Andhra Pradesh - Pilgrimages and Temples

Religious Traditions of Andhra Pradesh:

- Swayam Vyakta Kshetra → Venkatachala
- Divya Desam → Venkatachala (Thiruvenkatam) - Ahobilam (Thiru Singavelkundram)
- Jyotirlinga → Shrishailam (Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga)
- Pancha Bhoota Sthalam → Srikalahasti (Vayu Lingam)
- Paadal Petra Sthalam → Shrishailam - Srikalahasti
- Shakti Peetha → Shrishailam (Shrishaila Shakti Peetha) - Godavari Tir (Godavari Tir Shakti Peetha)
- Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha → Shrishailam (Devi Bhramarambika) - Draksharama (Devi Manikyamba) - Pithapuram (Devi Puruhutika)

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1.

Vishnu Tradition of Andhra Pradesh:
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya)
(Varaha Purana)

• Venkatachala → Lord Vishnu abides in Tirumala or Venkatachala (which is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) as Srinivasa or Venkateshwara. Lord Srinivasa married Devi Padmavathy in Venkatachala. (Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) (Divya Desam)

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2.

Varaha Tradition of Andhra Pradesh:
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya)

• Venkatachala → Lord Varaha abides in Venkatachala as Sri Adi Varaha. Lord Varaha appeared in Venkatachala before Lord Srinivasa. (Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) (Divya Desam)

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3.

Narasimha Tradition of Andhra Pradesh:
(Ahobila Mahatmya)

• Ahobilam → Lord Narasimha abides in Ahobilam in nine forms (Nava Narasimha).

They are:
(1) Bhargava Narasimha
(2) Yogananda Narasimha
(3) Chatravata Narasimha
(4) Ahobila or Ugra Narasimha
(5) Krodha or Varaha Narasimha
(6) Jwala Narasimha
(7) Malola Narasimha
(8) Karanja Narasimha
(9) Pavana Narasimha

- Lord Narasimha slayed demon Hiranyakshipu by manifesting from a pillar (place identified with the Jwala Narasimha temple of Ahobilam). (Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Divya Desam)

• Simhachalam → Lord Narasimha abides in Simhachalam as Varaha Narasimha. (Vishakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh)

• Mangalagiri → Lord Narasimha abides in Mangalagiri as Panakala Narasimha. (Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh)

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4.

Shiva Tradition of Andhra Pradesh:
(Shiva Purana)

• Shrishailam → Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati came to meet their son Kumara at Shrishailam and abided there as Jyoti (Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga). (Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)

• Srikalahasti → Lord Shiva was worshipped by spider Sri, serpent Kala and elephant Hasti at Srikalahasti. They finally attained salvation by worshipping that Linga. Lord Shiva abides here as Srikalahasteeshwara along with Devi Gyanasundari. (Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Pancha Bhoota Sthalam)

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5.

Devi Tradition of Andhra Pradesh:
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)

• Shrishailam → Devi abides in Shrishailam as Shrishaila Shakti Peetha (identified with Devi Bhramaramba). (Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)

• Godavari Tir → Devi abides in Godavari Tir as Godavari Tir Shakti Peetha (identified with Koti Teertha near Rajamundry). (East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Shakti Peetha)

• Pithapuram → Devi abides in Pithapuram as Devi Puruhutika (which is an Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha). Pithapuram Shiva Temple also has the shrine of Devi Rajarajeswari near the Shiva shrine. (Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)

• Draksharamam → Devi abides in Draksharamam as Devi Manikyamba. (Konaseema district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)

• Vijayawada → Devi abides in Vijayawada as Devi Kanaka Durga. (NTR district, Andhra Pradesh)

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6.

Hanuman Tradition of Andhra Pradesh:
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya)

• Venkatachala → Bhakta Hanuman is said to have taken birth in Anjanadri of Tirumala after the penance of mother Anjana. This is one of the places identified with the birth of Bhakta Hanuman. This is as per Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya. (Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh)
(Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) (Divya Desam)

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7.

Sages and Andhra Pradesh:
(Ahobila Mahatmya)

• Kashyapa (Ahobilam) → Sage Kashyapa told his son Garuda to worship Lord Vishnu to get over the bondages of the world. Sage Kashyapa suggested Garuda to perform penance in the Ahobila kshetra which destroys all sins. Due to the penance of Garuda, the place also became famous as Garudachala.

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8.

Saints and Andhra Pradesh:

• Annamacharya (1408 - 1503 CE) (Venkatachala) → Sri Annamacharya was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateshwara and composed thousands of devotional Samkirtanas in praise of the Lord.

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9.

Sacred Geography of Andhra Pradesh:

Mountains:
☗ Venkatachala Range (Seshachalam front part) (Eastern Ghats) → Venkatachala

The Seven Hills (Sapta Giri) of Venkatachala are:
(1) Sheshadri Hill
(2) Neeladri Hill
(3) Garudadri Hill
(4) Anjanadri Hill
(5) Vrishabhadri Hill
(6) Narayandri Hill
(7) Venkatadri Hill

☗ Garudadri Hill (Seshachalam middle part) (Eastern Ghats) → Ahobilam
☗ Shrishaila Hill (Seshachalam end part) (Eastern Ghats) → Shrishailam

Rivers:

▬ Krishna flows →
- Sangameshwaram (Krishna - Bhavanasi Sangam) (Hyderabad 200 km)
- Shrishailam (Mallikarjuna Swamy - Devi Bhramaramba) (Hyderabad 215 km)
- Daida (Amaralingeshwara) (Hyderabad 195 km)
- Kethavaram (Lakshmi Narasimha) (Vijayawada 120 km)
- Vedadri (Narasimha) (Vijayawada 120 km)
- Dwaraka Tirumala (Venkateshwara) (Vijayawada 100 km)
- Eturu Village (Krishna - Munneru Sangam) (Vijayawada 75 km)
- Amararama (Amaralingeshwara) (Vijayawada 40 km)
- Vijayawada (Kanaka Durga) (Vijayawada)
- Hamsaladeevi (Krishna - Sagara Sangam) (Vijayawada 90 km)

▬ Godavari flows →
- Polavaram (Bhadrakali - Veereswara Swami) (Rajahmundry 40 km)
- Godavari Tir (Uma Kotilingeshwara) (Rajahmundry)
- Kovvur (Goshpada Kshetra) (Gautama Rishi) (Rajahmundry 10 km)
- Kotipalli (Gautami Godavari) (Someshwara Swami) (Rajahmundry 60 km)
- Antarvedi (Vasishta Godavari) (Lakshmi Narasimha) (Rajahmundry 100 km)

▬ Bhavanashini flows → Ahobilam

▬ Swarnamukhi flows → Srikalahasti

Lakes:
◼ Swami Pushkarini → Venkatachala

Forests:
☸ Nallamala Forest → Ahobilam