Daksharamam
| Draksharamam | |
|---|---|
 Bhimeswara Swamy temple | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Konaseema |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Festivals | Maha Shivaratri, Kartik Purnima |
| Location | |
| Location | Draksharamam |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| Country | India |
.svg)  Location in Andhra Pradesh | |
| Geographic coordinates | 16°47′31″N 82°03′48″E / 16.792°N 82.0633°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Dravidian architecture |
| Specifications | |
| Temple(s) | 1 |
| Inscriptions | Telugu |
| Elevation | 31.4 m (103 ft) |
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Draksharamam or Daksharamam (దక్షారామం) is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva and also 12th of Ashtadasha Shakthi Peetams. The temple is located in Draksharamam town of Konaseema district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Bhimeswara Swamy refers to Lord Shiva in this temple. Poet Mallikarjuna Panditaradhyudu who wrote first independent work in Telugu and who spread Veerasaivism in Andhra region during medieval ages was born in this town.[1][2]
Etymology
[edit]The town was formerly known as Daṣkatapovana and Daṣkavāṭika.[3] This is the place where Daksha head of all prajapatis did a yagna called Nirīśvara yāga or Nirīśvara yajña. This place's present name is a compound of Daṣka and Ārāma which means "Abode of Daksha". This place was also referred to as Daṣkavāṭika by Jagadguru Adi Shankara in maha shakti peetha sloka at Māṇikye Dakṣa vāṭika which points to "Maanikyamba devi of Draksharama". The place where Daksha performed Nirīśvara yajña is still visited by pilgrims here.
History of the temple
[edit]Inscriptions in the temple reveal that it was built between the 9th and 10th centuries CE by the Eastern Chalukyan king, Bhima. The big Mandapam of the temple was built by Ganga Mahadevi, daughter-In-Law of Eastern Ganga Dynasty king Narasingha Deva I of Odisha.[4] Architecturally and sculpturally, the temple reflects a blend of Chalukyan and Chola styles.[5]
The temple is historically prominent. It was built by Eastern Chalukyas who reigned over this area. It's believed to have been constructed earlier to the Bhimeswaraswamy temple in Samarlakota that was built between 892 C.E. and 922 C.E.
Architecture of Bhimeswara temple
[edit]Bhimeswara Swami temple is a ancient temple which was renovated by eastern chalukyas. Temple has a pushkarini called "Sapta godavari" where sapta rishis brought waters from seven different rivers to create it. One can find saptarishis in a small mantapa located in Sapta Godavari Puṣkariṇi which is a holy pond. One can visit kashi viswesara temple constructed by vyasa and agasthyeswara swami who was worshiped by sage Agastya. There are few mantapas available in the temple compound too. You can find four gopurams around the temple and few temples like kala bhairava, veera bhadra and vatuka bhairava temples inside the temple premises. The outer Prākāra (lit. 'enclosure wall') has four entrance gopurams. Poet Srinatha in his Bhimeswara Puranam mentioned that that Draksharama the four gates leading into the city were guarded by (the shrines of) Grāmadevata goddesses. They were indicated as Nūkāmbika in the East, Ghaṭṭāmbika in the South, Gōgulamma in the West, and Maṇḍatalli in the North.[6] Epigraphic evidence near a pillar before the shrine of Goddess Manikyamba indicates that during Reddy dynasty, who were ardent saivites, a two-storeyed Tirucuṭṭumālika surrounding the main shrine was constructed. Tirucuṭṭumālika is portmanteau of Tamil word Tirucuṟṟu, (transl. holy compund wall) and Sanskrit word Mālika (transl. cloistered verandah built on the inner side of the Prākāra).
Legend
[edit]Daksharamam is considered to be the place where Daksha Yagnam happened. Lord Siva sanctified the place after the rampage and carnage carried out at the place by Lord Veerabhadra.
Festivals
[edit]Maha Shivaratri and Dasara are the main festivals associated with Draksharamam
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Salva, Shu & G. (1994).
- ^ K. (1978), p. 535-538.
- ^ Moorthy (1994).
- ^ Rajguru (1986), p. 29.
- ^ Ramaswamy (2017), p. 16.
- ^ Venkata Subbayya (1901), p. 16.
Bibliography
[edit]- Salva, Krishnamurthi; Shu, Hikosaka; G., John Samuel (1994). A History of Telugu Literature: 1108 A.D.-1320 A.D. Institute of Asian Studies.
- K., Lalithamba (1978). "Devotional Saivism In Medieval Andhra". Indian History Congress. 39. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Moorthy, K. K. (1994). The Aalayas of Andhra Pradesh: a sixteen-flower-garland. Message Publications.
- Rajguru, Padmashri Dr. Satyanarayana (1986). "No 1 - Ganga o Gajapati Bansha Ra Utpatti o Sankhipta Itihasa". Odisha Ra Sanskrutika Itihasa. Odisha Ra Sanskrutika Itihasa. Vol. 4. Cuttack, Odisha: Orissa Sahitya Akademi.
- Ramaswamy, Chitra (6 July 2017). "Rich in lore and sculptures". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Venkata Subbayya, ed. (1901), Śrī Bhīmēśvara Purāṇamu (PDF) (in Telugu), Madras: Krottapalli Venkata Padmanabha Sastri
