Kakinada: Ancient temple in Sarpavaram in pitiable condition

Kakinada (Kakinada District): Sri Bhavanarayana Swamy temple, the ancient temple with great historic and puranic background in Sarpavaram of Kakinada, is now in a pitiable condition.

The temple located about six kilometres from Kakinada headquarters, is in dilapidated condition and there are cracks on the pillars.

The ancient Vaishnavite temple depicts a perfect and harmonious blend of both Chalukyan and Chola (7th to 12th Century AD) architecture and represents both the northern and southern style of architecture. The Chalukyas used red natural stone and khod for engraving beautiful images on the pillars. Sri Bhavanarayana temple is one of the noted 108 Vaishnava temples.

According to Archaeology department officials, the Chalukyan architecture is a juxtaposition of Indo-Aryan and Dravidian styles of temple architecture. The rock-cut method of architecture was slowly superseded using red stone masonry. Building of Stambha Mandapa (Navaranga) and Sukhansi along with Garbhagriha was a unique contribution of Chalukyas.

The main gopura facing east is a solid huge structure, built partly with stone and partly with brick. The entire gopura contains gopika, apsaras and avataras in rows. Inside the temple, every pillar is covered with beautiful and delicately delineated pieces of artistic sculptures, particularly the dwara palakas - Jaya and Vijaya.

The officials said that evidences say that this ancient temple was repaired and rebuilt through successive ages by many kings.

There are inscriptions of eastern Chalukyan kings, Tamil King Kulottunga and Katayavema Reddy (Reddy Kingdom).

According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, great saint Kashyapa had two wives - Kadru and Vinata. Kadru gives birth to 1,000 nagas (serpents) while Vinata had two nagas. When Vinata bets that the tail of the horse Uchaisravas is white, Kadru tricks her by asking her sons, who are snakes, to coil around the horse's tail to make it appear black. Some of the snakes refuse, and Kadru curses her serpent sons that they should fall into the fire of Janamejaya's sacrificial fire.

Pious and noble Ananta, one of the 1,000 sons of Kadru, wanted to do penance in honour of Lord Vishnu and searches for a suitable place. He finds this place holy and did penance here. Pleased at it, Lord Vishnu appears before him and states that this holy place would ever since take its name after him as Sarpapura and that he and his spouse Lakshmi would be duly installed there by sage Narada.

The great Telugu poet Srinatha Kavi Sarvabhouma narrated in holy Kasikhethra, Saint Vyasa reached Sarpavaram and worshiped Bhavanarayana Swamy. He also wrote a book on Sarpavaram Mahatyam.

Despite its great past, the temple is now in pitiable condition, which reflects the negligence of both Archaeological and Endowment departments. There are visible cracks in the pillars and rainwater leaks through slab, posing a great threat of collapse at any time.

The east facing wall of the temple was collapsed. Mukha Mandapa, garbhagruha, galigopuram and other parts of the temple need urgent renovation and restoration.

There are also cracks visible at the gali gopuram.

Archaeology and Museums Department, Kakinada, Assistant Director K Timmaraju told 'The Hans India' that the temple is under the control of Archaeology and Museums department and is facing a threat due water leakage, sledging of the stone pillars. He stated that the temple needs not only renovation but also should be strengthened.

He requested both State and Central governments to sanction Rs 5 crore as certain parts of the temple are on the verge of collapse. Timmaraju informed that he submitted a letter to Kakinada MP Vanga Geeta seeking release of funds for the temple development.

Some of the devotees criticised that the Endowment department has failed in protecting the ancient temple. They alleged that the government, which is receiving crores of rupees from the temple, is spending a very little amount for its maintenance. They urged the government to protect the famous and ancient temple by preserving its structures intact.

Noted spiritual speakers Chaganti Koteswar Rao and Garikapati Narasimha Rao have also appealed for the protection and maintenance of the ancient Vaishnava temple.