Panchaa ramala Kshetram:This is a group of 5 temples, in Andhra Pradesh. According to puranas the temples are age old. The latest construction works and development took place in 10th Century, during chalukaya period.
According to purana, Tarakasuran did penence and was blessed by Lord Brahma. He did penance and was also blessed by Lord Siva. He was too strong and he can be defeated only by Siva sankalpam.
He acquired an "Athma lingam" from Lord Siva and was asked to wear it to neck so that no one can defeat him. Once he acquired all these powers he started troubling everyone on earth. To rescue the living beings on earth from Tarakasuran Siva had to take step.
Siva, parvathy marriage took place and Lord Subramanian was born. As he grew up he was made the head of warriors of Devas. Lord Subramanya was asked to fight with Tarakasura. Lord Subramanya took Agni astram and aimed at Athma Lingam
tied in the neck of Tarakasuran and it broke into 5 pieces and thrown in different places.
Subramanya asked them to install the pieces immediately in the places where they fell. In three places the Siva lingam started growing, and it was nailed says puranas. There is a controversy about this.
These five places are called as “Pancha arama kshetram”.
The places are “Draksharamam” were Daksha prajapathy installed the Athma lingam, “Kumara ramam”, were Lord Subramanya swamy installed the Athma lingam here, “Ksheera ramam”, were Lord Sri Rama installed the Athma lingam, “Amara ramam” were Amarendra installed the Athma lingam and “Soma ramam” were Lord Chandra installed the Athma Lingam.
- Draksharamam:
The temple is in East Godavari district of AP. It is 10th Century temple.
The place is about 60kms from Rajamandry and 32kms from Kakinada.
This is the place were Daksha prajapathy did his Daksha yagnam and hence the name Draksharamam. The temple arectiture is blend of both chalukya and chola.
Main deity: Swayambu spatika Sivalinga of 16’height and the main sanctum is of 2 floors. The Siva lingam is known as Bheemeswarar and it is also known as Bogalingam. Here the installation of Bheemeswarar was done by Dakshaprajapathi, and hence the name Draksharamam for the town.
Goddess is Manikamba is one of the "Sakthi peetam" and here she is ichha sakthi and gyana sakthi as well. Here sati Devi’s navel part fell, and this is one of the sakthi peetam. She is rested on “Srichakra” here. We can have the darshan of srichakram also. She is having Athma lingam in her hand.
Any pooja for Lord Shiva is done from the first floor only. Before we enter into main sanctum we enter into two prakaram which are dark. On the walls of the prakaram we see too many small projections of small stones which they say when the temple was constructed originally there were diamonds kept in those places and the prakaram was well lighted by glitter of diamond stones. When they started robbing the diamond they turned into stones.
Purana says the temple was originally constructed by demons. We find a pillar in the same prakaram which is supposed to be the foundation pillar of the temple and it is close to the wall and we are supposed to pass through the gap and it is known as “Moksha Dwaram”. To the corner of the prakaram there is a small place from where we can have “Sikara Darshanam”
As we reach we can have the darshan of Bheemeswarar on four sides.
The other deities in the temple are Ganapathy and Nrithya ganapathy near the entrance of the temple.
As we enter inside there is a Dwajasthambam and in the prakaram we see Lakshmi Narayanar who is kshetra palakar. Virupakshar, Saptha madhar, Subramanyar, small stone miniature of the temple, unjal mandapam, Navagraham, Ashta dik balakar, Sikha Anjaneyar, Kailasa ganapathy, 108 Siva lingam on a square stone in a line, and bhima sabha.
Annadhanam is provided in the temple and a big hall with locker and a rooms are also available there.
- Kumara ramam:
The place is in East Godavari district of AP.
The temple is in Samalkotha which is 16kms from Pithapuram and 13kms from Kakinada. This is 10th Century temple. One piece of Athma lingam was thrown here and the installation was done by Lord Subramanya and hence the name Kumara ramam.
Main deity is huge swayambu spatika lingam known as Bheemeswarar, and his consort Bala Thirupaura sundari. As we enter the temple we see pond in front, dwajasthambam and a huge nandi.
As we go around the prakaram we see Ganapathy, Soorya Narayanar, Dattatreyar, Saraswathy without veena in her hand, Sapthamadhar, Subramanayar, Mahishasura mardhini, Lakshmi, and Kala Bairavar.
The main sanctum is of two levels we climb steps to reach the first floor and we have the darshan of “Lord Bheemeswarar” and “Bala Thirupura sundari” with Athma lingam in her hand beside Siva lingam in the main sanctum. In front of Siva lingam small nandi is there and we see padam in front of nandi.
- Ksheeraramam:
The place is in west Godavari district of AP.
It is 11kms from Narasapur, 21kms from Bheemavaram. The temple dates to 10th century
Main deity: Swayambu spatika lingam known as Ksheera Ramalingeswarar. This is another place where a piece of Athma lingam fell and it was installed by Lord Sri Rama, and hence the name Ramalingeswarar. The Siva lingam is small in this place, it is not smooth and it is white in color.
The temple gopuram is about 125’height. Near the main entrance of the temple we see Veerabadharar and Anjaneyar to either side. There separate sanctums for Lakshmi, Janardhanar, Saraswathy and Brahama, and hence the temple is known as Trimoorthy temple also.
Other deities seen inside the temple are Mahishasuramardhini, Kumara swamy and Subramanyar in the form of Nagar, in different sanctums.
- Somaramam:
The temple is in Gunupudi village of Bheemavaram town, west Godavari district, AP.The place is 32 kms from Narasapur and 70kms from Eluru.
Main deity: Swayambu spatika Athma lingam known as Someswarar. One of the pieces of Athma lingam fell here and it was installed by Lord Chandra, hence the name Somaramam.
The Lingam is big and changes its colors which is something unique. It is milky white on full moon day and by the time of new moon day it changes into whitish or black.
We see goddess parvathi to side in different sanctum near the main sanctum of Lord Siva. In front of Someswarar we see saligrahamam.
To the main mandapam, we have steps leading to Annapurani temple which is above Main Siva sanctum. Amba and Ambalika are Dwara balikas to the sanctum of Annapurani.
The other deities around the temple are Kumaraswamy, Lakshmi Janardhanar, Subramanya swamy, and Soorya Narayana Moorthy. There is a separate sanctum for Nava graham. There is a pushkarani in front of the temple.
- Amararamam:
This is in Amaravathy town of Sathanapalli taluk, Guntur district.AP.
The place is 30kms from Guntur.
Main Deity: Swayambu Spatika Athma Siva lingam Known as Amararamam.
The Athma lingam piece which fell here was installed by Amarendran and hence the name Amaravathy for the place. The Siva lingam started growing here and they it was nailed to stop the growth. Again here the lingam is too big and can be worshipped from first floor.
We see marks which they say, is the blood stains when nailed. We see 108 Siva lingam in the prakaram. River Krishna is flowing near by.
[Swyambu Lingam][spatika Lingam][athma Lingam]
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