Kumararama (Telugu: కుమారరామ) or Bhimarama is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is located in Samarlakota in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India.
Kumara Bhimarama Temple at Samalkota
Kumararama is one of the five important and popular Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu God Siva. This temple is located in Samarlakota near Kakinada around 10 km, and 1 km from Samarlakota town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. Lord Shiva is known as Kumara Bhimeswara Swamy here. The consort of Lord Kumara Bhimeswara Swamy is Bala Tripurasundari. According to legend, the Sivalinga at the temple place was installed and established by Lord Kumaraswamy. Maha Shivaratri, Karthika Masam and Sarannavarathri are the main festivals celebrated at the temple.
There is an interesting legend regarding the name of this place and existence of Lord Shiva in this place. During Tarakasura vadha, the Shiva Linga which was in the throat of Tarakasura broke into five pieces and one of the pieces fell here. Thereafter, it came to be known as Kumararama. Lord Bhimeswara Swamy was installed by Kumara Swamy (son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati) and hence the temple is called KumaraRama. This temple was built in Dravidian style, by the King Chalukya Bhima. Hence the name is Bhimeswara.
Recent excavations in the compound of the temple has yielded many figures dated back 1000 years are now present inside the temple. In Puranas it has been written that it is a Yogakshetram, which means, the person who has the "yogam" ("fated to have" or "opportunity given by god" or "boon") to visit, will visit the temple.
The temple of Kumaram Chalukya Bhimesvara was constructed by the famous Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima-I towards the end of the 9th century AD and the presiding god Siva, in the form of tall Sivalinga, was named after the monarch as Chalukya Bhimesvara. The inscription states that Chalukya Bhima, the son of Vikramaditya having been victorious in three hundred and sixty battles ruled the earth for thirty years.The Bhimesvara temple at Samalkot is similar in architecture to that of the Bhimesvara temple at Daksharama.
The temple is 1 kilometer from Samarlakota City. The limestone Linga, installed in the shrine, is 16 feet tall that it rises from the pedestal on the ground floor and enters the second floor by piercing the roof, where the Rudrabhaga is worshipped. The temple has a mandapam that is supported by 100 pillars and is of great architectural importance. The temple has an Ekasila Nandi (A Bull carved from a single stone) guarding the Shiva Lingam at the entrance of the temple. The temple resembles the other Pancharama temple at Draksharama which is also called Bhimeswara Alayam. The temple is surrounded by two prakara walls built of dressed sand stones. The outer prakara wall is pierced by gopura - entrance on all the four sides. The main entrance to the temple is called Surya Dwaram. There are carvings of Apsaras on pillars in the temple. A mantapam supported with one hundred pillars can be seen. The four gopura – dvaras have ardha – mandapas on either side. The inner enclosure wall is divided horizontally into two sections separated by a cornice. It has a two storeyed pillared mandapa running all the inner side. To the East side, there is a mantap called Koneti. Pushkarni (Koneru) lake can be seen here.
The construction of the temple was started in AD 892 and was completed during 922.here the Linga is made of limestone and appears white. From 1340-1466 during kakatiya dynasty the temple was reconstructed.so one can see the sculpture design of both Turpu chalukyas' and kakatiyas. Here the Goddess knownas Bala Trupura sundari. |
