This year as the very big festival of Godavari maha pushkaralu was about to arrive, we were all set to go to Andhra to feel the blissful blessings of the holy dips. We both started on 11th of July, Saturday early morning to fly towards our sweet home. We actually planned to stop nowhere on the way so that by night, we would be at home. But almighty's plan was all different.
The first unexpected and very happy diversion was to Lord Venkaiah swamy, Golagamudi. The queue line was welcoming us surprisingly with very nominal crowd, despite being it Saurday. Having finished a heart-felt darshan of the Lord, we were then stopped for lunch at Nellore. The next blessing bundle to be collected was at Malyadri, where the Lord Laxmi Narasimha swamy gives darshan only on Saturdays to mankind. The other days are believed to be alloted for the worship of Lord by devathas. We felt very lucky as we didn't miss the darshan, this time, of the Lord as well as Godess on the hill top. The steps that take us to the Mother are really stunning, laid between two rock hills. At last it was a fantastic Darshan and we both were really happy for that opportunity.
Last of the day's darshans was of Bharadwaja Master at Ongole, our favourite stop. By night we were at my Brother's in-laws' place Eluru for night stay. Next day after having lunch at my home, we were in Kakinada by evening.
The next day, we were at Pithapuram to have Darshan and blessings of Lord Sripada Srivallabha and then went to Diwili, locally called as Toli Tirupati, where the Lord blesses us in the form of Sringara Vallabha swami. The Sthala purana says that here, the Lord gave darshan to his child devotee Dhruva , so the idol is so charming with smiling face, thus deriving the name Sringara vallabha. One more speciality of the idol is that, from one point in the temple, the height of the Lord appears to be equal to the height of the individual, and even the Shankha and chakra are interchanged in their position.
The rest of the day was rest as well as discussion where to go for teertha vidhis and pushkara snanas, keeping in mind the large crowds expected.
The day 1 of the pushkaras was scheduled for both of us to take dip at Kotipalli and also the visit to Daksharama temple. It went on very well and the day 2 was also at Kotipalli for teertha vidhi. Our family and Silpa's family were there to perform the rituals, left for home with total contentment.
Day 3 was at the very well known Kotilinagala revu of Rajahmundry. I could feel the actual environment of pushkaras here in Rajahmundry. People all over the town, carrying luggages, with wet clothe after taking dip in the river, taking rest somewhere on the road side....every moment was filled with activeness there. I felt really happy to be one among the crowd. Our dip in the river was followed with the visits to the relatives homes in the near by areas and we were back in Kakinada by 5 in the evening. The next day there was no river bath but, the Darhsan of Satyanarayana swami of Annavaram and Talapulamma of Lova made us felt no break in the sequence of our pilgrimage. We had to return home after stepping in the land of Upamaka Village for darshan of Lord Venkateswara. But the temple located on the hill top closes by 10.30 in the morning. So the God's will was that we should go there again sometime.
Day 5 was the dip in the Sangam of the river and sea at Yanam, after many discussions. This place was again a feast for eyes with the festive environment and great arrangements. The very huge Shivalingam being sprinkled with water by the two elephants on sides was a fantastic view. Even we took the shower under the Shivalingam and felt awesome. We were back at home by afternoon and in the evening went to Kapileswarapuram for the next stop.
The sight of my hometown left me speechless the next morning, Day-6. The entire village was found to be on celebration. Traffic jam was seen for the first time in life there. People gathered from even far off places to take holy dips in the river. All we 3 siblings along with partners and other relatives spent great time enjoying the bath, food, togetherness as well as the god's grace for such a chance to be together. Though short, the visit proved really memorable for each of us. That very night, we started our return journey and stopped at Eluru for the night with a view to avoid the traffic as well as save time for the further journey.
Next morning, we were on our chariot by 6.30, and flew towards our destination with first unplanned stop at Amaravathi. One among the Pancharamas, Amaravati hosts the longest Shivalingam of the five. We were blessed to be there at Abhishekam time for a new batch. It was a great joy as well as blissful experience to witness the abhishekam being performed from the top floor for the tall lingam. After being totally immersed in the divine joy, we finished breakfast there itself and drove towards Kotappakonda, the most awaited spot. Lord Trikuteswara and Medha Dakshina murthy blesses the devotees in this kshetra. There is no consort here for the lord as the place was known to become a kshetra after Daksha yagna. One can reach the hilltop temple through steps also, but vehicle can take you till the entrance of the temple. We literally ran into the temple from the parking place, not to miss the glance of the Lord, as someone told, the temple closes by 1 PM. The satisfactory and blissful darshan lead us to get down the hill to go ahead towards next destination.
We had our lunch at Ongole, did pranams to Master garu from the highway itself and went ahead to reach Nellore by night. Sreeram took an unexpected turn towards Singarayakonda and we were to wait for half an hour for the temple to open. Our waiting proved fruitful with the darshan of Swayanbhu Yogananda Narasimha swamy, Swayambhu Anjaneya swami and Sri rama Pratishtitha Laxmi narasimha swamy. The idol of Yogananda Narasimha murthy is a stunnig appearance. The temple, over all, is a great place to visit. The next day we were at home with loads of memories to be cherished. Thus the pushkara trip proved to be a pilgrimage and left us with a feeling of completeness.
The first unexpected and very happy diversion was to Lord Venkaiah swamy, Golagamudi. The queue line was welcoming us surprisingly with very nominal crowd, despite being it Saurday. Having finished a heart-felt darshan of the Lord, we were then stopped for lunch at Nellore. The next blessing bundle to be collected was at Malyadri, where the Lord Laxmi Narasimha swamy gives darshan only on Saturdays to mankind. The other days are believed to be alloted for the worship of Lord by devathas. We felt very lucky as we didn't miss the darshan, this time, of the Lord as well as Godess on the hill top. The steps that take us to the Mother are really stunning, laid between two rock hills. At last it was a fantastic Darshan and we both were really happy for that opportunity.
Last of the day's darshans was of Bharadwaja Master at Ongole, our favourite stop. By night we were at my Brother's in-laws' place Eluru for night stay. Next day after having lunch at my home, we were in Kakinada by evening.
The next day, we were at Pithapuram to have Darshan and blessings of Lord Sripada Srivallabha and then went to Diwili, locally called as Toli Tirupati, where the Lord blesses us in the form of Sringara Vallabha swami. The Sthala purana says that here, the Lord gave darshan to his child devotee Dhruva , so the idol is so charming with smiling face, thus deriving the name Sringara vallabha. One more speciality of the idol is that, from one point in the temple, the height of the Lord appears to be equal to the height of the individual, and even the Shankha and chakra are interchanged in their position.
The rest of the day was rest as well as discussion where to go for teertha vidhis and pushkara snanas, keeping in mind the large crowds expected.
The day 1 of the pushkaras was scheduled for both of us to take dip at Kotipalli and also the visit to Daksharama temple. It went on very well and the day 2 was also at Kotipalli for teertha vidhi. Our family and Silpa's family were there to perform the rituals, left for home with total contentment.
Day 3 was at the very well known Kotilinagala revu of Rajahmundry. I could feel the actual environment of pushkaras here in Rajahmundry. People all over the town, carrying luggages, with wet clothe after taking dip in the river, taking rest somewhere on the road side....every moment was filled with activeness there. I felt really happy to be one among the crowd. Our dip in the river was followed with the visits to the relatives homes in the near by areas and we were back in Kakinada by 5 in the evening. The next day there was no river bath but, the Darhsan of Satyanarayana swami of Annavaram and Talapulamma of Lova made us felt no break in the sequence of our pilgrimage. We had to return home after stepping in the land of Upamaka Village for darshan of Lord Venkateswara. But the temple located on the hill top closes by 10.30 in the morning. So the God's will was that we should go there again sometime.
Day 5 was the dip in the Sangam of the river and sea at Yanam, after many discussions. This place was again a feast for eyes with the festive environment and great arrangements. The very huge Shivalingam being sprinkled with water by the two elephants on sides was a fantastic view. Even we took the shower under the Shivalingam and felt awesome. We were back at home by afternoon and in the evening went to Kapileswarapuram for the next stop.
The sight of my hometown left me speechless the next morning, Day-6. The entire village was found to be on celebration. Traffic jam was seen for the first time in life there. People gathered from even far off places to take holy dips in the river. All we 3 siblings along with partners and other relatives spent great time enjoying the bath, food, togetherness as well as the god's grace for such a chance to be together. Though short, the visit proved really memorable for each of us. That very night, we started our return journey and stopped at Eluru for the night with a view to avoid the traffic as well as save time for the further journey.
Next morning, we were on our chariot by 6.30, and flew towards our destination with first unplanned stop at Amaravathi. One among the Pancharamas, Amaravati hosts the longest Shivalingam of the five. We were blessed to be there at Abhishekam time for a new batch. It was a great joy as well as blissful experience to witness the abhishekam being performed from the top floor for the tall lingam. After being totally immersed in the divine joy, we finished breakfast there itself and drove towards Kotappakonda, the most awaited spot. Lord Trikuteswara and Medha Dakshina murthy blesses the devotees in this kshetra. There is no consort here for the lord as the place was known to become a kshetra after Daksha yagna. One can reach the hilltop temple through steps also, but vehicle can take you till the entrance of the temple. We literally ran into the temple from the parking place, not to miss the glance of the Lord, as someone told, the temple closes by 1 PM. The satisfactory and blissful darshan lead us to get down the hill to go ahead towards next destination.
We had our lunch at Ongole, did pranams to Master garu from the highway itself and went ahead to reach Nellore by night. Sreeram took an unexpected turn towards Singarayakonda and we were to wait for half an hour for the temple to open. Our waiting proved fruitful with the darshan of Swayanbhu Yogananda Narasimha swamy, Swayambhu Anjaneya swami and Sri rama Pratishtitha Laxmi narasimha swamy. The idol of Yogananda Narasimha murthy is a stunnig appearance. The temple, over all, is a great place to visit. The next day we were at home with loads of memories to be cherished. Thus the pushkara trip proved to be a pilgrimage and left us with a feeling of completeness.
