Amaravati Travel
About Amaravati Travel:
Amaravati
is situated in Sattenapalli Taluk of Guntur District and it is famous as the
seat of a temple to Lord Shiva worshipped here as Lord 'Amareswara' and also
for the Buddhist sculptures, which are world famous. 'Amareswaram' is
considered sacred because of three things, the Krishna River, an important
Kshetra with a 'Sthalamahatyam' and the Sri Mahalinga Murthy, which are
three sacred principles embodied in one.
Amaravati - A Sacred Place Of Worship :
In this 'Punyakshetra', Lord Siva is in the form of five, lingas, viz.,
'Pranaveswara', 'Agasteswara', 'Kosaleswara', 'Someswara' and
'Parthiveswara'. The Lord Amareswara here is worshipped with his consort
'Bala Chamundika' who is considered as the fourth of the 18 goddesses. There
are also other deities inside the temple. The origin of the temple shrouded
in mystery, though there are many legends, puranic and historical, about it.
But the sanctity and the holiness of the place attract thousands of pilgrims
even now.
The Legends Of Amareswara Temple :
The lofty temple of Amareswara is situated at a spot on the river Krishna
where it takes a north-to- south course, while the main river flows from
west to east. There is a legend that even if the river Krishna flows in
floods nothing will happen to that mountain and that the river will have to
take some other side to flow. Hence it is that the river Krishna flows north
to south at this place. Such spots where the river takes a different course
for short distance are considered to be very holy places, where temples are
normally built.
This ancient temple dedicated to Shiva enshrines a 15ft high white marble
Shiva Lingam, and is surrounded on all the four sides by towering gopuras of
the usual Dravidian type of temple Architecture. The 'Vimana' of the temple
also shows the same style of architecture.
There is one legend that the temple was originally Buddhist in origin and
later on this was readapted for Hindu worship. There is some force in this
contention, since in the 'Amareswara Swami' temple the foundations are laid
with the characteristic Buddhist slabs only. Just above the 'Mula Virat' in
the Garbhagriha, one can see still a white marble lotus Medallion, done in
the delicate and ornate style of the early Buddhist 'Silpas'. The Mula Virat
is a long vertical cylinder made of white marble, which is so extensively
used in the Buddhist monuments.
Situated at a particularly sacred spot of the holy river Krishna and a
consecrated place of worship, it is of importance to both Buddhism and
Hinduism. Any account of Amaravati will not be complete without reference to
the world famous Buddha stupa here.
Festivals :
The main festivals in the temple are the Maha Shivaratri, which comes in
the 'Magha Bahula Dasami' and the Navaratri and the 'Kalyana Utsavas'.
How to get there ?
Road - Amaravati is situated twenty miles northwest of
Guntur and is connected with it by a good motorable road. Taxis and buses
are available from Guntur. The nearest railheads are Guntur and Vijayawada.
There are good bus connections from Guntur to Amaravati.
Hussain Sagar Lake
About
Hussain Sagar Lake :
A one of the largest man-made lakes in Asia, located in the heart of the
Hyderabad City, contributing to its immense beauty. It is a sprawling
artificial lake that holds water perennially. It was built during the reign
of Ibrahim Qutub Shah in 1562, on a tributary of river Musi. The unique
feature of this lake it connects the twin cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad.
The place is popularly called the "Tank Bund". A 16m high, 350
tonne monolithic Buddha statue on the Rock of Gibraltar is a major
attraction at the Hussain Sagar. It is made of white granite, finely
sculptured and stands majestically amidst the shimmering waters of the lake.
33 statues of the great luminaries of Andhra Pradesh are laid on the either
side of the Bund, who seem to be a silent witness to the changing colours of
the city.
This lake offers a fabulous time for holidaymakers and water friends and
over the years it has become a favourite evening spot, while in the morning
the health freaks are seen toning their muscles in jogging suits. In the
evenings it is crowded with young couples and families.
Water Sports - On both sides of the tank there are
sailing clubs. The one towards Secunderabad known as the Secunderabad boat
club, which offers facilities for yachting and is, regarded as one of the
best boat clubs in India.
Annual 'Regatta' (water competitions) draws a good number of sports persons
from all around the country. During the regatta competitions, the lake looks
picturesque and colourful with the yatches sailing on the shimmering waters.
The nearby attractions of the lake are Lumbini Park, Birla Mandir and
Planetarium.
How to get there ?
Air - The nearest airport from the lake is situated at
Hyderabad .
Rail - The nearest railhead is the Hyderabad railway
station.
Road - Tourists can take city buses, autos and taxis for
city tour.
Kanaka Durga Temple
About
Mecca Masjid :
Kanaka Durga, goddess of power, riches and benevolence is considered the
presiding deity of Vijayawada. The temple is set on the Indrakiladri hill.
The deity in the Kanaka Durga temple is regarded as 'Swayambhu' or
self-manifested, hence is considered very powerful. It is said that 'Adi
Shankara' visited this temple and installed the 'Sri Chakra' here.
Origin Of The Temple :
About the origin of the temple, there are several versions. Legends are
many, but claims are contradictory. Mata Kanaka Durga, according to one
Purana emerged into this world by the power of penance of 'Sailasakthui', a
manifestation of Indrakila hill itself to relieve the people from 'Asura'
menace.
And another version affirms that this holy shrine is one among the eighteen
'Shakthipeethas', and she is one of the forms of Sakthi. 'Padma Purana'
proclaims that Kanaka Durga is a manifestation of Parvati. Such accounts are
countless, all eulogising her glory through several legends.
The Legend :
The most popular legend is about the triumph of Goddess Kanaka Durga over
the demon king 'Mahishasura'. It is said that once upon a time, the growing
menace of demons became unendurable for the natives living in this region.
The sage 'Indrakila', did severe penance to appease Goddess Kanaka Durga.
Pleased, She asked him to spell out his desire. The sage begged Her to
reside on his head and keep a vigil on the wicked demons and punish them for
robbing the peace of the innocent people. His wish was granted and after
killing the demons, Goddess Durga made Indrakila her permanent abode. Later
she also slayed the demon king Mahishasura freeing the people of Vijayawada
from the clutches of evil.
Kanaka Durga and Vijayawada are synonymous with each other. Every visitor
to Vijayawada, however, busy he may be, never goes back without offering
prayers to this goddess. Her devotees believe that when the level of the
Krishna river rises and touches the nose ring of the goddess, that would be
the end of the world.
How to get there ?
Rail - The Kanaka Durga temple is situated in Vijayawada,
which is well connected by rail with all the places within the state.
Road - Local buses and taxis are available to reach the
temple. For pilgrims transportation buses are always available from the
temple to all the places in the city.
