Andhra Pradesh is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India and is the 7th largest state by area. Apart from being known for its mining industry, this state is also very much popular for its magnificent temples. The temples are built during the reign of the Vijayanagar Empire and attract many pilgrims.
A number of festivals are organized with thousands of tourists visiting them. Below stated 5 temples are very much popular in Andhra Pradesh and must be visited at least once in life.
1. TIRUMALA VENKATESWARA TEMPLE-
This Temple is one of the richest pilgrimage temples of any religious faith in the world. It is located in Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
This temple is dedicated to Venkateswara who is known to be an incarnation to Lord Vishnu.
This temple is often recognized as “Temple of Seven Hills”. The Temple is constructed in Dravidian architecture and is believed to be constructed over a period of time starting from 300 AD.
This temple is one of the eight Vishnu Swayambhu Kshetras.
Festivals:
- Brahmotsavam.
- Vaikunta Ekadasi.
- Ratha Saptami.
For more details visit Tirupati official website.
2. KANAKA DURGA TEMPLE-
Kanaka Durga is found to be mentioned in the sacred texts as the Goddess of Power. It is located on the Indrakeeladri hill in the city of Vijayawada on the banks of Krishna River of Andhra Pradesh.
This is the place where Arjuna obtained the Pasupatha Astra after his great penance for Lord Shiva. The temple was constructed by Arjuna and dedicated to Goddess Durga.
This temple is constructed in Dravidian Architecture. The main sanctum’s construction is in the form of a pyramid, with the surface embellished with delicate stone carvings.
Festivals:
- Navaratri.
- Dusshera.
- Shakambari.
For more details visit Kanaka Durga Website.
3. VEERABHADRA TEMPLE, LEPAKSHI
This Temple is embellished with rich architecture and intricate arts. It is located in Leepakshi in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
This Temple is dedicated to Veerabhadra who is known to be an incarnation to Lord Shiva.
It is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance. This temple takes pride in being home to one of the largest Nandi statues in the World made up of Granite. There is a total of 70 stone pillars in this temple, among which 1 pillar hangs from the ceiling and makes it possible to pass objects such as a thin sheet of paper or cloth and famed itself for a wonder.
This temple adorns itself with Vijayanagara style of architecture with carvings and paintings at almost every exposed surface of the temple. It is constructed in the 16th century.
According to Skanda Purana, this temple is believed to be one of the Divya Kshetram and also very much popular for its paintings.
Festivals:
- Butti puja.
- Yele puja.
- Akki puja.
- Car festival.
4. SIMHACHALAM TEMPLE-
This Temple is believed to be the most visited temple in Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the Simhachalam Hill in the city of Visakhapatnam and is an ornate shrine that is revered to be one of the most important temples in the region.
This temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, who is an incarnation of Vishnu.
This temple in Visakhapatnam adorns itself with Dravidian and Kalinga Architecture along with the fusion of architectural styles from Odisha, Chalukyas, and Cholas. You will find two temple tanks here i.e. Gangadhara and Swami Pushkarini.
The exact age of this temple is not known but it contains scriptures belonging to 1098-1099 AD of Chola kingdom.
An ancient marvel, this temple is worth a visit for its architectural details itself.
Festivals:
- Akshaya Tritiya or Chandanotsava.
- Kalyanotsava.
- Narasimha Jayanti.
- Navaratrotsava.
For more details visit Simhachalam Temple Website .
5. SRI PADMAVATHI AMMAVARI TEMPLE-
This temple is situated at a few kilometers distance from the main city center. It is located in Tiruchanur in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh at a distance of 5km from Tirupati.
This temple is dedicated to Goddess Padmavathi, who is an incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Padmavathi is the consort of Sri Venkateswara.
This temple is also constructed in Dravidian architecture, and the famous shrine of Tiruchanoor, the abode of Sri Padmavathi Devi is also known for its architectural splendor.
This temple has been built during the period of the Pallava dynasty. It is a very calm place and is surrounded by lush greenery.
There is a Temple tank known as Padmasarovaram, of Sri Padmavathi Temple. It is believed that Goddess Padmavathi manifested in this tank in the golden Lotus flower on Sukla Paksha Panchami day.
Festivals:
- Brahmotsavam.
- Panchami Teertham.
- Varalakshmi Vratam.
For more details visit Padmavathi Ammavari Temple Website.
To conclude this article, I would like to say how to approach and respect sacred places. Upon entering the vicinity of a sacred site we encounter two distinct ‘personalities’, which are spirits of the site and humans who perform priestly and administrative functions at the site. Apart from these 5 temples, there are also other temples in Andhra Pradesh that are ancient and are famous for its history and construction.
