Anjanadri
- Venkateswara Aalayam
The
fantastic background of this temple's emergence publishes to the
world in unambiguous terms that genuine repentance brings God to the
devotees' door and lifts him instantly beyond expectation. The
sthalapurana says that once a Gosayi - a great follower of Chaitanya
Prabhu visited the house of Jagirdar's daughter, given in marriage
to a wealthy man living in the nearby village. The Gosayi enjoying
the hospitality of the lady stayed for some days. And was performing
Lakshmi puja in a lavish manner decorating the idol with costly
jewels of his own of rare kind. The avaricious lady and her husband
killed the Gosayi and appropriated them, but to what effect? Nemises
ran its course and took away the life of the greedy man. The lady
returned to her father's house with heavy heart. Deciding to put the
entire ill-gotten wealth into hundi, she decided to go to Tirupathi.
Then happened a miracle. She dreamt that night that Bhagawan Balaji
directing - "you need not come to me, but I will come to your
place. Build a temple for me in expiation of sins". At this
juncture, a cow-herd, when possesses instructed her to visit a
boulder on a hill under which he is abiding in a small cave and
offer worship. She obeyed at once. When found as said she carried on
puja programme elaborately and regularly. And built a garbhagriha
there. The Lord started raining boons on the genuine adorers, Later,
the Lord advised her in a dream to build a befitting temple at the
foot of the hill. Deeming it a golden opportunity for spending the
amount appropriated from the Gosayi, she built a temple.
It
faces east and contains all the parts in addition to Adhyayana
mantap and mini-shrines for Alwars. Its architectural beauty is
quite impressive. The Mulabera is kept there on the bill and so the
priests go every day to the hill and offer first worship to the
Swayambhu and then to the archamurti in the newly built temple. Many
land lords liberally endowed the temple with valuables and lands for
its maintenance. The Brahmotsav celebrated in Magha masa is a big
draw and lures huge crowds.
It
lies in Vanaparthy mandalam of Palamur district in Andhra Pradesh,
having all bus facilities.
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