Guest guest Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 DRAKSHARAMAM Dhraksharamam is in the village of Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari District. The nearest Railway Station is Kakinada which is about 28km from the Temple. Ramachandrapuram is the nearest town from where number of A.P.S.R.T.C buses are available. The nearest Airport is Visakhapatnam. The presiding diety of the Temple is Bhimeswar. Draksharamam is a Shavite shrine. It is belived that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Benaras). Legend has it that the Saptamaharshis (Seven sages) to achieve the end of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draksharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone under ground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple. Devotees bath in this kundam. Sivarathri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims. Andhra Pradesh : Shrine Draksharamam Draksharamam is a Shavite shrine 185 kms from Vijayawada, 17 km from Kakinada and 40 km from Rajahmundry. It is believed that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Benaras). Legend has it that the Saptamaharshis (Seven Sages) to achieve the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draksharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone under ground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple. Devotees bathe in this kundam. The festival of Sivarathri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims. According to another local legend, a king by name Daksha Prajapati performed a great yagya with the motive of insulting his son-in-law Lord Siva. The king invited everyone except his own son-in-law. Parvathi, Shiva's consort, though uninvited, attended the yagya and was ill treated. Unable to withstand the insult, she subjected herself to self immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika". And later as Daksharamam or Draksharamam. There are number of rock edicts engraved on the walls of the temple. The temple art shows the influence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet Srinatha (14th century) is said to have written a Prabhanda Kavya 'Bhimakhanda' about this sacred place. HOW TO REACH Air : The nearest airhead is Vijayawada (185 km). Rail : The nearest railhead is Kakinada (17 km). Road : There are buses from Kakinada (17 kms) and Rajahmundry. ACCOMMODATION Draksharamam : Choultries One can also find accommodation at various hotels in Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Head Quarters : Kakinada Area: 10,807 sq.km The Boundaries of East Godavari are Bay of Bengal in the East and South, Khammam district in the West and Vishakapatnam district in the North directions. Rivers: Godavari, Eleru, Pampa, and Sabari. Major Places: Kakinada, Rajamundry, Tuni, Samarlakot, Amalapuram, Mandapeta, Rajole. Industries: Andhra Paper Mill, Godavari and Nagarjuna Fertilizers, Sugar factories at Samarlakota and Pittahpuram, Plywood unit at Rampachodavaram, Dairy, Hatchery and Piggary Forms, Fisheries, Spinning and Saw Mills. Tourist Places: Coringa and Papikonda wild life Santuaries, Adurru, a Buddhist centre, Papikondalu, Rajahmundry bridge and Andhra paper mills. Pilgrimage Centers: Kukkuteswara Temple at Pitahpuram, Sri Sathya Narayana Swamy Temple at Annavaram, Draksharamam, Sri Jagan Mohini Chennakesava Swamy Temple at Ryali, Kotilingeswara temple at Rajahmundry, Appanapalle temple, Kumararamam at Samarlakota, and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Antarvedi. Handicrafts: Bell metal crafts. Once this District was the son border of Kalinga. This place was under the rule of the Satavahanas, Eastern Chalukya-Cholas, Kakatiyas, Reddis, Gajapatis, Vijayanagara, Qutub Shahin, and the British Chalukyas. This district was formed in the year 1904. Manyam Leader Sri Alluri Seetha Rama Raju Hails from this District. The Forest area Occupies 29% of the total area, and Surplus Timber is extracted From these forests, especially the Bamboo's which feeds the Andhra Paper Mills Situated at Rajahmundry. coringa Crocodile Sanctuary and PapiKonda Wild Life Sanctuaries Protecting Tigers, Foxes, and different kinds of Birds on the banks of the river Godavari speak on the concern towards the conservation of Wild life in these areas. Electricity supply to this district is mainly through Thermal Power station at Rajahmundry, Machkand Hydro Power project and Natural gas Power station at Vijjeswaram. Dhavaleshwaram Project built on the river Godavari Supplies waters to Major parts of the farming lands, Eleru is another small Irrigation project. District hosts Kakinada Port that is Second biggest port in Andhra Pradesh. This district has Small Scale Industries of Musical instruments at Pitahpuram. Educational Institutes Come under Andhra University. Accessibility: Kakinada, the headquarters of East Godavari district is well connected by rail and road. The port of Kakinada serves coastal traffic. Tourist Attractions S.No Tourist Spot Theme Place 1 Adurru(Dubaraju Gudi) Buddhist Centres Adurru 2 Annavaram Pilgrim Centres Annavaram 3 Antarvedi Pilgrim Centres Antarvedi 4 Balayogi Gardens Amalapuram Leisure Spots Amalapuram 5 Biccavolu Pilgrim Centres Biccavolu 6 Coringa Wild Life Sanctuary Wild Life Coringa 7 Draksharamam Pilgrim Centres Draksharamam 8 Dwarapudi Pilgrim Centres Dwarapudi 9 Gollalamamidada Pilgrim Centres Gollalamamidada 10 Kadiyapulanka Leisure Spots Rajahmundry 11 KotiPalle Pilgrim Centres Kotipalle 12 Kotilingalarevu Pilgrim Centres Rajahmundry 13 Mandapalli Pilgrim Centres Mandapalli 14 Papikonda Wild Life Sanctuary Wild Life Papikonda 15 Pithapuram Pilgrim Centres Pithapuram 16 Rampachodavaram Water Falls Rampachodavaram 17 Ryali Pilgrim Centres Ryali 18 Samarlakota Pilgrim Centres Samarlakota 19 Talupulammalova Pilgrim Centres Tuni 20 Uppada Sarees Handlooms null How to Reach This Place Kakinada is located 60 kms from Rajahmundry and 162 kms from Visakhapatnam. It is well connected by Road. Kakinada is 60 kms from Rajahmundry Railway station and 162 kms from Visakhapatnam Railway Station. Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad Airports Drakasharama is located in East Godavari district near Kakinada. Rajahmundry is the nearest airport. Draksharama constitues one of the five Arama kshetras of Andhra Pradesh, sacred to Shiva, the other four being Kumararama, Ksheerarama and Bheemarama and Amararama. Draksharama, Sree Sailam and Kalahasti together constitute the three sacred Shivalingams of Andhra Pradesh, giving it its ancient name Trilinga Desa. Draksharama is one of the important centers of Shiva worship in Andhra Pradesh. Several legends tie together the five Pancharama temples dedicated to Shiva. Legend also has it that Vyasa installed the Shivalingam at Draksharama. Legend also has it that Draksharama was the site of Daksha yagna. Since it is believed that Sati immolated herself at the site of her father's sacrificial hall, no sacrificial yagna rituals are performed here. The Bhimeswara temple at Draksharama has two prakarams. The outer prakaram is pierced with four entrances each with a gopuram. The gopuram on the west is a five tiered one. The entrance to the inner prakaram is on the south. A pillared two storeyed verandah lines the inner prakaram (tiruchutrumaaligai in the ancient temples of Tamilnadu). The sculptural work in the mukha mandapam depicts clear Chalukyan features. There are shrines to Lakshmi Narayana, Sankaranarayana, Ganapati and the Navagrahas. The sanctum is two storeyed. The walls surrounding both levels are beautified with sculptural work. Two flights of stairs lead to the upper level of the sanctum. Bhimeswara is enshrined in the form of a ten feet high Shivalingam in the sanctum. Shiva's consort here is Manikyamba. Mahashivaratri and Navaratri are some of the festivals celebrated here. History: This temple was built by the Eastern Chalukyan King of Vengi - Bhima, during very troubled times (9th -10th centuries), when his kingdom was under attack by the Rashtrakootas. Inscriptions reveal that he had to fight as many as 360 battles. Chalukya Bhima also built the Chalukya Bhimeswaram temple at Samalkota nearby. The Draksharamam temple contains as many as 400 inscriptions going back to the 11th century. These inscriptions can be traced back to the Eastern and the Western Chalukyas as well as the Cholas and Kalinga rulers. DRAKSHARAMAM Facts to File How far : 460 km from Hyderabad, 185 km from Vijayawada, 17 km from Kakinada, 40 km from Rajahmundry. How to go : Air : Nearest airport is VijayawadaRail : Nearest railhead is Rajahmundry or Kakinada and by bus from there. Where to stay : Choultries or Budget hotels at Kakinada or Rajahmundry. What to see : The Siva Temple Known as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Banares), Draksharamam is considered highly sacred, next only to Banares, the holiest of Siva temples in the country. Located in the Godavari district, the temple here is one of the most important Saiva Aramas. Sivaratri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims. There are four entrances to the temple, each facing the four cardinal directions. Every entrance is again covered by a Gopuram. On the upper storey, there is a pillared Pradakshina on three sides, a narrow Antrala and a Garbhagriha. A Linga rises from the Garbhagriha. A narrow Mandapam and the Mukha are other features of the shrine. Mythological figures are decoratively carved on the walls and the pillars. The temple art shows the influence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet Srinatha is said to have written Prabandha Kavya Bhimakhanda about this sacred place. LEGEND There are two legends associated with the place. It is believed that sage Vyasa performed penance here and gave it the name Dakshina Kasi. One legend is that Saptha Maharshis (seven sages) to achieve the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (undivided) Godavari into seven streams at Draksharamam. There is Saptha Godavari Kundam (seven river pond) near the temple, where devotees bathe. Bharadwaja, Jamagagni and Viswamithra streams are known as Antharwahinis as they have gone underground. According to another legend, Lord Siva's father-in-law, a king by name Daksha Prajapathi, performed a great yaga here. Parvathi attended the yaga uninvited and immolated herself when illtreated. Hence the place got the name, Daksha Vatika and later became Daksharamam and Draksharamam. A number of rock edicts (sasanas) are engraved on the temple walls. Simhachalam Annavaram Vijjeswaram Tirumala-Tirupati Vijayawada Bhadrachalam Ryali Draksharamam Vijjeswaram: Vijjeswaram, 20 km from here, in west Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.Vijjeswaram power project unit : The 60 MW capacity steam turbo set of the second phase of stage-II of the country's first gas-based power project was synchronised with the state electricity board on December 1998.The project is situated at Vijjeswaram, 30 km from here, in west Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.The second stage, with a total capacity of 172 MW, was completed on time at a cost of Rs 434 crore as against the initial estimation of Rs 471 crore. Annavaram: Annavaram is at a distance of 72 kms from Rajahmundry, 124km from Visakhapatnam and 498 kms from Hyderabad and it is a sacred piligrim centre on a hill top known as Ratnagiri. The presiding deity at Annavaram is Veeravenkata Satyanarayana Swamy. It is believed when Vrata is performed in the anme of Satyanarayana Swamy by devotees, their wishes will be fulfilled. It is estimated on an average about one lakh Vratas are performed here every year by couples generally. Marriages, thread marriages (upanayanam) are performed in large number. Chief festival days are Bhishma Ekadasi (Jan/Feb) and Kalyanotsavam, Vysakha Ekadasi (Apr/May) are important. It is situated on the banks of river pampa about 3 km from Annavaram. Ryali: Ryali lies at a distance of 25 km from Rajahmundry. It is famous for the temple of Jaganmohini-Kesavaswami. The idol of the deity is beautifully carved on black stone and it is worth seeing for its sculptural beauty and grand appearance. Draksharamam: Draksharamam is a shaivite shrine 185 km. from Vijayawada, 17 km. from Kakinada, 40 km. from Rajahmundry and 466 km. from Hyderabad. It is believed that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Benaras). Legend has it that the Saptamaharishis (Seven Sages) to achieve the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draskharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone under ground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple where the devotees bathe. Sivarathri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims.According to another local legend a king by name Kaksha Prajapati performed a great yaga with the motive of insulting his son-in-law Lord Siva. The king invited everyone except his own son-in-law. Parvathi, though uninvited, attended the yagna and was ill treated. Unable to withstand the insult, she subjected herself to self immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika" and later as Dakshramam or Draksharamam. There are a number of rock edicts (Sasanas)engraved on the walls of the temple. The temple art shows the influence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet Srinatha (4th century) is said to have written a Prabhanda Kavya 'Bhimakhanda' about this sacred place. How to reachAir: The nearest airport to Draskharamam is in Vijayawada at a distance of 185 km.Rail: The nearest rail head is in Kakinada at a distance of 17 km.Road: One can easily reach Draskharam by bus from Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Where to stay: Choultries are available at Drakshramam. Budget hotels in Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Simhachalam: Simhachalam is 16 km. from Visakhapatnam, the "Hill of the Lion", famous for its 11th century hilltop temple of Lord Narasimha. The deity is always covered with sandalwood paste, giving it an appearance of a sandalwood Shiva Linga. During the Chandanayatra festival celebrated here with great pomp in March-April, the real shape of the deity can be seen.How to reachAir: The nearest airport is in Visakhapatnam at a distance of 16 km.Rail: The nearest rail head is in Visakhapatnam is at a distance of 16 km.Road: Simhachalam is easily accessible from Visakhapatnam by the bus services offered by the government.Where to stay: Choultries are available at Simhachalam. Budget hotels Visakhapatnam. Simhachalam Annavaram Vijjeswaram Tirumala-Tirupati Vijayawada Bhadrachalam Ryali Draksharamam Vijjeswaram: Vijjeswaram, 20 km from here, in west Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.Vijjeswaram power project unit : The 60 MW capacity steam turbo set of the second phase of stage-II of the country's first gas-based power project was synchronised with the state electricity board on December 1998.The project is situated at Vijjeswaram, 30 km from here, in west Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.The second stage, with a total capacity of 172 MW, was completed on time at a cost of Rs 434 crore as against the initial estimation of Rs 471 crore. Annavaram: Annavaram is at a distance of 72 kms from Rajahmundry, 124km from Visakhapatnam and 498 kms from Hyderabad and it is a sacred piligrim centre on a hill top known as Ratnagiri. The presiding deity at Annavaram is Veeravenkata Satyanarayana Swamy. It is believed when Vrata is performed in the anme of Satyanarayana Swamy by devotees, their wishes will be fulfilled. It is estimated on an average about one lakh Vratas are performed here every year by couples generally. Marriages, thread marriages (upanayanam) are performed in large number. Chief festival days are Bhishma Ekadasi (Jan/Feb) and Kalyanotsavam, Vysakha Ekadasi (Apr/May) are important. It is situated on the banks of river pampa about 3 km from Annavaram. Ryali: Ryali lies at a distance of 25 km from Rajahmundry. It is famous for the temple of Jaganmohini-Kesavaswami. The idol of the deity is beautifully carved on black stone and it is worth seeing for its sculptural beauty and grand appearance. Draksharamam: Draksharamam is a shaivite shrine 185 km. from Vijayawada, 17 km. from Kakinada, 40 km. from Rajahmundry and 466 km. from Hyderabad. It is believed that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Benaras). Legend has it that the Saptamaharishis (Seven Sages) to achieve the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draskharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone under ground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple where the devotees bathe. Sivarathri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims.According to another local legend a king by name Kaksha Prajapati performed a great yaga with the motive of insulting his son-in-law Lord Siva. The king invited everyone except his own son-in-law. Parvathi, though uninvited, attended the yagna and was ill treated. Unable to withstand the insult, she subjected herself to self immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika" and later as Dakshramam or Draksharamam. There are a number of rock edicts (Sasanas)engraved on the walls of the temple. The temple art shows the influence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet Srinatha (4th century) is said to have written a Prabhanda Kavya 'Bhimakhanda' about this sacred place. How to reachAir: The nearest airport to Draskharamam is in Vijayawada at a distance of 185 km.Rail: The nearest rail head is in Kakinada at a distance of 17 km.Road: One can easily reach Draskharam by bus from Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Where to stay: Choultries are available at Drakshramam. Budget hotels in Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Simhachalam: Simhachalam is 16 km. from Visakhapatnam, the "Hill of the Lion", famous for its 11th century hilltop temple of Lord Narasimha. The deity is always covered with sandalwood paste, giving it an appearance of a sandalwood Shiva Linga. During the Chandanayatra festival celebrated here with great pomp in March-April, the real shape of the deity can be seen.How to reachAir: The nearest airport is in Visakhapatnam at a distance of 16 km.Rail: The nearest rail head is in Visakhapatnam is at a distance of 16 km.Road: Simhachalam is easily accessible from Visakhapatnam by the bus services offered by the government.Where to stay: Choultries are available at Simhachalam. Budget hotels Visakhapatnam. DRAKSHARAMAM (ANDHRA PRADESH) Draksharamam is a shaivite shrine 185 km. from Vijayawada, 17 km. from Kakinada, 40 km. from Rajahmundry and 466 km. from Hyderabad. It is believed that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Benaras). Legend has it that the Saptamaharishis (Seven Sages) to achieve the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draskharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone under ground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple where the devotees bathe. Sivarathri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims. According to another local legend a king by name Kaksha Prajapati performed a great yaga with the motive of insulting his son-in-law Lord Siva. The king invited everyone except his own son-in-law. Parvathi, though uninvited, attended the yagna and was ill treated. Unable to withstand the insult, she subjected herself to self immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika" and later as Dakshramam or Draksharamam. There are a number of rock edicts (Sasanas)engraved on the walls of the temple. The temple art shows the influence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet Srinatha (4th century) is said to have written a Prabhanda Kavya 'Bhimakhanda' about this sacred place. How to reachAir : The nearest airport to Draskharamam is in Vijayawada at a distance of 185 km.Rail :The nearest rail head is in Kakinada at a distance of 17 km.Road : One can easily reach Draskharam by bus from Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Where to stayChoultries are available at Drakshramam. Budget hotels in Kakinada and Rajahmundry. Ryali 24 km. from Rajahmundry, Ryali is famous for excellent sculptures and rare iconographs in the Mohini Keshava Swamy temple. DraksharamamIt is one of the Jyothirlingas in India. The Shiva here is called Bheemeswara Swamy. The height of the Linga is around 14 Ft. and it is one of the oldest temples in India. People say that it was constructed by the Devathas. There is one more temple called Manikyamabika Devi Temple in the campus of this Temple. It is one of the Ashtadasa Pithas in India. It is very famous as it has the Sakthi Chakra and the Parvathi Goddess is sitting on this Chakra. It is around 16 Kms from Yanam. There are frequent buses running from Yanam to Draksharamam. Draksharamam Behind every famous temple lies a strange tale and in the case of the Shaivite temple of Draksharamam in East Godavari, it is no different. King Daksha performed a great Yagna and purposely did not invite his son-in-law Shiva, with a view to belittling him. However, Parvati decided to attend the function at her father's place though uninvited. But she was insulted by her father in front of the assembled guests. Unable to bear the mental torment, she got herself consumed by flames and thus came about the name as Daksha Vatika, which went on to be called Daksharamam and subsequently Draksharamam. A Bhimeswara temple in the area is another attraction and Sivaratri is a special occasion. The temple is just under 20 km from the East Godavari district headquarters town of Kakinada and about 40 km from the ancient city of Rajahmundry, a derivation from the original Rajamahendri. Tourist Places Draksharamam is a shavite shrine 185 kms from Vijayawada, 17 km from Kakinada nearly 40 km from Rajahmundry and 466 km from Hyderabad. It is believed that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Benaras). Legend has it that the saptamaharshis (Seven sages) to achive the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draksharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone underground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple. Devotees bathe in this kundam. Sivarathri attracts huge crowds of pilgrims. According to another local legend a king by name Daksha Prajapati performed a great yaga with with the motive of insulting his son-in-law Lord Siva. The king invited everyone except his son-in-law. Sati, through uninvited, attended the yagaand was ill treated . Unable to withstand the insult , she subjected herself immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika". And later as Daksharamam or Draksharamam. There are number of rocks edicts (Sasanas) engraved on the walls of temple. The temple art shows the infuence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poetSrinatha (14 th century) is said to have written a prabhanda kavya "Bhimakhanda" about this sacred place Places of Interest in East Godavari District The capital is Kakkinada that is a busy fishing harbor and a minor port. Rail and road connect the city to other important centers of the state. Coringa wild life sanctuary: A sanctuary of 235sq.km was established in 1978. It is in the Godavari delta. Fishing cats, crocodiles, otters and many water birds are seen here. Papikonda Sanctuary: Spread over an area of 591sq.km, the sanctuary is situated along the slopes of Papikonda range. Many animals including tiger and birds are seen here. Rajamundry: 155 km from Vijayawada, Rajamundri is a place of historical and religious importance. 'Pushkaram', the 'Kumbhamela' of South is celebrated here once in every 12 years. The long rail and road bridge over 56 spans (2743m) is another impressive sight. Draksharamam: 'Draksharamam' is a Shivite temple 17 km from Kakkinada and 185 km from Vijayawada. The temple has a unique "sphadika lingam" and many inscriptions on the walls. The temple art shows influence of Chalukya and Chola styles. The temple festival of 'Bhimaswami's Kalyanam' is celebrated for five days in Jan.-Feb. A city situated in an ideal surrounding between the Krishna river and Budameru, its tributary. The third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada is also the biggest-railway junction in the country. The Mogalrajapuram caves, Kanakadurga Temple, Prakasam Barrage, Gundala Church and Gandhi Stupa on Gandhi Hill are some of the places worth a visit. How to get There Air : Vijaywada is connected by Hyderabad & Vishakhapatnam. Rail : The city is well connected to important cities. Bus : Regular bus service from important cities. Where to stayThe city offers a number of luxury and economy hotels. Kondapalle: The city is a home to maser craftsmen who make colourful wooden toys. The Virupaksha Temple is situated here amidst serene surroundings. Draksharamam is a shaivite shrine 185 km from Vijayawada, 17 km from Kakinada, 40 km from Rajahmundry. It is believed that sage Vyasa who performed penance here named this as Dakshina Kasi (Southern Banaras). Legend has it that the Saptamaharishis (Seven Sages) to achieve the ends of their penance divided the akhanda (unbranched) Godavari river into seven different streams at Draskharama. Bharadhwaja, Viswamitra and Jamadagni streams known as Antarvahinies, were believed to have gone under ground. There is Sapta Godavari Kundam (Seven river pond) near the temple where the devotees bathe. According to another local legend a king by name Kaksha Prajapati performed a great yaga with the motive of insulting his son-in-law Lord Siva. The king invited everyone except his own son-in-law. Parvathi, though uninvited, attended the yagna and was ill treated. Unable to withstand the insult, she subjected herself to self immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika" and later as Dakshramam or Draksharamam. There are a number of rock edicts (Sasanas) engraved on the walls of the temple. The temple art shows the influence of a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet Srinatha (4th century) is said to have written a Prabhanda Kavya 'Bhimakhanda' about this sacred place. Where to stay Choultries are available at Drakshramam. Budget hotels in Kakinada and Rajahmundry.24 km from Rajahmundry, Ryali is famous for excellent sculptures and rare iconographs in the Mohini Keshava Swamy temple.Kanaka Durga, goddess of power, riches and benevolence is considered the presiding deity of Vijayawada. The temple is set on Indrakila hill. A temple of Lord Malleswara is also within the city area. It is said that Adi Sankara visited this temple and installed Sri Chakra here. Special celebrations are held here during Dasera festival. At the Kanaka Durga temple, the enchanting four-foot high icon of the deity gleams into sight even before one enters the garbha griha. The goddess with eight hands and equipped with eight powerful weapons is seen in a standing posture over the demon Mahishashura and piercing him with her trident. The Goddess bedecked in glittering ornaments and floral decorations is the epitome of beauty. Devotees worship goddess Kanakadurga to bestow them with health, wealth and prosperity. The temple authorities at the Kanakadurgeswari shrine have made elaborate arrangements for devotees to have Darshan from different points. The first is the special Darshan from within the sanctum sanctorum in close proximity of the deity and the second special Darshan is from just outside the sanctum sanctorum. The third type of Darshan is from a distance. The temple remains open for Darshan from 4.30 a.m up to 10.30 p.m. Archanas are performed at 4.30 a.m, 8.00 a.m, 2.00 p.m, and 6.00 p.m. Lakshakumkum archana is performed everyday, except on Friday and Sunday. Chanting of mantras and devotional music euphonies the air in the mornings creating a serene atmosphere. Area 194.81 Sq. km Location Located near Avanigadda village, this sanctuary spreads into Krishna and Guntur districts. It is at a distance of 80 km from Vijayawada. Animals foundFishing Cats, Otters, Jackals, Estuarine Crocodiles and a variety of birds. HabitatThis is a mangrove forest in the estuary of Krishna river. How to get thereRoad: 80 km from Vijayawada.Best SeasonOctober to February DRAKSHARAMAM Location: 26-km From Kakinada And 48-km From Rajahmundry, East Godavari DistrictPresiding Deity: Lord ShivaAlso Known As: Dakshina KashiArchitecture: Chalukya And Chola Styles Draksharamam is in the village of Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari District. It is at a distance of about 26-km from Kakinada and 48-km from Rajahmundry. This place is also called, as "Dakshina Kashi" (Southern Banaras). It is considered highly sacred, next only to Benaras, the holiest of Shiva temples in the country.The temple at this place is one of the very ancient shrines of India and is known to history from the time of Satavahanas and it is one of the most important 'Shaiva Aramas'. Inscriptional evidences in the temple indicate the antiquity of the shrine dating as early as the 11th century, when the Chola king Rajaraja was reigning at Rajahmundry.The LegendsLocal legend goes like this, a king by the name of Kaksha Prajapati, father-in-law of Lord Shiva performed a great 'Yagna' (a holy puja) with the motive of insulting his son-in-law. All were invited to this puja except his own son-in-law. Parvati attended the Yagna, though uninvited, and was ill-treated. Unable to withstand the insult, she subjected herself to self-immolation. Thus this place is known as "Daksha Vatika" and later as "Dakshramam" or "Draksharamam". According to another legend seven sages 'Kashyapa', 'Atri', 'Gauthama Bharadwaja', 'Vishwamitra', 'Jadmadagni' and 'Vasihshta' - called "Saptamaharishis" in order to end their penance divided the 'Akhanda' (unbranched) Godavari River into seven different streams at Draskharama. Three streams Bharadhwaja, Vishwamitra and Jamadagni known as "Antarvahinies", were believed to have gone under ground. The devotees consider a seven-river pond called "Saptha Godavari Kundam" near the temple, sacred. Devotees take dip in this holy pond. There are a number of 'Sasanas' (rock edicts) engraved on the walls of the temple. The temple art is a blend of sculptural traditions of Chalukya and Chola styles. Famous Telugu poet 'Srinatha' (4th century) is said to have written a 'Prabhanda Kavya' "Bhimakhanda" about this sacred place.Inspired From The SunThe construction of the temple is said to have originated with the Sun. The 'Linga' here is one of the five bits worn by Taksha round his neck. The Bhimesvara Lingam, which is a 'Sphatika' (White) Lingam, is also one of the three Lingams in 'Trilinga Desa'. The Shiva Linga, in this is 5m high and stands sixth in the line of 'Jyotir Linga'. Half of the Lingam is white while the other half is black. Many devotees are attracted to this place because of grand appearance and unique height of the Linga.Draksharamam is also sacred to the Muslims. The mosque and the tomb of Syed Shah Bhaji Aulia are greatly revered by them.FESTIVALThousands of pilgrims attend the 'Bhimesvaraswami Kalyanam', which is celebrated for five days during January-February.HOW TO GET THERERail: The nearest railway station is in Kakinada at a distance of 26-km. Even though Kakinada is the nearest railway station Rajahmundry is the preferred railway station, which is 40-km on Chennai -Calcutta section, and is well connected with all parts of the state.Road: One can easily reach Draksharamam by bus from Kakinada and Rajahmundry.WHERE TO STAYChoultries are available at Drakshramam Accommodation is also available in the hotels at Kakinada and Rajahmundry. India Network Foundation, Inc. Languages of Andhra Pradesh The main languages spoken in Andhra Pradesh are Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, Banjara, and English followed by Tamil, Kannada, Marathi and Oriya. Telugu is the principal and official language of the State. It was also referred to as `Tenugu' in the past. `Andhra' is the name given to it since the medieval times. Some argued that `Telugu' was a corruption of `Trilinga' (Sanskrit meaning three `lingas'). A general description of the land of the Telugus was made in the medieval times as `the land marked by three lingas of the three famous shrines of Draksharamam (East Godavari district), Kaleswaram (Karimnagar district) and Srisailam (Kurnool district). Telugu is the most widely spoken language of the Dravidian family which consists of 24 languages spanning the entire South-Asia, from Baluchistan to Sri Lanka. In terms of population, Telugu ranks second to Hindi among the Indian languages. According to the 1981* Census, Telugu is spoken by over 45 million in Andhra Pradesh. It has also spread to the other parts of the globe, i.e., Burma, Indo-China, South-Africa and the U.S.A. Being a mellifluous language, it is called, by its admirers as the `Italian of the East'. Its vocabulary is very much influenced by Sanskrit. In the course of time, some Sanskrit expressions used in Telugu got so naturalised that people regarded them as pure Telugu words. Some Kannada and Tamil words were also taken into Telugu but they did not gain much currency. With the advent of the Muslim rule, several Persian and Arabic words entered into the Telugu language. But they were confined to the spoken language and to the language of the judiciary and the executive. The influence of Persian and Arabic is discernible to a considerable extent in the languages spoken in Telangana due to its long association with the Muslim rule. There is also a great element of English words in the vocabulary of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema because these regions were directly under the British rule for nearly a century and a half. The evolution of Telugu can be traced through centuries in terms of its form as well as its function. Although culturally Telugu is close to its southern neighbours -- Tamil and Kannada -- genetically, it is closer to its northern neighbours -- Gondi, Konda, Kui, Kuvi, Pengo and Manda. There is evidence to show that these languages were freely borrowed from Telugu even from the prehistoric period whereas borrowing between Telugu and Tamil and Kannada has been mostly during the historic period, i.e., post-5th century B.C. --------------------------- *Language-wise population figures of 1991 Census have not yet been released by the Census Department. It is possible to identify broadly four stages in the history of the Telugu language. (1) B.C. 200 -- A.D. 500 (2) A.D. 500--A.D.1100 (3) A.D. 1100--A.D.1400 and (4) A.D. 1400--A.D.1900. During the first phase, we only come across names of places and personal names of Telugu in Prakrit and Sanskrit inscriptions found in the Telugu country. Telugu was exposed to the influence of Prakrit as early as the 3rd century B.C. >From this we know that the language of the people was Telugu, although the language of the rulers was different. The first complete Telugu inscription belongs to the Renati Cholas, found in Erragudipadu, Kamalapuram taluk of Cuddapah district and assigned to about A.D. 575. Telugu was exposed to the influence of Sanskrit about this period. It appears that literature also existed in Telugu about the same time, because we find literary style in the inscriptions some three centuries even before Nannaya's (A.D. 1022) Mahabharatam. During the time of Nannaya, the popular language had considerably diverged from the literary language. In the period A.D. 500--1100, the literary languages confined to the poetic works, flourished in the courts of kings and among scholars. Phonetic changes, which occurred in the popular language, are reflected in the literary language, although the two streams remained apart in grammar and vocabulary. During A.D. 1100--1400 the literary language got stylized and rigid, closing itself from the influence of contemporary spoken language. Ketana (13th century AD), a disciple of Tikkana prohibited the use of spoken words in the poetic works and quoted some spoken forms. During the period A.D. 1400--1900, many changes culminating in today's form of Telugu took place. The prose language of the 19th century, as can be seen from the `Kaifiyats', shows the educated speech as base with occasional influence of literary language. We also notice the influence of Urdu language on Telugu before the spread of English education. From the foregoing overview of the history of the Telugu language, one can see that what we now use as modern standard Telugu, had its beginnings in the spoken variety, right from the 10th century A.D. The language was progressively enriched by contact with Sanskrit, Prakrit, Urdu and English from early times. Until the advent of the printing press and the school system of education, Telugu was broadly used in four areas: (1) inscriptions, (2) poetry, (3) folk literature, (4) common speech (social and perhaps official). The language of the inscriptions had always been based on the contemporary speech of the educated with an occasional admixture of literary and rustic expressions. Folk literature, which was in the form of songs, drew mainly on the speech of the common people among whom it circulated, basically rural in its character. Both in its appeal and form, the poetic language was confined to royal courts and the elite. Care was taken to keep it insulated from the speech of even the scholars and poets, who used it in other areas of communication. Because of this restriction on the medium, prose never emerged as a form of classical literature in Telugu. Even the sparse scientific writing on prosody, arithmetic, medicine and grammar was cast either in Telugu verse or in Sanskrit slokas. The emergence of popular literary forms like the satakas devotional songs and the yaksha gana necessitated extensive reliance on contemporary spoken language in their appeal and expressiveness. Early commentaries, historical accounts (like Rayavachakam), and the few prose works, which were written for instructional purposes in the first half of the 19th century, were all written in educated speech which was distinct from the language of the literary dialect. In 1853, Chinnayasuri, a Telugu pundit in the Presidency College, first experimented with a prose variety based on the classical poetic language in his book "Niti Chandrika". In 1855, he published Bala Vyakaranamu, an excellent grammar of the poetic language, but it was intended for school study and as a guide to `Correct Writing'. These works had, to some extent, given support to traditional pundits, who upheld the Kavya bhasha as primary and the spoken language as its degenerate form. The influence of Chinnayasuri temporarily arrested the growth of creative prose by famous writers until Gurazada Appa Rao appeared on the scene and produced his social play Kanyasulkam in 1897 in a near modern language. The controversy that raged between the two schools, classical and modern subsided in 1919 with a victory for the classic writers to perpetuate the use of the so-called granthikam (or the poetic dialect) as the language of the text-book language and the medium of examination. However, teaching has all along been done only in the spoken variety of the teacher. For about 90 years (1850--1940), Telugu prose had a stunted growth, although scholars like Kandukuri Viresalingam and Panuganti Lakshminarasimha Rao used a `liberalized poetic variety' in their writings, which was neither fully classical nor fully modern. Since the nineteen forties, Telugu prose style wriggled out of the clutches of the traditional pundits. The emergence of mass media of communication, like the radio, T.V., cinema, language, newspapers and new forms of writing, under the impact of nationalist movement reinforced the importance of the spoken word and various literary forms blossomed in modern language. By and large, the prosperous Krishna -- Godavari delta became the breeding ground of many writers and scholars, and their spoken variety assumed several prose forms and slowly spread to other areas assimilating other dialects in its course. The language now used in all modern forms of literature and newspapers has a great degree of uniformity and acceptability, which lends it the status of a standard language. Now the nationalised text-books and those prescribed for Telugu language degree by universities are the only `sancturies' of the poetic dialect. The seminar sponsored by the State Government in 1964 at Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, resolved that only the modern language should be used for all subject (non-1st language) books written in Telugu and all 2nd language books. This resolution has been implemented in the case of subject text-books produced by the Telugu Akademi. Now all the universities in the State are allowing the use of modern Telugu as the examination medium and modern literature has been prescribed for study at the University level. In 1966, Telugu became the official language of the State and in 1974, correspondence in Telugu was made at the taluk level. This was gradually extended to Heads of Departments and Secretariat levels. In 1969, Telugu as the medium of instruction was introduced on a large scale in higher education. Literature Telugu literature is generally divided into six periods, viz., (1) the pre-Nannaya period (up to A.D. 1020), (2) the Age of the Puranas (1020--1400), (3) the Age of Srinatha (1400--1510), (4) the Age of the Prabandhas (1510--1600), (5) the Southern period (1600--1820), and (6) the Modern Period (after 1820). In the earliest period there were only inscriptions from A.D. 575 onwards. Nannaya's (1022--1063) translation of the Sanskrit Mahabharata into Telugu is the piece of Telugu literature as yet discovered. The diction is so masterly that historians think that there must have been earlier works in Telugu. After the death of Nannaya, there was a kind of social and religious revolution in the Telugu country. Virasaivism propagated bhakti towards Siva as the only means of attaining salvation. Tikkana (13th century) and Yerrana (14th century) continued the translation of the Mahabharata started by Nannaya. Yerrana was also a devotee of Siva. Quite a few poets continued writing in Telugu and we come to the age of Srinatha. During this period, some Telugu poets translated Sanskrit poems and dramas, while others attempted original narrative poems. The popular Telugu literary form called the Prabandha, was evolved during this period. Srinatha (1365--1441) was the foremost poet, who popularised this style of composition (a story in verse having a tight metrical scheme). Srinatha's, Sringara Naishadham is particularly well-known. We may also refer to the Ramayana poets in this context. The earliest Ramayana in Telugu is generally known as the Ranganatha Ramayana, though authorised by the chief Gona Buddha Reddi. Then there were the great religious poets like Potana (1450--1510), Jakkana (second half of the 14th century) and Gaurana (first half of the 15th century). The golden period of Telugu literature was the 16th and 17th centuries A.D., Krishnadevaraya's Amuktamalayada is regarded as a Mahakavya. Peddana's Manucharitra is another outstanding Mahakavya. Telugu literature flourished in the south in the Samsthanas like Madurai, Tanjavur etc., and that is why the age itself was called the `Southern Period'. We find a comparatively larger number of poets among the rulers, women and non-Brahmins who popularised the desi metres. With the conquest of the Deccan by the Mughals in A.D.1687, there ensued a period of decadence (1750--1850) in literature. Then emerged a period of transition (1850--1910), following a long period of Renaissance. The Europeans like C.P.Brown played an important role in the development of Telugu language and literature. In common with the rest of India, Telugu literature of this period was increasingly influenced by the European literary forms like the novel, short story, prose, drama, belles-litters, etc. The father of modern Telugu literature is Kandukuri Viresalingam Pantulu (1848--1919), who wrote a novel, Rajasekhara Charitamu, inspired by the Vicar of Wakefield. He was the first person in modern times to use literature to eradicate social evils. He was followed by Rayaprolu Subba Rao, Gurazada Appa Rao, Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Katuri Venkateswara Rao, Jashuva, Devulapalli Venkata Krishna Sastry, Sri Sri, Puttaparty Narayana Charyulu and others in the sphere of poetry. Viswanatha Satyanarayana had won the coveted Jnanapith Award. ``Kanyasulkam'' (Bride-Money), the first social play in Telugu by Gurazada Appa Rao was a thumping success. We also find the progressive movement, free verse movement and Digambara style finding expression in Telugu verse. The well-known modern Telugu novelists were Unnava Lakshminarayana (of Malapalli fame), Viswanatha Satyanarayana (Veyi Padagalu), Kutumba Rao and Buchchi Babu. Telugu is specially known for its daring experiments in the field of poetry and drama. Urdu, another important language of the State and spoken by the Muslims is Indian in origin. Though many words in it found their way from the Arabic and Persian, it has always been true to the idiom of the western Hindi dialect. It was ``the language of the Exalted Court'' at Delhi in the Mughal period. It acquired the shortened name `Urdu' and became the handmaid of the Persian culture in India. The 1981 census recorded 41,69,179 Urdu-speaking persons in the State comprising 21,21,859 males and 20,47,320 females. Hyderabad City, the State's Capital accounted for 35 per cent of the Urdu-speaking people in Hyderabad district, forming over 8 per cent of the population, and came next to Telugu. Guntur, Anantapur and Cuddapah districts also accounted for a sizeable number of Urdu-speaking people. In the Telangana region, the overall proportion of Urdu-speaking people is very high. Hindi speaking people, numbering 13,83,792, (7,10,313 males and 6,73,479 females) and forming about three per cent of the population, held the third place. None of the remaining languages was spoken by even 2 per cent of the population. Thus Tamil, Kannada and Marathi account for still smaller proportions. These individual languages, however, account for a fairly substantial proportion of speakers in some districts. There were 6,45,463 Tamil; 4,84,330 Kannada, 4,31,352 Marathi and 2,36,420 Oriya speaking people in the State. People speaking Tamil are found concentrated in Chittoor district, which adjoins Tamil Nadu. They are also found to some extent in Nellore and Hyderabad districts. Kannada and Marathi speakers can be seen in districts like Anantapur and Kurnool, and Adilabad and Nizamabad respectively which have close proximity to the adjoining Kannada and Marathi areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra states. Of the numerous other languages spoken in the State, the 1981 Census recorded 44,489 persons speaking Malayalam; 36,180 speaking Gujarati, 18,544 speaking Bengali, Punjabi -16,833, Sindhi - 9,521, Assami -248 and Kashmiri -121. Of the foreign languages spoken in the State, 414 speak Arabic and three, Tibetan. The principal tribal languages spoken in the State are Banjara/Sugali/Lambadi ( 45,00,000) , Koya (1,58,097), Gondi (1,12,303), Savara (47,609), Jatapu (23,366), Kolami (13,395), Khondi/Kondh (11,890), Gadaba (11,291) and Donda (9,951). Source: Revenue Department (Gazetteers), Government of Andhra Pradesh PLEASE ALSO VISIT THE FOLLOWING SITES:- http://64.164.14.92/apservlets/jsp/iplaces3.jsp?THEME=District+Information&DISTRICT=East+Godavari&disp=3&LOCATION=Kakinada&infoId=1274 DRAKSHARAMAM Dhraksharamam is in the village of Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari District. The nearest Railway Station is Kakinada which is about 28km from the Temple. Ramachandrapuram is the nearest town from where number of A.P.S.R.T.C buses are available. The nearest Airport is Visakhapatnam. The presiding diety of the Temple is Bhimeswar. 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