Amararama Temple : One of the five Pancharama Kshetrams

Important information

Address : Amaravathi, Andhra Pradesh 522020
Open and Close Timings : 06:00 am to 01:00 pm and 04:00 to 08:00 pm.
Nearest Railway Station: Vijayawada Junction at a distance of nearly 38.4 kilometres from Amararama Temple.
Nearest Airport: Vijayawada Airport at a distance of nearly 58.1 kilometres from Amararama Temple.
Did you know: According to legend, the Shivlinga was increasing in size and to stop it, a nail was hammered into its top. When the nail penetrated the Shivlinga, it began to bleed.

Amararam, considered one of the Pancharama Kshetras, is extremely sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is located in the town of Amaravati in the Palnadu district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the Amararam temple as Amareshwara Swamy or Amaralingeswara Swamy. The temple is located on the southern bank of the Krishna River and Lord Amareshwara Swamy is worshipped along with his wife Bala Chamundika. According to mythological belief, the Shivlinga of this temple was installed by Lord Indra.

Feature of Shivlinga

The specialty of the Shivlinga of Amararam is that it is so high that the priest has to stand on a pedestal and perform daily rituals and abhishekam. There is a red mark on the top of the Shivlinga, which is associated with a legend. It is said that the size of the Shivlinga was increasing and a nail was hammered on its top to stop it. When the nail got embedded in the Shivlinga, it started bleeding.

Temple renovation

The temple's gopuram (main entrance) has been reconstructed as its walls had developed cracks due to the passage of heavy vehicles. It was rebuilt at a cost of Rs 1.56 crore. Earlier, the temple was also renovated by the local ruler Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu in 1796. At that time, 1800-year-old antiquities were found while digging the foundation.

Historical background

Several legends link together the five Pancharama temples dedicated to Shiva. It is believed that the Shivalinga that broke into five pieces was very large and the largest of the five pieces is a fifteen foot tall pillar of white marble, which is worshipped as Amareswara in the Amaravati temple. Legend has it that it was installed by Indra, the king of gods, Brihaspati, the guru of gods and Shukra, the guru of demons.

Maharaja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu, the king of Chintapalli and later Dharanikota, was a great devotee of Amareshwara. He expanded and renovated the temple. According to a popular legend, the king had to massacre the people of the Chenchus tribe while suppressing a rebellion, which caused him to lose his mental peace. He regained peace only when he came to Amaravati. In 1796, he shifted from Chintapalli to Amaravati and dedicated his entire life, time and money to the temple of Lord Shiva. He renovated the temple, appointed nine learned priests and provided them with all the necessary facilities including 12 acres of land. The temple of today is grateful to his contribution.

According to legend, the demon king named Tarakasura defeated the gods after receiving a boon from Lord Shiva. Shiva vowed to kill the demons and so the gods came to reside here and since then the place is called Amaravati. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Amareshwara along with his wife Bala Chamundika. Srikrishnadevaraya visited this temple after the battle of Kodapalli.

Architecture

The walls of the Amaravati temple bear inscriptions of the Kota chiefs of Amaravati and the Vijayanagara emperor Srikrishnadevaraya. On one of the pillars of the Mukhamantapa (main mandapa) there is an inscription of the wife of Proli Naidu, who was a minister of Kota king Ketaraj.

Festivals and Celebrations

Major festivals like Mahashivratri, Magha Bahula Dashami, Navratri and Kalyana Utsav are celebrated in the temple. Amaravati is an important place of worship located on the banks of the Krishna River and has special significance in Hinduism.

Transport Facility

The Amararam temple is located at a distance of 40 km from Guntur. The state-run APSRTC runs bus services to this temple from Guntur, Vijayawada and Mangalagiri, making it easier for devotees to reach the temple.

Amaraaram is famous for its sanctity, history and architecture. The place is not only important from a religious point of view but also historically and culturally. Visiting this holy abode of Lord Shiva gives devotees immense peace and blessings.