Pancharama Kshetras

Pancharama Kshetras (or Pancharamas) is one of the five oldest Hindu temples of Shiva in Andhra Pradesh. The five temples together are called ‘Pancharama Kshetras’. The Shivalingas present in these temples are made from a single Shivalinga. That is, each Shivalinga of each temple is a part of an original Shivalinga.

Attraction

Amararama:

This temple is one of the temples under ‘Pancharama Kshetras’, which is located at Amaravati in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. Lord Indra installed a part of Shivalinga in the Amararama temple. Here Shiva is worshiped in the form of Aghorarupam (fierce god). Lord Shiva along with his wife Bala Chamundeswari is also worshiped here.

Draksharama:

This unique temple is located at Draksharamam in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The famous Telugu poet Vemulavada Bhima of the earlier era is believed to have worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple and received blessings from him. The temple has impressive architecture, which has been a sight to behold for centuries.

Somarama:

The temple of Someswara Swami or Somarama is located at Bhimavaram and in front of it is a sacred pond. The myth is that the moon deity was once suffering from a curse and after diving into this pond he was freed from the curse by the grace of Shiva. It is said that surprisingly, the Shivalinga of the Somarama temple changes its color according to the wax and decaying phase of the moon. Goddess Annapurna is also worshiped in this temple.

Ksheerarama:

This temple is situated at Palakollu in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Devotees of Shiva believe that the three-eyed god had a divine discussion with Lord Vishnu at the place where this temple stands today. There is another legend whose name is mentioned in the Mahabharata (Sage Upamanyu), it was here that he received blessings and milk from Lord Shiva after his intense penance. That is why the temple is named Ksheera (Milk) Ramalingeswara Swami. The temple is located near the bus stand and this temple has an impressive gopuram that is visible from a distance. Goddess Parvati is also worshiped in this temple.

Kumararama:

This famous temple is located in Samarlakota. The giant Shivalinga can be seen from the 2nd floor of this huge temple. It is believed that Kumar Kartikeya himself installed Shivalinga in this temple. Bala Tripura Sundari Devi (another form of Goddess Parvati), the divine wife of Shiva is also worshipped here. Currently, the Archaeological Department is in charge of the maintenance of this temple.

History

Each ancient and sacred place has its significant history. The Panchakarma field also has its own history. It is believed that long ago Shiva’s son Kartikeya got involved in a decisive battle with the invisible demon Tarakasura. However, Kartikeya could not defeat him due to the strength of the Shivlingam pendant worn by the demon. It is said that Lord Vishnu advised Kartikeya that he could devise a strategy to destroy the defensive Shivlingam worn by the demon and then kill him. Karthikeyan timely adhered to that advice and killed Tarakasur with an agneyastra (a fire weapon). The Shivalinga, which was smashed by Kartikeya’s weapon, felt in five separate places in today’s Andhra Pradesh. It was later safely installed by the Hindu gods Indra, Chandra, Surya, Vishnu, and Kartikeya, and the shrine was built. The following is a brief description of the five temples under ‘Pancharama Kshetras’-

Inside/Outside Views

This place is one of the best places in Andhra Pradesh. If you ever have chanced to visit this place then surely you should visit this place.

This place must be harmful to you. This place is decorated so nicely and surely you cannot take off your eyes from this place. The sunset and sunrise views from this place are another level of a beautiful experience.

How to Reach

By air: Vijayawada International Airport is the nearest airport to this place and it’s almost 46.5 km from this place.

By rail: Peddakurapadu Railway station is the nearby station from this place and it’s 17.5 km from this place. You can easily reach there by rail.

As a devotee, if want to go for a temple visit or worship purpose, then the best way is to take the bus service for the month of Kartik. Because, with that bus service, you can visit five temples in one day without any hassle. Or, if you want to visit the temples as a normal visitor, the best way is to follow the temple route mentioned above. Andhra Pradesh Estate Bus Service will always be your travel companion.

FAQ

Que-01: Is this place safe to visit?

Ans: Yes it’s safe to visit this place.

Que-02: Is photography allowed in this place?

Ans: Yes photography is allowed there and it’s free of cost.

Que-03: When to visit?

Ans: If you want to visit these temples as a tourist, you can visit them any day. However, there is a belief among Hindu devotees that visiting five temples in one day in the holy month of Kartik is a very fruitful and virtuous deed. There is also a special bus service provided by the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation this month, which will help you visit five temples in one day.