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.
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 any where else in India.
STHALAPURANAM AND STORIES BEHINDTHETEMPLE&LEGENDS:
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 encaged 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.
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| Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Temple |
| Satya Deva Vratha katha |
Hindus
perform Sri Satyanarayana Vratham throughout India for weath,
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. Though
Ekadasi is considered to be very auspicious for the vratham, the
individual devotees perform it even on other convenient days. The great
popularity behind the vratham springs from the experiences narrated in
stories and legends and also the faith gained by observances in daily
life.
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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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