI LAKSHMI NARASIMHASWAMY TEMPLE, ANTARVEDI, EAST GODAVARI

In the year 2000 around october month I visited Amalapuram to see my daughter studying in B Tech.  Exams are near however, she has taken time to show me the nearby Lakshmi Narasimha swamy temple in Antarvdie by a short boat ride of  half an hour.  The place is just the meeting point of  One of the Sapta Godavari known as Vasista Godavari with the Hindu Maha Samudram (Bay of Bengal). The temple is with colourful images of the devi devathas and very beautiful.  We prayed to the Lord for the sucess inher exams and for good health and propsperity.

      I had already spend three days in Chirala to perform rituals as  my mother-in-law passed away shortly before. So, I already exhausted my one week leave thus, proceededimmediately to Kanpur where I was working at that time.  My wife (being house wife, she visted the place after the 9th day ceremony of her mother) and remained with our daughter for a few more days.

Mysore Chamundeswari temple, brindavan gardens and Mysore Maharaja Palace

The Last night at 12 : 40 am  I reached Bangalore Kempegowda busstand and did not find any alternative, so, I travvelled to Mysore by KSRTC Bus and spend away the night time in the bus. as i reached it was 5 am and then took a room in near by hotel. trip by hired swaraj mazda bus was arranged by the hotel fellows at a cost of 140/- +160/- i.e. 300/- started at about 9:00 am and returned by 9 pm.  Mahishasura mardini or chamundeswari temple is oneof the main attractions. mysore maharaja palace, tipus srirangapatnam were also shown. mysore maharaja palace and museum are two other interesting things. lastly the brindavan garden is the final attraction and the musical fountain has shown the best features.