Sunday 10 June 2012

About Pithapuram



Here are the details regarding Sripada Srivallabha Swami Temple in Pithapuram.

How to Reach Pithapuram:
Pithapuram is 10 Km from Samalkota Junction on the Vijayawada - Visakhapatnam Railway Line, and ~55 Km from Rajahmundry.

Trains that stop at Pithapuram are: Godavari Express, East Cost Express, Bhokaro Express
Sripada Srivallabha Maha Samsthanam is 1 Km away from Pithapuram Railway station:


Trains that stop at Samalkota are:  Phalkanama Express, Konark Express, Nizamuddin Link Express, Okha Link Express, Navajeevan Express, Prasanti Express, Yashwantpur Express, Seshadri Express, Shirdi Express.
There are frequent buses, taxis and autos from Samalkota to Pithapuram. Special Taxis from Samalkota to Pithapuram could cost around Rs. 150-350.

The landmark for Samsthanam is that: it is in Venugopala swami temple street. Some of the auto/rikshaw drivers get confused this place with other Dattareya temples in Pithapuram. So, tell them explicitly that you want to go to the temple in - "Venugopala-Swami-vaari-Gudi-Veedhi".

About Accommodation:
Accommodation and food (prasadam) are available for free of cost at Sripada Sri Vallabha Maha Samsthanam.
These rooms are in the premises of the Temple itself, and are generally very well maintained.
I think you can book the rooms in advance, by contacting them by Phone: (08869)250300, during Office hours (9-00 AM to 12-00 noon, and 4-00 PM to 8-00 PM)
Unless you are going there during special occasions (like Datta Jayanti), I think there won't be much problem even if you look for rooms after reaching there.

About the Places to Visit:
The main places to visit are grouped into 3, and their locations can be seen in the following map:


(1) The most important place to visit is of course, the Padukas and temple of Sripada Srivallabha. These are at Sripada Srivallabha Maha Samsthanam, which is the birth place Sripada Swami,  and later located by Sri Vasudevananda Saraswathi Swami according to the instructions of Sri Datta Swami. One can do here pradakshinas to the temple, Oudambura vruksham, and padukas together. Parayana can be done in the temple itself. Temple timings: 5-30 AM to 12-30 PM, and 4 PM to 8-30 PM.

(2) All the below mentioned places are located in the same campus:

2.a Pithapuram is one of the 18 Shakthipithas (అష్టాదశ శక్తి పీఠాలు) in India; the ammavaru here is called: "Puruhootika Devi". (That's why the actual name of this village is - పీఠికాపురము / పురుహూతికాపురము)

2.b This place is also known as Pada Gaya  (పాద గయ) - one of the 3 Gayas (the other two are in Bihar & Orissa). There is Gaya tirtham (sacred pond) here and one can take bath in this tirtham,

2.c The Shiva in this place is known as: Kukkuteswara Swami (కుక్కుటేశ్వర స్వామి, కుక్కుటము=కోడి). This is a Svayambhuva lingam. It was said by the priests here that the initial shape of this svambhuva linga is that of a Cock's head. It was in this form Shiva killed Gayasura. but now, after so many years of abhishekas to the linga, it looks slightly rounded. Before the Shiva lngam, there is a gigantic Nandiswara. The shrine of Sri Rajarajeswari, consort of Sri Kukkuteswara Swami, is present beside the Shiva temple.

2.d  There is a temple of Dattareya Swami in the same campus with an idol of Sri Datta Swami, Padukas and Oudumbara vruksham.

2.e There is also "Akhanda Datta Brundavanamu" containing the idols of all 5 dattavataras. There are other temples as well in the premises.

(3) There is Sripada Vallabha Anagha Datta Kshethram, Constructed by Mysoor Datta Peetham of Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Ashram. It's a very beautiful temple.

There are other well known temples also in Pithapuram like: Kunthi Madhava Swami Temple.

Additional Information:
Video clippings of Sripada Swami Temple:

2 comments:

भास्कर पवार said...

Very useful information Thanks a lot

भास्कर पवार said...

Very useful information Thanks a lot