Sunrays touch Lord Bhavanarayana Swamy in Peda Ganjam

 Chirala: The presiding deity at the Bhavanarayana Swamy temple in Peda Ganjam of China Ganjam mandal in Prakasam district is touched by sunrays for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.

The devotees, who thronged to the temple before the sunrise were mesmerized in awe as they catch a glimpse of the light touching the feet of the god.

Legend says that Lord Rama in Tretayug, who is travelling to Lanka through the area granted a wish to his devotee Vinata Devi at Gandhapuri to bless the people in Kaliyug in the incarnation as Bhavanarayana Swamy. 

The Gandhapuri village became Ganjam and then developed into Peda Ganjam and China Ganjam. The historians say that the Mukhamantapam of the age old Bhavanarayana temple was built by Chola kings in eighth century.

The temple priests said that the sunrays touch the deity in the temple every year for two times, once in March and October as the sun shifts from Uttarayana to Dakshinayana and vice-versa. 

They said that the touch of sunrays continue for three days and this time also hundreds of devotees reached the temple to pray to the Bhavanarayana Swamy along with the Suryanarayana Swamy at the same time.