The pilgrimage to the Pancharama Kshetras in Andhra Pradesh is a committed religious undertaking by devout Hindus because at all the five places the Shivalingas are believed to have been installed by five different deities - Indra, Chandra and Surya along with Vishnu and Kartikeya. They are all located at close distances and it is a one day holy trip to these sites and should be completed on the same day itself. Interestingly, the shivalingas at these temples are the scattered parts of one single lingam that was once worn around the neck by a demon Tarakasura. To kill him god Kumaraswamy, created by Shiva, had to split the linga in to 5 parts and set them fixed in the same place so that they won't fuse together that would make the assura come back alive.
Amareswaraswamy in Amaravati, AP:
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| Amararama temple in Amaravati, Andhra. templeconnect.com/ |
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| Pancharama Kshetras, AP travelwithkalyan.com |
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| Amararama temple, in Amaravati, Andhra. upload.wikimedia.org |
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| Pancharama shetrams, locations, Andhra .uparnidevi.blogspot.com |
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| Tall lingam, Amararama temple, in Amaravati,tripadvisor.com |
Located on the banks of the Krishna River in Guntur district, the Amareswara Swamy temple — also called Amararama — is where Lord Indra is believed to have installed the Linga. The deity, Lord Amareswara, is worshipped along with Goddess Bala Chamundeswari. The tall Shivalinga requires the priest to climb a platform for rituals. The temple was renovated by Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu, the 18th-century ruler of Chintapalli, who also endowed lands for temple maintenance. Major festivals like Mahashivaratri, Navaratri, and Kalyanotsavam are celebrated with grandeur.
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Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple, Ksheeraram, Palakollu w. Godavari:
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| Ksheerarama temple, AP trawell.in |
Above image: Ksheerarama temple in Palakollu of West Godavari is a holy temple. The devotees of Lord Shiva believe that god Shiva bestowed Lord Vishnu with the divine discus - chakra at the same place where the temple stands today. Another legend has it that it was at this site that sage Upamanyu, as mentioned in the Mahabharata, got boons and milk from Lord Shiva after his intense penance. Therefore, the temple has been named Ksheera (milk) Ramalingeswara Swami. The Shivaling here is a tall one and has a milky white colour; here Lord's consort is Parvati. This temple is so sanctified, it is mentioned, that one day stay here is equal to visiting the holy city Varanasi..........
Situated in Palakollu, West Godavari district, the Ksheerarama temple derives its name from the word Ksheera (milk), as the linga here is milky white. According to legends, Lord Vishnu received the divine discus (Chakra) from Shiva at this spot, while sage Upamanyu obtained boons from the Lord after performing penance here. The temple was originally built during the Chalukya period in the 9th century and later enhanced by local rulers. The nine-storied Raja Gopuram, 120 feet tall, was completed in the 14th century under Alladu Reddy’s direction. The mandapa’s 72 black-stone pillars and intricate sculptures highlight medieval Andhra temple architecture. The principal festival, Mahashivaratri, attracts thousands of devotees who believe that even a day’s stay here grants the spiritual merit of visiting Kashi.
The Pancharama Kshetra Yatra thus represents not only a religious journey but also an exploration of Andhra Pradesh’s architectural heritage and devotional continuity. Each temple, a fragment of the original Atma Linga, together forms a sacred whole, reflecting the timeless bond between faith, mythology, and divine grace in Hindu tradition.
https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2022/09/pancharamakshetras-pilgrimage-of-andhra.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksheerarama
https://allindiatemples.in/5-pancharamas-4/
