|
Tallapaka
has the unique honour producing a great Vaggeyakara - Annamayya,
whose lyrical output and its glory raised the fame of that little
village to the intercontinental level. So Tallapaka and Annamayya
have become interrelated, rather they are inseparable in a way. But
the pre-eminence of Siddheswaraswamy Aalayam, existing there for
several centuries now seems eclipsed, rather it is bypassed, to
speak the truth. An unforgivable commission, if
truth is accepted. This ancient temple with its grand Sivalinga,
about two feet in height with several other grand big size icons of
Saivate deities, like Mother Parvathi locally called Kamakshi Amma,
Vinayaka, Chandisa, Dakshinamurti, Subrahmanya with his two
consorts, Virabhadra, Kalabhairava and the life size. image of
Maheswar enjoyed a glittering past. And it impresses the devout
bhaktas, that the undying glory of that padakavitha pitamaha and the
fame of once unknown village have emanated only from
Siddheswaraswamy that Omni compassionate, who demonstrated many
sports in the dim past. The locals give an exuberant account of its
memorable past and celebrate its annual festivals in August every
year on a grand scale. Soon after the Kalyanotsavam, the
Utsavamurthis are taken out in procession through the streets of
village, and it is believed they give salvation with a single darsan.
Cultural activities like dance, dramas, religious discourses, folk
entertainments make the village a veritable Kailas for about a week
or so then. Among the eyeful sculptural beauties packed to the doors
inside, the image of Ekatatayya deserves mention. Belief is current
that the ailment of headache takes to heels, if the victim bends his
head before this Tatayya, who it appears was a life long bachelor
and lured by the Sivalila, settled down here doing Saivaaradhana and
so gained spiritual powers unlimited. The believed are relieved and
the sceptics chuckling go out for tablets only to aggravate it after
momentary relief. It is a worth-seeing temple of supreme importance.
It
lies 3 km of Rajampet, the taluq head quarters of the same name
accessible by bus from there or Cudappah.
|
