About
Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple, also called Sri Chalukya Kumararama Sri Bhimeswaraswamy temple, stands at Samalkot (Samarlakota) in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. According to the East Godavari district website, Samalkot is 12 km from Kakinada and 52 km from Rajahmundry, and lies on the Chennai-Howrah broad gauge line of South Central Railway. The village was known in the past as Chalukya Bhimavaram, according to inscriptions in the temple, and is known as Bhimavara Kshetram.
The temple is one of the five important Pancharama temples of Andhra Pradesh dedicated to Shiva. The other four are Amararama at Amaravati, Daksharama at Draksharamam, Kshirarama at Palakollu and Somarama at Gunupudi, Bhimavaram. Here the Goddess is also known as Bala Tripura Sundari.
History
The district website attributes the temple to the Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima-I (AD 892-922), who built it towards the end of the 9th century AD. The presiding Shiva, in the form of a tall linga, is named Chalukya Bhimesvara after him. The Eastern Chalukyas, also known as the Vengi Chalukyas, ruled the Andhra country from AD 624 to AD 1076.
Inscriptions in the temple, dated from AD 1147 to 1494, record gifts made to it. They also mention the construction of a mukhamandapa at the eastern entrance in AD 1394, and of a Srimukhamandapam and niluvu mandapam in AD 1422. A monolithic pillar on the western side, locally known as kappa stambham, carries an inscription saying that after thieves pulled down the Nandi from the pillar, a new one was made and installed by a woman named Lakshmi, wife of Narasimudu, using stone brought from Kotilingalu at Rajahmundry.
Legend of the Pancharamas
The district website relates the Pancharama legend from the Bhimesvarapurana written by Srinatha. After the asuras led by the lords of the Tripuras received boons from Shiva and troubled the devas, Shiva destroyed them with the Pasupata weapon. A huge stone linga that the Tripuras had worshipped remained intact. It was cut into five lingas, which were installed at five places now known as the Pancharamas.
A popular local account says that during Tarakasura vadha the Shiva Linga in the throat of Tarakasura broke into five pieces and one fell here. Thereafter the place came to be known as Kumararama. Lord Bhimeswara Swamy is said in the same account to have been installed by Kumara Swamy (son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati), hence the name Kumararama.
Architecture
The temple is surrounded by two prakara walls built of dressed sandstone. The outer wall has a gopura entrance on all four sides, and the four gopura dvaras have ardha mandapas on either side. The inner enclosure wall is divided horizontally into two sections by a cornice and has a two-storeyed pillared mandapa running along its inner side. The temple is similar in architecture to the Bhimesvara temple at Draksharamam.
The main shrine is a free-standing monument at the centre of the inner enclosure. The temple is a rectangular structure with two storeys. The limestone Lingam is so tall that it rises from the pedestal on the ground floor and pierces the roof to enter the second floor, where the Rudrabhaga is worshipped. Steps are available at both sides. The present vimana of the main shrine has been renovated and is covered with thick plaster. It consists of flat pattas, a row of geese kutas, salas, simhalalatas, lotuses and a kalasa, and is a dvitala vimana of the Dravida order with regional variations. A miniature temple model in the courtyard shows the whole temple with its architectural details.
Timings to visit Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple
06:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 04:00 PM – 08:00 PM
Timings are not confirmed on an official website; check with the temple before travelling.
Festivals celebrate at Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple
November – December Karthika and Margashira Masam
The East Godavari district website lists these festivals for the temple: Maha Shivaratri (February/March), Sarannavaratrulu (Dussehra, 10 days) and Karthika Masam (October/November).
How to Reach Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple
By Air: Rajahmundry Airport – 49 km, Visakhapatnam International Airport – 161 km
By Train: Visakhapatnam Railway Station – 169 km, Kakinada Town Junction – 17.9 km
By Bus: Annavaram – 40 km, Kakinada – 15 km, Rajamundry – 49 km, Visakhapatnam – 125 km
Address
Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple, Jaggamma Garipeta, Samarlakota, Andhra Pradesh 533440, India.
Official Website of Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple
Also Read Places to Visit In and Around East Godavari
Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara temple Map
