Annavaram is one of the most famous Holy Shrines in India and
enjoying second place after Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. The temple is built in
the Dravidian style. The glory and richness of Lord SATYADEVA was widely
described in Revakhanda of Skandapuranam. The presiding deity Lord Satyadeva
with his consort Sri Anantha Lakshmi on one Side and with Lord Siva on the
other side took his abode on Ratnagiri, which is named after Ratnakara, son of
Meru the king of holy mountains. Like in all Divyakshetrams as surrounded and
followed by holy rivers, Sri Satyanarayana Swamy at Annavaram is also followed
by sacred Pampa River touching the feet of the hill. Lord Satyadeva the god of
truth is showering his eternal blessings on mankind in his beautiful manifested
form of the DIVINE TRINITY namely Hari Hara Hiranya Garbha Thrimurtyatmaka.
Hence this is the temple that is attracting the Pilgrims of both Vishanava and
Saiva devotees and thousands of pilgrims from all over the Country are
worshiping Lord Satyadeva every day forgetting all sectional differences.
In the temple premises people find Gosaala ( A Place where
Cows are worshipped). A Sun dial set up which indicates the current time with respect to the Movement of sun.Many newly married couples come here for performing
rituals, a beautiful view of the river.Hindus perform Sri Satyanarayana Vratham
throughout India for wealth, education, prosperity, off spring, relief from
troubles and sickness and success in business. When it came to be known that
Lord Satyanarayana had manifested Himself on the Ratnagiri hills at Annavaram
in unique form combining the Trimurthis viz., Brahma, Vishnu and Siva the
number of pilgrims from far and near swelled to hundreds and thousands. The
average attendance daily is about five thousand now a-days.
Enriched by the installation of SRIMATHRIPATHVIBHUTI VYKHUNTA MAHA NARAYANA
YANTRA, which plays a dominant and important role with the power of attraction
of both money and men (Dhana Janakarsha). The Peetham of Swamyvaru is highly
adorned with the installation of Panchayatana, befitting the glory and sanctity
of the deity.
This
famous yantra is a unique one, the like of which does not exist anywhere else
in India.
STHALAPURANAM
AND STORIES BEHIND THE TEMPLE:
It
is believed that the place was known for constant food distribution (free
feeding) by the benevolent people of the locality and that therefore the place
was called by the name Annavaram(annam means food in Telugu). Another version
is that because the presiding deity of the place blesses the devotees with
anina varam (pronounced or wanted boon), the place is called Annavaram.
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 Ratnakar.
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 Satyanarayanaswamy, Ratnakara
remaining as Ratnagiri (hill). Ratnagiri Hill ranges are said to be connected
with two strategic incidents. Tradition says that Sri Krishadevaraya of
Vijayanagar used the secret underground passages in the hills to attack the
enemy from both sides during his invasion on kalinga kings. The Andhra
revolutionary late Alluri Seetharama Raju had some of the secret quarters for
himself and his followers in these hill ranges, when he rebelled against the
British Rule.
The temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayanaswamy is the main temple on the
Ratnagiri hill. There are also a temple of Sri Rama and the shrines of Vana
Durga and Kanaka Durga nearby. The temple of gramadevatha"Nerellamma"
(village deity) is in the village at the foot of the hill.
It is said that one Brahmin of the village by name Earanki prakasam got a dream
wherein lord appeared and told him that his vigraha was left abondened on the
hill without worship and they shall trace it and reconsecrate it. That Brahmin
informed the said fact to Sri Raja I.V.Ramarayanam,the then Zamindar of Gorasa
of kirlampudi estate, and both of them along with other villagers traced the
idol on the hill, worshipped it and installed it. at the present spot on
Sravana Suddha Vidiya of the Telugu year Khara (i.e.) 1891 A.D (Fasli 1301).
"The main temple was constructed on the hill with the pleasing and distant
view of Bay Of Bengal (11 miles) on one side and the row of Eastern Ghats on
the other side the green fields alround the hills and the pampa River
encircling Ratnagiri.The hillock itself is about 300 feet above the sea level.About
300 well - laid stone steps lead to the top of it.
Initially a small shed was constructed in 1891 when the idol was found. Later a
temple was built in course of time with the cooperation of villagers and other
devotees of the near by villages. Subsequently the temple was reconstructed
during 1933-34, with locally available stone. Later when the same reached
dilapiated condition, it was reconstructed during 2011-2012.
""The
main temple is 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 is held in great
veneration and Devi is said to be seen even to this day in the nights, going
about the holy precincts perpetually guarding the Lord's premises.
The Akriti of any temple is, according to the Agni Purana, merely a
manifestation of the Prakriti. This idea is further developed in the ancient
texts, and the entire Slipa Sastra is based on the principle that the wall and
the vimana of the temple should be so constructed as to remind a devotee, of
the universe, and the Lord inside representing the Supreme Spirit which is the
core and being of the entire Universe. According to these tests, the chariot is
intended as a symbol of the seven lokas underneath, and the seven lokas above,
with the garbhalaya of the Lord, at the heart 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 Jaggernaut moves on the wheels of time, and goes
on forever and ever. Thus the Annavaram temple satisfies both the ritualistic
values and the spiritual aspirations of its devotees."
The idol is about 13 feet high in a cylindrical form, the base being in the
lower sanctum representing Lord Brahma and the top is in the upper sanctum
representing Lord Vishnu. The middle portion represents Lord Siva. There are
some temples representing the unity of Lords Hari and Hara in some places and
this is the place where even Brahma who is generally denied temple worship, is
clubbed with the other two, and the creator (Brahma), the protector (Vishnu)
and destroyer (Siva) are worshipped simultaneously. The image of the lord
forming a single idol representing the Trimurthis-Brahma, Vishnu and Siva is of
unique attraction.
"Moolatho
Brahma roopaya
Madhayathashca
Maheswaram
Agrathah
Vishnuroopaya
Traika
roopayathenamaha"
The temple is in two floors; the ground floor contains the yantra and the
peetham of the Lord. On the four sides of the yantra there are four deities
namely Ganapati, Suryanarayanaswamy, Bala Tripurasundari and Maheswaraswamy
which constitutes panchayathanam. In the 1st floor the Moola virat of Lord
Satyanarayana swamy is in the centre, the image of Goddess Anantha Lakshmi
Ammavaru is in the right and Lord Shiva is on the left. The idols are of exquisite
grace and beauty and are engaged in gold kavachams.". The adjoining shrine
of Sri Rama seems to be the holy spot where the original self-mainfested idol
of Sri Satyanarayanaswamy was discovered by the devotees. Lord Sri Rama is
considered to be the Kshetra Palaka of this holy abode of the Lord Satyadeva.
Legendary
stories of Sri Satyanarayana Swamy:-
The important legend connected with this vratham was that
once Sage Narada was very much distressed at the misery of marthyas(men in
this world) and prayed Lord Vishnu to be informed of a way out for them. The
lord then told him that Satyanarayana Vratham would relieve men of their
troubles and would ensure worldly prosperity and salvation after death. He
also narrated that a pious Brahmin of Banaras performed the vratham first. It
was also described how king Ulkamukha of Bhadrasilanagaram, Emperor
Tungadhwaja, and a community of Gollas in his kingdom, a Vaisya business man
named Sadhuvu, and a poor woodcutter of Banaras has performed this vratham
and were blessed by Lord Satyanarayanaswamy (Vishnu himself) with all they
desired. The vratham has caught the fascination of millions owing to these
stories within the understanding of scholars as well as laymen. All classes
of people took to its performance and it is popular for its efficacy.
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The origin of the vratham was narrated ad follows: once a
highly educated and pious Brahmin who had no means of livelihood was
wandering about from place to place being for food. Lord Vishnu had taken
pity on his penury and appeared before him in the disguise of a Brahmin and
advised him to perform the vratham of Lord Satyanarayanaswamy who is the
incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He also told him the way in which the vratham was
to be performed. The Brahmin thereupon got up early in the next morning and
went out for alms. He could get funds enough for celebrating the vratham and
did it as per the vratha directions given by Lord Vishnu. Consequenty, he was
blessed by the Lord with prosperity and lived very happily with his family
and attained salvation after death. A poor man who has been earning
livelihood selling firewood from the forestschanced to go to that Brahmin's
house for water to quench his thirst, while the Brahmin was engaged in
performing Satyanarayana swamy Vratham. He waited till the end, quenched his
thirst and enquired as to what the vratham was. The Brahmin told him in
detail all about it and the poor man had decided to perform the vratham
himelf and to spend the next day's earnings for the vratham. What he got the
next day was enough for the vratham, which he performed with great devotion
and became prosperous, happy and attained moksham.
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Another legend connected with Satyanarayana Vratham
mentioned in Skandapuranam was as follows: A rich Vaisya couple Sadhuvu and
Leelavathi begot a dauther Kalavathi as a result of the vow taken to perform
Satyanarayana Vratham. They got her married with great pomp to a worthy young
man. Sadhuvu and his son-in-law flourished in business and amassed great
wealth by the grace of Lord Satyanarayanaswamy. But they forgot to perform
Satyanarayana Vratham. They went to Ratnasanapuram on the seashore and
commenced business there to add to their wealth. But they had lost the grace
of the Lord, as they did not keep up their vow of performing vratham, amidst
their prosperity. One night the treasury of the local king had been looted.
Sadhuvu and his son-in-law were imprisoned on suspicion, even though they
were really innocent. The mother and daughter became poor and sick and were
forced to beg for food from house to house. While begging for food kalavathi
chanced to witness Satyanarayana Vratham in a Brahmin's house and waited
they're to receive the Lord's prasadam. She explained to her mother this
incident as the reason for her being late in returning home. Leelavathi then
remembered about the vratham and decided to perform it with no loss of time.
By the Lord's grace she got all facilities to perform it.
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The lord was pleased as a result of the vratham. Sadhuvu
and his son-in-law were released from prison and all their confiscated wealth
was returned to them by the king at the command of the Lord in a vision. They
prayed to the Lord, performed the vratham, gave large amounts in charity and
started back to their original place in a boat. Satyanarayanaswamy appeared
in the ship as a sanyasi and asked Sadhuvu what he had on borad. Sadhuvu
retorted that it was no concern of the sanyasi to know what in the boat was
and ridiculed him by saying that there was some trash. 'Be it so', pronounced
the Lord and all the wealth in the boat wsas reduced to trash. Sadhuvu began
to weep and wail and as advised by his son-in-law he fell on the feet of the
sanyasi and prayed for his pardon. The sanyasi reminded him that he had once
again failed to perform His puja. Realising who the sanyasi was, Sadhuvu
prayved Him), got back his wealth and safely reached the shores. He sent word
to this wife and daughter that they were arriving soon at the house.
Leelavathi was happy to receive the news and hastened her daughter to finish
Satyanarayana puja so that they could hurry up to the seashore to receive
their husbands. In the hurry up to the seashore to receive their husbands. In
the hurry both of them forgot to take the prasadam of Satyanarayanaswamy. The
consequence was that the boat with the cargo and the son-in-law drowned in
the sea. Sadhuvu was much grieved to see his only daughter preparing for
sahagamana. He soon realized that Lord Satyanarayana alone could come to his
relief and fervently prayed to him.
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The Lord revealed that the catastrophe was the result of
Kalavathi not taking His prasadam in her hurry to go to her husband.
Kalavathi rushed home, took the prasadam and hurried back to the seashore.
There she saw her husband Ratnakara safe on the shore. She told him all about
the Lord. He was so much impressed that he prayed to the Lord and with His
blessings changed into Ratnagiri hill on which the Lord took His permanent
abode. It is believed that river Pampa running by the hill is none other than
kalavathi, who melted with ecstasy at the grace of the Lord and her husband's
achievement and began to flow as Pampa River.
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So, It's ME. At the Sun Dial
Nice!
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Sindhu
Tantu
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