Srisailam Temple History

Srisailam played a dominant role in out religious, cultural and social history from ancient times.

The epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam begins with the Sathavahanas who were the first empire builders in South India. The earliest known historical mention of the Hill Srisailam, can be traced in Pulumavis Nasik inscription of 1st century A.D.

The Sathavahanas, the Ikshavakus, the Pallavas, the Vishnukundis, the Chalukyas, the Kakatiyas, the Reddy kings, the Vijayanagara Emperors and Chtrapathi Shivaji are among the famous emperors who worshiped God Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Prataparudra of Kakatiya Dynasty strived a lot for the improvements of this Kshetram and granted Paraganas for its maintenance. Ganapathideva has spent 12000 Golden Nanyas for the maintenance of the temple.

The period of Reddi kings is the Golden age of Srisailam that almost all rules of the dynasty did celebrated service for this temple. In 14th Century Prolaya Vema Reddi of Reddy Dynasty constructed stepped path-way to Srisailam and Pathalaganga (here the river Krishna is called as Pathalaganga) and Anavema Reddi constructed Veera Siromandapam in which the Veerasaiva devotees cut off their hands, tongue, limbs with devotion to attain the realization of the God. This practice is known as Veeracharam.

The second Harihararaya of Vijayanagara Empire constructed the Mukhamantapam of Swamy shrine and also a Gopuram on Southern side of the temple.

In the 15th Century Sri Krishnadevaraya constructed the Rajagopuram on Eastern side and Salimantapas on both sides of Chatrapathi Shivaji who constructed a Gopuram on northern side in the year 1667 A.D.

Srisaila Main Temple

The shrine of Lord Mallikarjuna picturesquely situated on a flat top of Nallamalai hills, Srisailam is reputed to be one of the most ancient kshetras in India. It is on the right side of the River Krishna in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh. This celebrated mountain is also named as Siridhan, Srigiri, Sriparvatha and Srinagam. It has been a popular center of saivite pilgrimage for centuries.

The prominence of this Divya Kshetram is highlighted by the fact that while performing our daily household rituals we specify place of location of our existence with reference to Srisailam.

The presiding deities of this kshetram Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy is one of the twelve Jyothirlingas and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi is one of the eighteen Mahasakthis and both are self-manifested. The unique feature of this kshetram is the combination of Jyothirlingam and Mahasakthi in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind.

There is a common belief in vogue that this Holy Kshetram exists from times immemorial. The antiquity and origin of God Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi is not known.

The Mallikarjuna Linga is accessible to each and every devotee and anybody can go into the sanctum sanctorum of Mallikarjuna, touch him and perform Abhishekam and Archana himself to recitation of Mantras by Archakas without caste or creed or religion. This reveals that socialistic pattern of society started from this place and it is still in existence. 

Kanipakam Main Temple

Kanipakam is a small village on the bank of Bahuda river. "Kani" means wetland and "Pakam" means flow of water into wetland. 

According to the legend of the temple there were three brothers and each one had a handicap viz., dumb, deaf and blind. They were earning out their livelihood by cultivating a small piece of land. In olden days water was drawn from the well by way of 'Piccota System'. As one of them used to irrigate the field through the channels, the other two used to ply on the Piccota. On one such operation they found that the water in the well got dried up and they could no longer continue their job. One of them got into the well and started digging it up. He was taken aback to see the iron implement hitting a stone like formation.

Later, he was shocked to see blood oozing out from it. Within in a few seconds the entire water in the well, turned blood red in colour, Thus, startled by this divine sight, all the tree became normal getting rid of their deformities. As soon as the villagers came to know about this miracle, they thronged to the well and tried to deepen the well further. But their attempt proved futile because the "Swayambhu" idol (the self-manifested) of Lord Vinayaka emerged from the swirling waters. 

Ultimately they offered many number of coconuts with all prayers modesty kneeling before the new idol afford 'Magalharathi' etc. They declared the ideal of "Swayambhu" and tendered number of coconuts. The coconuts water flowed into the channel to distance of more than one and a quarter acres. The indication of this led to the modification in the usage of the Tamil word "Kaniparakam" ans later pronounced as Kanipakam. Even today the idol is in the original well and the springs of the well are perennial and the eternal. During the rainy season, the holy water from the well overflows even today.

Another striking and strange feature of the idol is that it is still growing in size. At present, we can see the knees and the abdomen of the idol. Smt. Lakshmamma, an ardent devotee had offered a Kavacham (Armour) to the lord, fifty years ago but today it is out of size and doesn't fit the idol. The holy water from the well is offered to the devotees as theertham.

The legend behind Bahuda River:
Long ago three lived two brotherr Sankha and Likhita. They were on a pilgrimage to kanipakam. As the journey was tiring, the younger brother Likhita felt hungry. Disregarding the advice of the elder brother he plucked a mango from the mango grove. Sankha felt bad and reported this to the ruler of that area and pleaded for punishment for the sin committed during the pilgrimage. Thus Lihita was punished severely being deprived of both arms.

Later they took bath in the river near kanipakam temple. Lo Behold! The chopped arms were restored to Likhita as soon as he had a dip in the scared waters of the river. These incidents lead the ruler to rename the river as "Bahuda" (Bahu means human arm). Thus the river beside kanipakam temple is now known as  'Bahuda river'.

Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka as up-holder of 'Truth':
The swayambhu idol of kanipakam is the up-holder of truth. Day to day disputes between people is resolved by taking a 'special oath'. The people in the dispute take a holy dip in the temple tank and swear before the lord. It is taken as gospel truth.

There are instances when the person who committed that sin voluntarily agrees as soon as he had dip and much before entering the temple itself. It seems the lord lawns invisibly on the sinner and makes him repent & feel quality for his sinful deeds.

Thus the glory of Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka spread far and wide and the honorable courts uphold the special oath in their judicial pronouncements. 

Social Services of Tirumala Tirupati Devastanamu

Many Social services like Education, Medical treatment, rehabilitation of physically challenged and economically backward are initiated by TTD.
Social Activities:

1. Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation of the Disabled (BIRRD).
2. Sri Venkateswara Poor Home.
3. Sri Venkateswara Bala Mandir.
4. Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences.
5. Sri Venkateswara School for the Deaf.
6. Sri Venkateswara Training Center for the Handicapped.
7. Conservation of Water and Forests - Haritha Project.

Educational Activities:

1. Professional Colleges.
2. Oriental Colleges.
3. Degree Colleges.
4. Junior Colleges.
5. High Schools.
6. Elementary Schools.

Religious Activities:

1. Annamacharya Project.
2. Dasa Sahitya Project.
3. Alwar Divya Prabhanda Project.
4. Sri Venkateswara Veda Recording Project.
5. Sri Venkateswara Video Audio Recording Project.
6. Tarigonda Vengamamba Project.
7. Haritha project.
8. Temple Renovation and Reconstruction.
9. Sriman Veturi Prabhakara Sastry Vangmaya Peetam.