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Navajanardanaalayas
Among the scores and scores of holy, ancient shrines sanctifying the Godavari Mandal of the Coastal Andhra Pradesh, the
Navajanardana Aalayaas occupies a covetable place in the temple history of our Punya Bharat. All the nine are located in a
radius of 25 K.M. from Davaleswaram enshrining the first of the group. Some are on the bank of Pavana Gauthami and
others are a few K.M. off. They are situated at Jegurupadu, Narsipudi, Mandapet, Alamur, Masara, Korimilli,
Kapileswarapuram and Kotipalli. And accessible by four wheelers from Rajahmundry, the erstwhile capital of many illustrious
dynasties. It is said that Narada, the Brahma manasa Putra installed all of them in the dim past with great devotional fervour.
The icons are swayam vyakta and are of different sizes. All are Chaturbhuja replica of Srimanarayana holding in the upper
hands conch and disc and the lower right hand revealing Abhayamudra and the left holding a lotus flower. They are quite
enchanting and lift the souls of the viewers with their soumyarupas, adorned with glittering jewels and colourful garlands. In
every one of them, Mother Mahalakshmi is seen standing left and is so exquisitely carved that the archamurtis raise the
hands of the viewers at first sight itself. Nityanainithika Puja is conducted on a grand scale and the annual festivals lure
lakhs of devotees, who congregate and involve themselves in several activities. Ali the nine are under the control of
Commissionerof HRCE department of Andhra Pradesh. The priests are well versed in their chosen profession. Sri Pedapudi
Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy, the chief priests of Davaleswaram Temple is an aged and expert priest whose scholorship
in the spiritual lore deserves commendation and veneration.
These Lakhmi janardanaalaynas have had a glorious past and they have succored timely assistance to the devout bhaktas
through miracles of a wide variety, scattered all over our Bharath Khand. They deserve
to be visited of profit and peace.
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