More on our Andhra Temples' yatra. Some details as I recall

Let me start with the Vinayaka Temple. This is called Anada Ganapathi Temple. By the way, this is located in Simhachalam near Vizag.

If you have a particular request, wish that you want fulfilled by the Lord, you offer a piece of jaggery and whisper the wish.

Simhachalam is famous for Varaha Narasimha Swami's Temple. This was built in the 11th Century. The Temple is located on the Hill top at about 245 meters. Inscriptions on this Temple date back to 1098 AD.

(All of us know the story of Prahlada who was a Vishnu devotee and for that reason was tortured by his own father Hiranyakasipu.) For unknown reason, we attented several Narasimha Temples in this year's yatra. 

By the way, this Temple is famous for the Chandanotsavam which is performed annually on Vaisakha suddha Tadiya (the 3rd day after the new Moon in the month of Vaisakha, which varies between April and may).  It is on the Chandanotsavam day that the Lord's Sandalwood paste is removed and is covered with a fresh layer of Sandalwood paste brought from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. The ceremonial process would take some time and during the process of removal of the sandal paste, the sanctum sanctorum doors will be closed. Abhishekam and special pujas will be performed after the diety is fully uncovered. This happens at around 3:00 PM. 

How to reach Simhachalam??
One can reach Simhachalam from almost any where in Vizag. If you get down at the Waltair Railway Station, you can visit Simhachalam by Bus ( 6A ) or hire a Cab.

If you like to have a more comfortable journey, hiring a cab is always a good idea. That is what we did to visit all the local Temples.

The next one I want to explore is KanakaMahalakshmi Temple.

Goddess Sri Kanakamalalakshmi is the presiding deity of the Visakhapatnam locals. She is  the family deity of rulers of this area and the present location of the temple was in the rampars of their fort, located in the middle of a narrow street in Burujupeta. Unlike in other temples in Andhra Pradesh, if not in South India, that the devotees can directly worship the deity. It is a practice completely different from any other temple where the devotees can only come up to the sanctum sanctorum but cannot enter it. A devotee can break a coconut and pour the water on the idol, apply kumkum and turmeric himself or herself. It is common that milk abishekam being performed by devotees. The temple priests perform the daily puja but the devotees worship the Goddess on their own. 

Thursday is the most auspicious day for the Goddess and thousands throng the temple every Thursday.

The month of Margasira according to Hindu calendar (observed as Margasira Masam) that generally comes during November-December every year is considered the most auspicious one. The festivities began with the traditional nadaswaram followed by the abhishekams, Sahasranama pooja etc.  Especially on a Thursday nearly two lakh devotees throng the temple to have darshan. Besides, panchamruthabhishekam and ksheerabhisheka seva, special programmes like recital of the Bhagavad-Gita, Sapthasathi and Mahavidya, Lakshmi homam and Srichakrapuja are being conducted during the month.

A unique feature this year is the Ashtalakshmi alankaram from December 22 to 30 at the temple premises. Besides the beautiful Ashtalakshmis, there is an idol of Sri Kanakamalalakshmi towards north and facing Her is Sri Rajarajeswari Devi on the south beginning form the sanctum sanctorum and the eight Lakshmi idols are distributed equally beside the two idols.

Like I said before, we were there for Her darsan on the right day of the right month.

OLD IS GOLD, but, NEW IS GOLD too - Friends, relatives and family

The special tone to this particular Yatra was that I spent some quality time with some of my friends and family whom I haven't seen in years. Even though my post title says "old is gold", I met some young men and women, strangers who became very close to the heart. So, NEW IS GOLD too.

On Dec 9th, when I attended a wedding in Nellore from my side of the family, I had such a happy reunion with so many of my cousins, friends, extended family and so on. Some of whom I saw after 5o years. We would not have recognized each other if we had met on the road. But we all were very happy to see and to chat.

In Rajahmundry, I could spend time with a friend of mine and her son's family. I met her first time in 1962. In later years she attended both my children's weddings. I met all her three grown children. It was another awesome reunion. We talked to each other many times afterwards. Her son and daughter-in-law are angels!!!!

I met a cousin from my father's side of the family in Vijayawada. I have seen him only three times in my whole life. The first time was in the 50s and the second time in the 70s (he came to my in-law's place to see me) and the third time in Dec 2012 during my Andhra yatra (he came to the hotel room with one of his sons and was able to meet my husband also). He told me that his mother was very fond of all us sisters. I told him that my father was very fond of his mother, who was father's uncle's youngest daughter.

The strangers I met - one young man who helped us in Allahabad Kumbh Mela came all the way from Lucknow and went out of his way to make us comfortable and because of him we felt so safe during the Mela. He was God sent. I had to brush up on my Hindi. He spoke no other language. I very much want to meet his wife one day.

Next we spent quality time with two wonderful families in Maharashtra. One in Mahur area and the other in Parli area. Both have the same last time, but are not related. There was a lot I learned from those young families. The affections in the extended families, respect for the elders, unity between brothers and their wives, the simplicity in the way they all lived and so on. They did not speak any English. So, my fluency in spoken Hindi had to be improved. Their little children spoke only Marathi. So, we used sign language there.

I was able to connect with my grand father's brother's great grandson over the Internet and phone. But could not meet him and his family in person even though they lived in Andhra pradesh..

In addition to all this, we met an American from California and his Hawaiian wife on the train, on our way back to Chennai from Varanasi on the Rameswaram Express. He gave me many leads for voluntary teaching etc. They were on their pilgrimage of some service activity in their Catholic Mission.

Last, but not the least, I have to mention that we met two of my friend and travel companion Nirmala's relatives. They were very affectionate family. The way one young man came home from work during lunch break and took care of the needs of his physically disabled father. I admired his patience and love. In this modern world, there are still some families like that.

I thank God for sending all these special souls into my path.

On my way to Hyderabad from Tirupathi on the train, I met another interesting person. That experience was different and so, I will write about it in my next post.

Visakhapatnam, Rajamundry, Vijayawada

First, I want to give a list of the Temples that we visited. Then, as I recall, I will post the detailed experiences at each Temple. It may not be in any order.

We left Tirupati by train (Tirumala Express?) at 8:50 p.m. on December 19, 2012. Reached Vizag (Vishakahpatnam) by 11:30 a.m. on Dec 20th. The journey was comfortable, consumed the food we packed from home. Met a family from Vizag who had tons of relatives, friends and acquaintances from Machilipatnam, my husband Rao's native town. This always happens. Our topics were only around that town.

Here is the list of Temples:

Dec 20th ---Simhachalam - Vinayaka Temple at 3 p.m.

Dec 21st--- Left hotel at 6 a.m. and saw:

                   Srikakulam, Nagavalli river, Arasuvalli, Srikoormam, Srimukha Lingam
 
                    Koti Madhava and Srikoormam Temples at Padmanabhapuram

Dec 22nd --- Arakku valley, Borra caves (Not Temples, just sight seeing).

Dec 23rd --- Left at 6 a.m. again. It was Mukkoti Ekadasi celebrated in some Temples.
                     Annavaram  Satyanarayana SwamiTemple at 11:30 a.m.
                    Visited Kanaka Mahalakshmi also. Reached Pitapuram (పిఠాపురం) by 2:30 p.m. the same day.

Dec 24th --- Draksharaamam, Gollala Maamidada Temple (Sun), Bikkavolu, Dwarapudi

Dec 25th ---  Ryally (Jaganmohini Kesawaswami Temple)
                     Mandapalli (Mandeswaraswami Temple)
                     Mukteswaram (Mukteswara, a Shiva Temple)
                     Appanapalli (Sri Balaji Temple)
                     Antarvedi  (Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Temple)
                     Vaanapalli (Pallaalamma Talli Temple, near Kakinaada)

Dec 26th --- Dwaraka Tirumala, near Eluru (we used to call it chinna Tirupati in the 60s)
                     Janga Reddy gudem (Maddi Anjaneya Swami Temple)

Dec 27th --- Peravali (Ranganatha Swami Temple)
                    Teeparru (Anjaneya Swami Temple)
                     Paalakollu Temples: Ksheera Ramalingeswara, Maavulamma, Rama, Kubera Swami, Sai Baba, Venkateswara and the Pedda gopuram. Went to Bheemavaram.


Dec 29th --- We passed the following villages and visited some Temples in Krishna district :
                     Kuchipudi , Movva, Srikakulam, Peda Muttevi, Ghantasala, Mopidevi, Hamsala deevi.
                   
                     The above villages are very familiar and very nostalgic for Rao, who grew up in that area and still has relatives living there.

More towns and villages and more Temples in that area. I just do not have the details. One can search the internet, get the details and visit them. Too many for me to go into details.

Dwaraka Tirumala, Ramalayam
Yadavalli Anjaneyaswami. Must see the Maddichettu
Dwarapudi Jyothirlingams
Group of Gods
Nidadavolu etc.
Lakshmi Vinayaka Temple
Gollala Maamideelu
Ramaalayam
Mirrored room (Addalameda)
Satyanarayana swami
Subrhmanyaswamo
Tekusettipalem
Appanapalli Venkateswarudu
We wen by boat along with the Taxi on the boat. Reached Amalapuram.
From there, Mukteswaram Shiva Temple
Inavelli Ganesha Temple
Mandapalli Shani Temple
Ryali Jaganmohili Temple.

I am glad we finished all this while I am still active.