Amaravathi Amara Lingeswara Temple

Amaravathi is a temple town located in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Amaravathi Amara Lingeswara Temple is one of India’s oldest and most renowned temples and has been serving as a spiritual beacon for devotees for centuries. Built hundreds of years ago, Amaravathi Amaralingeswara Templetemple stands out amongst other religious sites due to its ancient grandeur and intricate architectural designs.

About Amaravathi Amara Lingeswara Temple

Amararama is one of the five holy places in Hinduism called Pancharama Kshetras. The Amararama temple is in the town of Amaravathi in the Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Lord Shiva is known as either Amareswara Swamy or Amaralingeswara Swamy in this temple. The Amaravati temple is found on the southern side of the Krishna River. Bala Chamundika is the wife of Lord Amareswara Swamy.

Since the Sivalinga is tall here, the archakas put up a pedestal platform where they do regular rituals and Abhisheka. The Linga has a red stain on its surface. People say that Sivalinga was getting bigger, so a nail was driven into the top to stop it from getting bigger. It looks like when the nail went through the Sivalinga, blood started to come out of it.

Legend of Temple

Shiva was staying at Dhanyakataka with his Ganas. According to legend, Shiva granted the demon king Tarakasura a blessing that enabled him to destroy the gods. The location was dubbed Amaravati as the Devas settled here after losing the battle. The conflict between Indra, king of the gods, and Tarakasura, a demon, waged for ten thousand years. Indra lost the battle to Tarakasura and turned to Vishnu for assistance. Vishnu recommended Indra pray to Shiva since the demon had obtained the boon from Shiva.

Shiva hesitated to slay Tarakasura since he was a devout disciple. Instead, he appointed Kumara Swamy to command the Devas’ army. As a result of wearing the Shiva Lingam around his neck, Tarakasura was unstoppable. On Vishnu’s advice, Kumara Swamy utilized the Agni Astra to destroy the Shiva Lingam.

When Kumara Swamy killed Tarakasura, the Shiva Lingam on his neck shattered into five parts and began to reassemble. Indra, Surya Deva, Chandra Deva, Vishnu, and Kumara Swamy constructed the Lingam with a tremendous devotion to preventing reunion. With his Guru Brahaspati, Indra composed the most important piece, which he named God Amareswara.

Shukrachrya, Guru of the devils, inquired of Brihaspati how he could erect the Linga in this location, given that the Krishna River would flood the region. Brihaspati claimed that the first fragment had fallen on the peak of Krouncha Shaila and then traveled to Patala, where it began to develop. Even if the river spilled, the area would be unaffected. Even now, the Krishna river flows from north to south in the region.

The Panchakarma Kshetras arose in these five locations, where the Shiva Lingam fragmented into five parts and dispersed.

Temple History

The most popular historical mythology surrounding the Amravati temple is that a 15-foot Shiva Lingam was affixed to the ground to prevent its expansion. Blood seeped out when the nail was driven into the Lingam, leaving a scarlet mark at the top.

The Skanda Purana describes the Amaravati Temple’s unique history. According to the Purana, near the conclusion of Dwaparayuga, around 5053 years ago, the Sounakadi saints inquired Maharishi Narada about the path to nirvana. Lord Krishna, according to Maharishi, created the River Krishna so that saints could gain salvation by bathing in its waters. Any devotee who remains here for three days, bathes in the river’s holy waters and worships Lord Amareswara will achieve liberation. Therefore, the importance of the location necessitated the construction of the temple, as anyone who dies here will be absorbed by Lord Shiva.

According to another version, when the demons destroyed the gods at Varanasi, Lord Shiva arrived to defeat their demons. In addition, devotees believe that the god Indra installed the Shiva Lingam in this temple.

According to some, the temple was originally a Buddhist stupa; hence, the base of the Amaravati Temple retains Buddhist architectural characteristics. The Mula Virat within the sanctum is a lotus medallion made of white marble, a characteristic of Buddhist architecture.

The Amaravati Temple is constructed in the Dravidian style on a tiny island called Krouncha Shaila. The shrine is surrounded by four gopurams and a Vimana, all constructed in the Dravidian style. The wife of Proli Nayudu, the then-minister to the Kota monarch, Ketaraja, engraved the inscription on the Mukhamantapa pillar. Similar inscriptions appear on the temple walls as those of the Kota chiefs of Amaravathi and Sri Krishnadevraya, king of the Vijayanagara Empire.

There are three concentric circles within the temple. While the first circle contains the temples of Mahishasura Mardini, Veerabhadraswamy, Omkareswara Swamy, Guru Dattatreya, and Agasteswara Swamy, the second circle contains the temples of Vinayaka, Kalabhairava, Anjaneya, Nagendraswamy, and Kumaraswamy, as well as a statue of Lord Krishna beneath a tree. The temples of Kasi Viswanatha, Mallikarjuna, Pushpadanteswara Swamy, and Kalahasthiswara are found in the third circle, which is a little above the second. At the center of these three circles lies Amaralingeswara Swamy, a Hindu deity. Kalahasti temple has the solution for Rahu Ketu Puja.

In addition to its participation in the daily worship of the Lord, the temple trust of Amaravati Temple also engages in various charitable activities for the overall advancement of society.

Temple Architecture

The principal deity takes the form of a 15-foot-tall Shiva Lingam. The temple consists of three stories with four pillars facing each of the four cardinal directions. On each temple’s four corners are towers constructed in the Dravidian architectural style.

Kaala Bhairava appears on the second level as Kshetra Palaka. Srisaila Mallikarjuna is located in the south-west of the third level, Kashi Vishweswarar in the north-west, Chandiswara in the north-east, and Srikalahasteswara in the south-east.

The Kota chiefs of Amaravati wrote several inscriptions on the walls of the Amaralingeswara temple. Legendary Vijayanagara Emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya left inscriptions on the temple walls. Ketaraja’s wife, who was the minister to the Kota king, also left an inscription. King Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu rebuilt the Gopuram of the temple because it had developed cracks. During this refurbishment, they discovered 1800-year-old relics in the foundation pits.

The Shiva Lingam is the primary deity. People revere Shiva as Amareswara, and Bala Chamundika is his consort. To visit the god and perform daily rituals, Archakas must ascend a pedestal platform to reach the Shiva Lingam. The top of the Lingam is stained red. A nail prevented the Linga from growing any farther. Blood began to flow when the nail pierced the Lingam, and devotees continue to observe the stain to this day.

Significance of Amaravathi Amara Lingeswara Temple

According to the Skanda Purana, at the end of the Dwapara Yuga and the beginning of the Kaliyuga, Sage Sounakadi questioned Sage Narada about the most effective means of attaining salvation. The latter recommended that Sage Sounakadi take a daily bath in the Krishna River and reside on its banks, which Krishna had created.

Sage Narada taught Sage Sounakadi the story of the Amareswara temple, explaining that Shiva materialized as a Lingam to grant the wishes of his devotees. He added that a person who washed in the Krishna River and worshipped Amareswara in this temple would be sinless. The devotees who remained at the location for three days and worshipped Shiva with devotion would reach Shiva Loka. Here, Shiva would absorb any devotee who died.

Festivals at the Temple

The temple’s biggest festivals are Mahashivaratri, which occurs on Magha Bahula Dasami, Navaratri, and Kalyanotsavam. Thus, Amaravati is a prominent Kshetra situated in a particularly holy location along the holy river Krishna and a Hindu center of worship.

Temple Timing

Special Ritual

Priests regularly perform pujas and ceremonies for the deity. It is claimed that Lord Amareswara Swamy grants the people’s requests. Abhishekam is a significant shrine ceremony in which milk is spilled over the Shiva Lingam while chanting the sacred mantras or simply “Om Namah Shivai.” It is thought that worshipping at this temple will resolve family problems.

Dress Code

It is encouraged that devotees dress modestly and in a clean manner. There is a ban on short dresses.

Local Culture

Amaravathi is a significant historic city that served as the ancient capital of the Satavahana kingdom. It is a revered Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimage place. Here you can view the famous Amaravati Mahachaitya stupa, constructed between the second and third centuries.

How to Reach Temple

The nearest airport is located 56 kilometers away in Vijayawada.

The closest railroad station is Pedakurapadu, which is part of the Guntur Railway division. Guntur is well-connected to all regions and trains that traverse South India stop in Guntur.

The State Transport Corporation provides bus service to the temple from Guntur, Vijayawada, and Mangalagiri. 30 kilometers separate from Amaravati from Guntur’s central bus station. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are accessible from the closest city to the shrine.

Temple Location Map

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