Friday, October 8, 2010
Annavaram most popular temples in Andhra Pradesh
Annavaram
Annavaram is in the Chennai to Howrah main railway line. Annavaram is situated 32 Km from Pithapuram, 51 Km from Kakinada and 72 Km from Rajahmundry.It is famous for Lord Veera Venkata Satya Narayana Swamy temple, situated atop the Ratnagiri Hills on the banks of the river Pampa.
One of the most popular temples in Andhra Pradesh, a unique Yanthra based on Tripad Vibhuti Narayan Upanishad exists here. The shrine is constructed in two storey, the lower one containing the Yantra and upper one housing vigrahas of the Lord.The idol which is about 4 metres high is in cylindrical form.The base in the lower sanctum represents Lord Vishnu and the middle portion represents Lord Shiva. The image of the deity forming a single idol and representing the Hindu Trinity is of unique attraction.
In this temple premises, there is a sun dial which shows the Indian Standard Time.The Kalyana Mahotsavam of the deity during May attracts thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the State.
Temple History
The hillock by the side of the village is considered to be very sacred. Meruvu the Lord of the hills and his consort Menaka did great penance and begot two sons by the grace of Lord Vishnu. One was named Bhadra and the other Ratnakara. Bhadra pleased Lord Vishnu with his devotion and penance and with his grace became Bhadrachalam on which Lord Sri Rama had permanently settled. Ratnakara desired to emulate his brother and succeeded in pleasing Lord Vishnu by his penance to settle on him as Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy, Ratnakara remaining as Ratnagiri hill.
The temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy is the main temple on the Ratnagiri hill. There is also a temple of Sri Rama and the shrines of Vanadurga and Kanaka Durga nearby. The temple of gramadevatha (village deity) is in the village at the foot of the hill.
It is said that Raja I.V.Ramanarayanam,the then zamindar of Gorsa and Kirlampudi estates, having been ordained by the Lord in his dream, traced the idol on the hill, worshipped it and installed it at the present spot on sravana suddha vidhiya of the telugu year Khara, 1891. The hillock it self is about 300ft above sea level, green fields all-round the hills and the pampa river encircling Ratnagiri. About 460 well laid stone steps leads to the top of it.
“The main temple constructed in the form of a chariot with the four wheels at each of the four corners. In front of the main temple is the kalyana mantapa, constructed and decorated with modern pieces of architecture. As we go down the way, we come across Ramalaya and then the shrines of Vana Durga and Kanaka Durga.
The Akriti of any temple is, according to the Agni Purana, merely a manifestation of the Prakriti. According to this the chariot of the temple is intended as a symbol of the Seven Lokas and the seven Lokhas above with, the garbhalaya of the Lord, at the heart’s center ruling over the entire Universe.
The temple at Annavaram has been constructed to depict this idea concretely. The front side of the temple depicts the chariot. The Meru on the floor with the pillar at the center, and the idols at the top are intended to bring forth the idea that the Lord not only remains at the heart’s center but also permeates the entire universe. The wheels depicting the Sun and the Moon serve to remind us that this Juggernaut moves on the wheels of time, and goes on for ever and ever, Thus the Annavaram temple satisfies both the ritualistic values and the spiritual aspirations of the devotees.”
Festivals
* Telugu New Year's day on Chaitra Suddha Padyami (March-April).
* Sita Rama Kalyanam on Chaitra Suddha Navami (March - April).
* Sri Krishna Jayanti on Sravana Bahula Ashtami (July - August).
* The Lord's Jayanti on Sravana Suddha Vidiya (July - August).
* Ganapathi Navarathrulu in Bhadrapadam (August - September).
* Sarannavarathrulu in Asviyujam (September - October).
* Kanaka Durga Jatara on Vaisakha Suddha Panchami (April - May).
* Giripradakshinam on Karthika Suddha Purnima (October - November).
* Jwalatoranam in Karthikam (October - November).
Accommodation
- Devastanam Cottages are available on the hills.
| Sri Satyanikethan Choultry | 64 Rooms |
| Vana Durga Choultry | 12 Rooms |
| V.I.P. Rooms | 6 Rooms |
| Paying Guest House | 6 Rooms |
| Sri Satya Deva Guest House(S.S.G.H.) | 60 Rooms |
| Sri Sita Rama Choultry (S.R.C) | 94 Rooms |
| T.T.D Choultry | 21 Rooms |
| Centenary Cottage | 64 Rooms |
| Prakash Sadan | 86 Rooms |
| Ratanagiri Choultry | 11 Rooms |
| Satya Surya Choultry | 34 Rooms |
| Eswara Guest House | 2 Suites |
| Vinayaka Guest House | 2 Suites |
| Piligrim Rest House | 2 Halls |
| Locker for Piligrim Facility | 328 Nos |
| Mats for Piligrim Facility | 27 Nos |
Temple Authorities:
Executive Officer
Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Devasthanam
Annavaram
Sankhavaram Mandal.
East Godavari District
Pin : 533 406
Route Map
How to Reach the Temple
Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamyvari Devasthanam, Annavaram is well connected by both Rail and Roadways. It is Situated at a distance of 3KM from A.V.M Railway Station, the Vijayawada –Visakhapatanam Line of the Southern Railway. Madras to Calcutta, NH-5 Road is going via Annavaram. Regular Bus service is available from all near by towns.
- Devasthanam Buses
- 2 buses run from Rajhamndary to up hill both sides by 1pm to 2pm
- APSRTC Buses
- A.P.S.R.T.C Buses every Half An Hour Via Annavaram to Rajhamandry to Visakhapatanam vise versa.
- Every 15 mintus buses available Tuni to Kakinada via Annavaram and surroundings Villages vise versa.
- Most of the trains passing between Kolkatta - Vijayawada line will stop at Annavaram Station
- Detailed train timings at Annavaram Station.
- The nearest Airport is situated at Visakhapatnam. Annavaram is at a 3hrs distance from Visakhapatnam. APSRTC runs buses via Annavaram every half an hour
The Shirdi Saibaba Temple, located at Shirdi, Maharashtra, India
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The Shirdi Saibaba Temple, located at Shirdi, Maharashtra, India attracts millions of devotees of all religions, castes and creed who come to pay homage to Shri Sai Baba. The temple is a beautiful shrine that was built over the Samadhi of Shri Sai Baba.
SAI BABA
Long time ago, at the beginning of eighteenth century a young bearded man with sparkling eyes took shelter in a mosque, in Shirdi Village (of Maharshtra State, In India) . Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there.
Gradually the curious villagers started offering food to the man, but he never asked anything from them. Sometimes he shared his food with the animals. Soon the young fakir, as he was started to be addressed, started expressing his view points with few elderly villagers. His simple language of expresssion and his special power of solving the problems of poor needy and destitutes soon made this less known fakir, known as Shri Sai Baba. As the days passed, devotees started streaming into Shirdi in ever growing numbers. The village was fast becoming a centre of pilgrimage. As gifts and presentations flowed in, the pomp and ceremony of Sai worship were evolving. Everyday Sai Baba would be a pauper having distributed all among the needy and the poor. But Sai Baba's life of a Fakir remained calm, undisturbed, unaltered and therein is the saint's Spiritual glory.
People also realised that this "Baba" was no ordinary person but a person with extraordinary godly powers. Such powers are not known or present in normal human beings. Baba preached his principle of love and faith in humanity to all his disciples. He always felt anguished over the fact that all those who came to him were more for their own personal problems and not for attaining the ultimate goal of reaching God which he felt could be attained only by true servicing of humanity.
Sai baba strongly believed in uniformity of religion and he never distinguished anyone on the basis of caste, creed or religion. He always made it a point not to return empty handed those who had come to him in their hour of need and grief. He performed miracles to alleviate the suffering of poor people. On one occasion he restored the eyes of a blind elderly and in another occasion he lighted a lantern with water when there was no oil to burn it.
As all good things have to end ultimately "Baba" also left his body on his own will on 15th Oct. 1918, leaving his millions of believers and followers crying. His body was laid in the Samadhi Mandir called "Booty", which he had asked his disciple to built before his death.
Sai Baba was Unique, in that, he lived his message through the Essence of his Being. His life and relationship with the common man was his teaching. The lmmense Energy that was manifest in the body of Sai was moving and is still moving in a mysterious way, creating and recreating itself everywhere, beyond the comprehension of time and space.Yet, he lived with the common folk as a penniless fakir, wearing a torn kafni, sleeping over a mat while resting his head on a brick, begging for his food. He radiated a mysterious smile and a deep inward look, of a peace that passeth all understanding. He was always and ever aware of what transpired within the hearts and minds of everyone, whether they be, His devotees or not. This Omnipresent and Omniscient Sri Sai Baba who left his mortal body in 1918, is the living spiritual force that is drawing people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, into his fold, today.Sri Sai Baba lived, acted and behaved as only a "God descended on Earth" can. He came to serve mankind, to free them from the clutches of fear.
His most concise message for one and all alike was "Why fear when I am here". To take refuge in Sai, is to enter into ajourney to reach the Divine Oasis of Love and drink deep from the Fountain of Life, the source of all Spiritual Energy.Wherever the devotee is, Baba makes him recognize within himself his highest aspirations and goal and at one stroke, his conduct and the attitude to fellow beings is touched with the awareness of love, understanding, patience and faith. This is the promise that Sri Sai Baba holds out to all who come to Him. Sri Sai Baba was beyond the limitations of Time and Space and thus caste, creed, position dogmas and doctrines were fundamentally unimportant to him. Nobody really knew his parentage, where he came from or which religion he practised. He claimed no possessions nor accepted any disciples or gave any specific teaching.
This anonymity lent a strange facet to his interaction with the people who came to him for guidance. To the Hindus he was an orthodox Brahmin, with a sacred fire, enjoining the worship of many gods and the devout study of various Hindu scriptures. He lived in a mosque but always referred to it as "Dwarkamay!" (Lord Krishna's birth place is Dwaraka). To the Moslems he was a fakir living in a mosque observing the disciplines of Islam, uttering "Allah Malik" (God is the master) guiding Muslim seekers along the lines c)f their own religion. To the Parsis he was the sacred rire worshipper. His life was a living manifestation c)f the Sermon of the Christ and of the Eight-fold path of the Buddha.
Sai Baba's attraction and appeal lie in this fact that he was a perfect model of the harmony of all religions, for whom this world - with all its sectarian and religious antagonism, had been waiting. Sai Baba lived to awaken and lead mankind to the varities of spiritual life. He set in motion a wave of spirituality, which is now spreading all over the globe. All his life's activities constituted the upliftment of mankind. By first conferring temporal benefits, he drew unto himself countless souls caught up in ignorance (darkness) and opened their eyes to the true meaning of life. The miracles which manifested through Sai Baba were just such as were needed to create faith in the people and to make his devotees ethically and spiritually better evolved. Baba did not purposefully perform miracles to show his powers. The very strength of his perfect realisation, in its interaction with nature, caused "the miracle" to take place. Thus he drew people from their deluded pursuits after earthly objects of a transitory nature and induced and inspired them to strive for self-realisation. He continued this glorious work until the last moment of his human embodiment in Shirdi.
Amazingly, there are a phenomenally large number of Instances in which Sai Baba has been literally physically appearing before his devotees, even decades after his passing out of the physical body.Sai Baba is constantly and simultaneously proving that he Is alive in spirit and responds to our sincere prayers. He Is the One Spirit of all existence. which is God in all the forms of God, in all the saints, in all the men and in all the creatures.All those who sincerely take to a life of inner development, Sai Baba lifts him to a higher level. Every one derives benefit according to the ripeness o f his soul and in accordance with his inner yearning.Baba assured his devotees by his saying "I am at Shirdi and everywhere. Whatever you do, wherever you may be, ever bear this in mind, that I am always aware of everything". Sai Baba does not belong to any single tradition but to all mankind on the path of goodness, love and understanding
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