Temples and Tourism Spots in Andhra Pradesh

Ramappa Temple (Warangal)

Ramappa Temple is approximately 77 km from Warangal, which was once the capital of the Kakatiya Dynasty. The temple is located in a valley in the village of Palampet in Venkatapur Mandal. According to the inscriptions on the temple walls, the temple dates back to 1213, making it quite old. It is claimed that the temple was constructed by General Recheria Rudra during the reign of King Ganapati Deva.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is also called Ramalingeswara Temple. The temple has been named after the sculptor who was responsible for its design and construction – Ramappa. The Shiva idol in the temple is in the form of Ramalingeswara, who was the personal God of Lords Rama and Vishnu. According to folklore, it took about 40 years to construct this magnificent temple.

The architecture of Ramappa Temple is a fine example of the style that was prevalent during the Kakatiya Dynasty. The intricate carvings of the walls, pillars and ceiling are mesmerizing. There are beautifully sculpted figures from Hindu mythology on the walls, ceiling and pillars. And the temple is housed on a magnificently carved platform that is shaped like star. The roof of the temple is constructed from bricks and if legend is to be believed, these bricks are so light that when placed on water, they can float. There is a hall in front of the sanctum sanctorum which has beautifully carved pillars. The hall blends light and space brilliantly and also has chiseled walls and ceiling.

On both sides of the main temple, there are two Shiva shrines. In addition, there is a massive Nandi bull located in front of one of the shrines. In most temples built during the Kakatiya Dynasty, Nandi bull was a normal addition. The difference in Ramappa Temple is that the Nandi bull is positioned in an alert position, as though waiting to receive orders from Lord Shiva.

The temple complex is spread over an area of 5 acres, while there is additional 20 acres around the temple that has lush greenery and landscape. This marvelous setting makes Ramappa Temple an extremely serene and peaceful place of worship. Unfortunately, within the temple complex, there are some smaller structures that have fallen to ruin. However, the main temple is impeccable and has survived numerous wars and attempts by Muslim invaders and nature’s fury. While the temple did suffer some damage during a massive earthquake in the 17th century, it is still in good stead.

In the vicinity of Ramappa Temple, there is another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is about 6 km away, in Kotagulla.

Ramappa Temple is one of the best Shiva temples in India and it offers a wonderful setting to commune with God.
23JAN

Birla Mandir Temple

Birla Mandir is a beautiful and modern temple located close to Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad. It is situated on top a hillock called Kala Pahad, which is the twin hillock of the Naubat Pahad. The temple has been constructed by a foundation run by the Birla family, which is a noted industrialist family in India and has built several such temples across India. However, this Birla Temple in Hyderabad was constructed in 1976 using white marble especially sourced from the state of Rajasthan.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu and it is common to hear the mesmerizing chant that arouses the Lord from his slumber during dawn and then again in the evening. It can be a melodious sound for the ears to hear the chants emanating from the temple.

The Birla Mandir Temple is combination of South Indian and Oriya architectural styles. When visitors enter the temple, they are greeted by a Rajagopuram constructed in South Indian architectural style, while the tower located above the main shrine is constructed in Orissan architectural style. The towers over the shrines dedicated to the consorts of Lord Venkateswara are built in South Indian architectural style. The white marble is etched with mesmerizing scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata, the two great Hindu epics. The sanctum sanctorum is an exact replica of the Venkateswara Temple located at Tirupati. The temple also has a towering brass flagstaff that reaches a height of 42 feet.

The main deity in the temple is carved out of granite and is a massive 11 feet in height. The deity is sheltered by a carved lotus. What devotees notice is that the temple does not have bells. This was a deliberate omission, so that people could pray and meditate without getting disturbed by the constantly pealing of bells.

There are separate shrines of Lord Venkateswara’s consorts, namely Padmavat and Andal. There also is a temple dedicated to Lord Buddha within the temple complex and the walls of this temple bear beautiful frescos depicting the Lord’s life as well as work. The walls of the temple are also decorated with teachings of several sages, Gurbani and holy men. These teaching are engraved into the walls.

The temple does not bar anyone from entering its premises and is open all 365 days of the year from 7 am until 12 noon and then again from 3 pm until 9 pm. In the evenings, the temple is hypnotizing, as it is illuminated with lights. Also, the view of the cityscape from the temple complex can be awe-inspiring, particularly in the evenings, after the sun goes down.

It is said that a visit to Hyderabad is incomplete without visiting this beautiful and captivating temple.
JAN

Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple

Located in Chittoor District, the small village of Kanipakam is a popular pilgrimage destination. It is home to the Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The temple was built in the early 11th century by King Kulathunga Chola I and later on it was expanded during the Vijayanagara Dynasty rule.

The ancient temple in Kanipakam is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. There is a beautiful legend behind the temple’s existence and it is worth listening or reading. The legend says that there were three brothers and each one had a disability. One brother was mute, one deaf and the other blind. These brothers used to cultivate a small piece of land to earn their livelihood. Using channels, they used to irrigate this piece of land. One day, the brother who used to channel the water found the well they used to use had dried up. So he went inside the well to dig it. During digging, his shovel hit a stone and blood began oozing from it. Soon the well became an ocean of red blood. At the same time a miracle happened – the brothers’ disabilities were cured. On hearing this miracle, the villagers came to the well and tried digging. However, they were constantly stopped a self-manifested idol of Lord Vinayaka.

The villagers realized their folly and offered thousands of coconuts to the idol as penance. The water from these coconuts covered an area of one and quarter acres.

Today too devotees can see the idol resting in the well and there is a perennial spring that flows from the well. During the monsoon season, the waters from the well tend to overflow. Another awe-inspiring feature of the self-manifested idol is that it seems to be growing in size. Devotees can see the idol until its knees. The holy water from the well is given to devotees. The Kanipakam temple holds daily prayers and the first one begins early in the morning at 4.30 am. The different sessions of prayers go on until early afternoon.

The temple is also renowned for its festivities, which are celebrated with a lot of fervor. The Brahmotsavams Festival is a 21-day long festival that is celebrated every year. It begins on Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chavithi. This festival usually falls in the month of August or September. It attracts people from all corners of Andhra Pradesh who descend to Kanipakam to offer prayers and pay homage. During the 21 days, the self-manifested idol appears in a different avatar everyday.

The Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple is situated within Kanipakam town. The town is approximately 12 km from Chittoor and about 70 km from Tirupati, making it easily accessible to devotees and visitors
03JAN

The Legends of Andhra Pradesh – Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna

Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna is a famous Carnatic vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, playback singer, composer and actor. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honor, for his contribution to Indian art. He was awarded the Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2005 by the French government.

Balamurali Krishna was born on 6 July 1930 in a Brahmin family in Sankaraguptam, which is located in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. His father was a renowned musician and excelled in playing the violin, flute and veena. His mother was an outstanding veena player. When Balamurali Krishna was an infant, his mother passed away and he was brought up by his father.

Balamurali Krishna’s father noticed that he had a natural flair for music and this prompted his father to place him under the tutelage of Sri Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu. It was during this period that Balamurali Krishna learned Carnatic music. By the time he was eight years old, he had given his first concert at a Thyagaraja Aradhana in Vijayawada. A noted Harikatha performer, Musunuri Suryanarayana Murthy Bhagavatar, saw young Murali Krishna’s talent and gave him the prefix Bala, which means child. And, ever since he has been referred to as Balamurali Krishna.

By the time Balamurali Krishna was 15 years old, he had already mastered all the 72 melakartha ragas and had also composed kirthis. His Janaka Raga Manjari was released in 1952 by the Sangeeta Recording Company. However, Balamurali Krishna was not satisfied with just Carnatic music. This prompted him to learn how to play the kanjira, mridangam, violin and viola. Besides giving solo viola concerts, he also began accompanying different musicians as their violinist.

Till now, Balamurali Krishna has given more than 25,000 concerts around the world. He has performed with many notable musicians, such as Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Hariparasad Chaurasia and Kishori Amonkar. He also is known for popularizing the compositions of Sri Annamacharya and Sri Bhadrachala Ramadasu.

Balamuralikrishna’s concerts combine sophisticated vocal skills and rhythmic patterns of classical music with the popular demand for entertainment value. Balamurali Krishna has been invited to give concerts in many countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, France, Russia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and the Middle East amongst others. While his native tongue is Telugu, he has performed in many other Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Punjabi, Tamil and Malayalam.

He has recently become increasingly interested in music therapy and now performs only occasionally. He gave his authorization to S. Ram Bharati to found the Academy of Performing Arts and Research in Switzerland and is also working on music therapy. He established the MBK Trust with the objective of developing art and culture and for carrying out extensive research into Music Therapy. A dance and music school, Vipanchee, is a part of this Trust and is run by his managing trustee Kalaimamani Saraswati.

Characteristic of Balamurali Krishna’s musical journey has been his non-conformism, spirit of experimentation and boundless creativity. Balamurali Krishna has innovated the whole Carnatic Music System by keeping its rich tradition untouched. The ragas, like Ganapathi, Sarvashri, Mahati and Lavangi, are credited to him. The ragas which he invented represent his quest for new frontiers.
DEC

Mypadu Beach Resort – The Ultimate Vacation Experience

With a coastline of 970 kilometers, Andhra Pradesh boasts of some awe-inspiring and stunning beaches. One such beach that can mesmerize visitors is the Mypadu Beach close to Nellore.

Mypadu Beach is just 25 kilometers from the city of Nellore and is popular for its long stretches of pristine sands and azure waters. The beach offers a wonderful place to relax and get away from the humdrum of city life. The calm and gentle waters of the Bay of Bengal can ease away stress and soothe the mind. You will not know how quickly time passes when you spend a day at this clean and pristine beach.

And, located right on the beach is beautiful and family-centric Mypadu Beach Resort operated by APTDC. The resort boasts of well furnished and luxurious rooms that have all the amenities to make your stay memorable and comfortable. All rooms offer a fabulous view of the beach and the Bay.

Staying at the Haritha Mypadu Beach Resort means you will be able to take long, leisurely walks on the soft, golden sands and spend time watching the fishermen repair their fishing nets or bring in their catch. The beach, which closes at 6 pm, can become your private sanctuary after sunset and you can enjoy a bonfire to add to your experience of staying at the resort.

Every room at the resort is equipped with a television, attached bathroom with hot and cold water and comfortable furnishing. The in-house restaurant at the resort offers delicious vegetarian food. It can be heaven to sit early morning on the balcony of your room and have a steaming cup of tea while you watch the spectacular sunrise above the water.

Staying at the Haritha Mypadu Beach Resort is the ultimate experience, one that you should not miss. The resort is renowned for its cleanliness, outstanding customer service and fun-filled ambience.