Vikarabad- Anatha Padmnabhaswamy Aalayam

The glory of this holy kshetra began with Markandeya Maharshi and was heightened later by a Muslim king with the building of a temple for Anantha Padmanabhaswamy. The present shrine owes its existence to a devout village chief, who when directed in dream by the presiding deity erected a modest sized temple. Its past is elaborately described in Skanda and Vishnu Puranas. According to legends, when Markandeya prayed to Brahma for showing Dim a suitable place for penance, Brahma directed him to this place, and after Bhagavat sakshatkara, Markandeya dwelt here for long, installing the Vasudeva salagram in a decently built temple. During then he pleased Mother Ganga with his earnest prayers and made her present in the tank, he materialized with his soul power. And moreover, she promised to visit every year once to this temple Pushkarini through underground passage. This, no doubt enhanced the glory of this kshetra. After his departure this was completely obscured due to sumptuous growth of forests, and the salagram too disappeared. But during the reign of a certain Nizam Nawab, he was cured of his ailment on drinking the water of the pond by the grace of the salagram hidden in a tank. He built a temple as directed as in the dream. This too fell into ruins due to ravages of time. At last, the present temple was built by an influential landlord of Allampalli village. Even earlier to these august occurrences, a great king Muchikunda by name who fought against formidable demons for one hundred years on behalf of Indra, rested in a cave here. So this seat of Anantha Padmanabhaswamy has an awe-some past, rich with miracles of the Lord, who blesses adorers lavishly out of expectation as a matter of fact.

The temple is very modest in architectural design, nor superb sculpture greets the visitors, but its holiness and the sacredness of the tank are its unenviable creditable points that are drawing a steady influx of tourists and theists everyday and throughout the year too. Its rich forest wealth is being properly put to public benefit by establishing institutions and hospitals. The annual festivals falling in the months of Ashada And Karthika are luring huge congregations of bhaktas, who participate in special prayer services with unparalleled devotional zeal.

It lies 3 km off Vikarabad town of Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh commanding both train and bus services. Vikarabad itself is a rail head. So journey is easy.

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