Vemulawada draws lakhs of devotees on Maha Shivaratri

Vemulawada: Sri Rajarajeshswara Swamy Temple along with Kotilingala Temple is decked up for Maha Shivaratri. The three-day Maha Shivaratri Jatara Mahotsava is being held in grandeur from Febuary 17 to 19. Officials estimate that more than four lakh devotees not only from all over the State but also from other States to visit the fair.

Arrangements for the Shivaratri festival with a budget of Rs 3.30 crore have been completed. Huge welcome arches have been set up to welcome the devotees on the five main roads leading to Vemulawada.

Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy appears in the form of Lingarupam in the temple and gives darshan to the devotees in the sanctum sanctorum. There are many legends related to the Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy temple. It is said that Lord Narada Maharshi appeared in Kashi when he begged Lord Shiva to free the people from sorrows. Lord Shiva was not satisfied at Kashi and reached Vemulawada and Bhaskara came with Lord Shiva. That is why this place is known as Bhaskara Kshetram and Harihara Kshetram.

It is said that Chalukya kings ruled Tamil Nadu from 750 AD to 973 AD with Vemulawada as their capital. It is also ruled by Satavahanas, since the time of Satavahanas, there are many idols of Jains and Buddhists in Vemulawada showing rituals. Today, the devotees have deep faith that if they take a bath in Dharmagundam, they will get rid of their diseases.

There are many temples associated with Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy. There are affiliated temples of Sri Bhimeswara Swamy, Baddi Pochamma, Nagareswara Temple, Kedareswara Swamy, Venugopalaswamy, Nampalli Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, Agra Haram Anjaneya Swamy Temples. Devotees who visit Vemulawada perform puja in these temples.

There are more than 550 rooms for rent related to the Vemulawada Rajanna temple. Officials who come for fair arrangements will be given accommodation in these rooms and devotees go to private lodges which charge from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 per room. The poor devotees pay their prayers under the tents set up in the surrounding areas of the temple. On the occasion of Maha Shivratri Jatara, special pujas are performed for three days in the temple of Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy. Devotees will be given continuous darshan for three days during the fair which started on Friday. The fair includes free and special darshans. Special programmes will be organised during the fair.

Sri Koteswara Swamy got the name Koti Lingala because the village of Kotilingala has forts on four sides. Koteswara Swamy is located in the northeast fort of this village. To the southeast of this village is Munugalagutta (Munula means sages) who have a house in that gutta. They used to bathe in the Godavari every night and go to the house and do penance. One day when they were thinking whether it would be good to worship a Shiv Linga by enshrining it in their minds, Anjaneya Swami asked the sages why they were staying here on the bank of Godavari, the sages asked Anjaneya a Shiv Linga and he brought it from Kashi.

But there was a delay in bringing Shiva Linga. Then the sages all went to the Godavani river and dipped their heads in the water and measured the grains of sand and made a Shiva Linga from the sand. Meanwhile, Anjaneyaswamy brought the Shivalinga from Kashi.

Pointing to the Saikata Linga on the top of the fort, Anjaneya asked them why they were worshipping Saikata Linga before he could bring Shiva Linga. He threw down the Shiva Linga in anger saying that they did not respect the Linga that he had brought.

Then Shiva Lingam was damaged. Meanwhile, the sages pacified Lord Anjaneya and told him not to worry, and the priests and devotees would worship the Kashi Linga that he had brought in the form of the Saikata Linga (Sand Linga) that was installed. This Kotilingala village has forts in four directions.

The excavations of the Department of Archeology here revealed that the Satavahana's first capital was Kotilingala. It was at this village of Kotilingala, emperor Gautamiputra Satakarni, the 23rd Satavahana king, the greatest of all Satavahanas, was born.