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The temple of Lord Suryanarayana at Arasavalli near Srikakulam is an ancient and powerful
temple.
Local legend has it that Lord Indra himself founded the temple. The sthalapurana of the place narrates all the eventsconnected with the foundation of the temple and the installation of the Lord in it. The legend runs as follows.
Once upon a time Indra, the Lord of Heaven, attempted to force his way into the temple of Koteeswara at an untimely hour and the gate-keeper Nandi kicked him and turned him out.
Indra, humiliated and crest-fallen, fell back about two miles away, unconscious. While in his unconscious state, he in his Antaratma perceived Lord Surya who told him that he would be cured of his pain if he enshrined the Sun God arid had a big temple built at that place.
After regaining his consciousness Indra remembered the dream and at once installed the idol of Lord Surya at the every place where he lay and established a beautiful temple, which was, designed by Maya the chief architect of the Gods. This is said to be the Arasavalli temple.
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