The Shakta pithas, Shakti pithas or Sati pithas are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the mother goddess denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various forms of Adi Shakti. Various Puranas such as Srimad Devi Bhagavatam state the existence of a varying number of 51, 52, 64 and 108 Shakta pithas of which 18 are named as Astadasha Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts.
Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Simhachalam, is a Hindu temple situated on the Simhachalam Hill Range,which is 300 metres above the sea level in the city of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped there as Varaha Narasimha. As per the temple's legend, Vishnu manifested in this form after saving his devotee Prahlada from a murder attempt by the latter's father Hiranyakashipu. Except on Akshaya Trutiya, the idol of Varaha Narasimha is covered with sandalwood paste throughout the year, which makes it resemble a linga. The temple was built in Kalingan architecture styles and stands unique in the historical region of Kalinga.The Present temple was built by Eastern Ganga king Narasingha Deva I in the 13th century and consecrated by his son Bhanudeva I in 1268 CE. The temple was built by Akthayi Senapati, on the command of Narasingha Deva I.
Bhimavaram is a city and headquarters of West Godavari district of the Andhra Pradesh state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bhimavaram mandal in Bhimavaram revenue division. It is a part of Eluru Urban Development Authority. As of 2011 census, it is the most populous urban area in the district with a population of 163,875. It is one of the major pilgrimage centers in the state, which is home to Somaramam, one of the five great Pancharama Kshetras.
The Pancharama Kshetras or the Pancharamas are five ancient Hindu temples dedicated to the deity Shiva in Andhra Pradesh. According to regional legend, the lingams at these temples are made from a single lingam.
Ksheerarama is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is located in Palakollu of West Godavari in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Shiva is known locally as Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy. It is believed that staying one day in Kshirarama is equivalent to staying one year in Varanasi. It is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance.
Kumararama or Bhimarama is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is located in Samalkota of Kakinada district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The other four temples are Amararama at Amaravati(Dist. Guntur), Draksharama at Draksharama, Ksheerarama at Palakollu and Somarama at Bhimavaram(both in Dist. West Godavari). It is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance.
Eastern Chalukyas, also known as the Chalukyas of Vengi, were a dynasty that ruled parts of South India between the 7th and 12th centuries. They started out as governors of the Chalukyas of Badami in the Deccan region. Subsequently, they became a sovereign power, and ruled the Vengi region of present-day Andhra Pradesh until c. 1001 CE. They continued ruling the region as feudatories of the Medieval Cholas until 1189 CE.
Alampuram (Hemalapuram) is a town situated in Jogulamba Gadwal district in the Indian state of Telangana. Alampur is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site in Shaktism and is also home to the Navabrahma Temples, a group of nine temples dedicated to Shiva built in the seventh and eighth century CE. It is the meeting point of the rivers Tungabhadra and Krishna and is referred to as Dakshina Kasi and is also considered the western gateway to Srisailam. The sacredness of Alampur is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. It is surrounded by the Nallamala hills and is situated on the left bank of the Tungabhadra River. Alampur was ruled by badami chalukyas they built 9 cluster of shiva temples. After them rashtrakutas of manyakheta and western chalukyas of karnataka built papanasi temples. Alampur is home to multiple Telugu and old Kannada inscriptions .Alampur contains numerous Hindu temples, the prominent ones being Jogulamba temple, Navabrahma temples, Papanasi temples, and Sangameswara Temple.
Draksharamam is a village in Konaseema district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The Bhimeswara Swamy Temple in this town is one of the five temples of Shiva known as Pancharama Kshetras.
Sri Kurmam also known as Srikurmu or Srikurmais a village near Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Srikurmam village is situated at a distance of 14.5 km to the South-east of Srikakulam town. It is in the Gara mandal of Srikakulam district. The village was named after the Srikurmam temple dedicated to Kurma avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, which was re-established by Eastern Ganga Dynasty King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva.
Mukhalingam, also known as Srimukhalingam or Mukhalinga, is a village panchayat in Jalumuru mandal of Srikakulam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Historically known as Kalinganagari, Mukhalingam served as the capital of Eastern Ganga Dynasty from 6th century AD to 12th century AD. Emperor Sri Ananthavarma Chodaganga Devara conquered Utkala in 1122 AD and shifted the capital from Kalinganagari to Caudwara kataka
The Eastern Ganga dynasty were a large medieval era Indian royal Hindu dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the mid 20th century. Eastern Gangas ruled much of the modern region of Odisha in three different phases by the passage of time, known as Early Eastern Gangas (493–1077), Imperial Eastern Gangas (1077–1436) and Khemundi Gangas (1436–1947). They are known as "Eastern Gangas" to distinguish them from the Western Gangas who ruled over Karnataka. The territory ruled by the dynasty consisted of the whole of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha, as well as major parts of north Andhra Pradesh, parts of Chhattisgarh and some southern districts of West Bengal. Odia language got official status in their regime following the evolution of the language from Odra Prakrit. The early rulers of the dynasty ruled from Dantapuram; the capital was later moved to Kalinganagara, and ultimately to Kataka and then to Paralakhemundi.
Gajapati Langula Narasingha Deva I was an Eastern Ganga monarch and a warrior of the Kalinga region who reigned from 1238 CE to 1264 CE. He defeated the Muslim forces of Bengal who constantly threatened the Eastern Ganga dynasty's rule over his kingdom of Kalinga from the times of his father Anangabhima Deva III. He was the first king from Kalinga and one of the few rulers in India who took the offensive against the Islamic expansion over India by Turko-Afghan invaders of Eastern India. His father had successfully defended his kingdom against the Turko-Afghan rulers of Bengal and crossed into Rarh, Gauda and Varendra in Bengal chasing the invaders on backfoot. He became the dominant ruler of the peninsula by defeating the Turko-Afgan, Gouda, and the powerful monarch of the south kakatiya Dynasty king Ganapati Deva, and was one of the most powerful Hindu rulers in India. He also built the Konark temple to commemorate his victories over the Muslims as well as other temples and the largest fort complex of Eastern India at Raibania in Balasore. He also built famous Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Simhachalam, Andhra Pradesh. The Kendupatana plates of his grandson Narasingha Deva II mention that Sitadevi, the queen of Narasingha Deva I was the daughter of the Paramara king of Malwa.
Pavuluri Mallana was a c. 11th or early 12th century Indian mathematician from present-day Andhra Pradesh. He translated Gaṇita-sāra-saṅgraha, a 9th century Sanskrit mathematical treatise of Mahaviracharya into Telugu as Sāra Sangraha Ganitamu, popularly known as Pavuluri Ganitamu.
Chaya Someswara Temple, also known as Chaya Someshvara Swamy Alayam or the Saila-Somesvara temple, is a Saivite Hindu temple located in Panagal, Nalgonda district of Telangana, India. It was built around the mid 11th-century during the rule of the Kunduru Chodas, supported and embellished further by later Hindu dynasties of Telangana. Some date it to late 11th to early 12th-century.
Kukkuteswara Temple is a Hindu temple in Pitapuram town of Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is prominent in both Saivite and Shakta Hindu traditions. It is one of the eighteen Maha Sakthi Peethas considered the most significant pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Kukkuteswara, a form of Lord Siva as a rooster and his consort Rajarajeswari Devi.
Jogulamba temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Jogulamba, a form of Shakti located in Alampuram, Telangana, India. The temple is one of the Maha Shakti Peethas, a group of eighteen (Ashtadasa) temples considered the most significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism. Alampur is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra river near its confluence with Krishna river. Jogulamba temple is located in the same complex as that of the Navabrahma Temples, a group of nine Shiva temples built in the seventh-eighth century CE.
Parvathipuram Manyam district is a district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. With Parvathipuram as its administrative headquarters, it became functional from 4 April 2022. The district was formed from Parvathipuram revenue division from Vizianagaram district and part of Palakonda revenue division of Srikakulam district. The district was once part of ancient Kalinga. The famous Kamalingeswara swamy temple was built in the regin of King Rajaraja Deva of Eastern Ganga Dynasty of Odisha in 11th century CE.
Ganapati-deva was the longest reigning monarch of the Kakatiya dynasty of southern India. He brought most of the Telugu-speaking region in present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana under the Kakatiya influence by war or diplomacy.
Mallikarjuna Panditaradhyudu was an Indian philosopher of Veerasaiva school and a Telugu poet from Andhra region. He was a poet in the court of Velanati Choda king Rajendra Choda II. His Śivatatvasāramu was the first independent Telugu work. Being a unique person of his era he contributed in spreading Saivism throughout Andhra region. He was credited with ending the remnants of Buddhism in Andhra land through his intellect and influence. For his prowess in Telugu language, he was generally referred to as Telugu: కవిమల్లు, romanized: Kavimallu, lit. 'Wrestler among poets'.
