Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/OhngVgPXgL8
References: https://vizagdekho.com/srikurmam-temple-sri-kurmanatha-swamy-temple-srikurmam/
https://www.templedairy.in/sri-kurmanadha-temple-srikakulam
Dedicated to Shri Vishnu’s Kurma Avatar and
his consort Kurmanayaki (Lakshmi). The temple is popular for ancestor worship
and the temple is situated in the banks of a beautiful pond. The presiding
deity is said to have appeared in the shape of a tortoise, as per Legend. Globally the only temple dedicated to Shri
Vishnu’s Kurma Avatar, the temple was originally constructed before 11th
century in Kalinga style with fusion of Dravidian style, which depicts it to be
a work of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, when it was known as Kurmeshwarara temple
and dedicated to Shiva. However, according to earliest inscriptions,
Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of Eastern Ganga Dynasty converted this temple
into a Vaishnava Kshetra from a Siva Temple in the year 1035 CE.
Few legends however say it was Ramanuja who
converted it into a Vaishnavite temple in 11th century CE and is an
important center for Vaishnavism alongside Seemanchalam. The temple is one of the few temples in India
now to follow both the Vaishnavite and Shaivite traditions.
Srikurmam is known as pitrukshetra because
of its ancestor worship. People believe that if they offer prayers here, their
ancestors’ souls will be saved.
Considered as one of the most sacred and
important centre of Vaishnavism, It was also regarded as
the Gurupitha (sacred place of the master) of the Ganga kings of
Utkala
Legends:
One of
the legends say wife king Suta ruling the Svethachala region, was Vishnu
devotee and her prayers to the Lord on an occasion, led to the generation of a
stream between her and the king, when the king tried to offer some advances to
her. On the advice of Sage Narada, the king settled down at the confluence of
Vamsadhara and sea and did penance. Lord Kumanadha appeared and granted him
mental peace and Lord Vishnu created the Kshirasamudra and his wife came and
settled down after which King Suta constructed the temple.
Another
legend states that the Prince of Anandpuri, fell in love with a divine nymph,
dancing before god, was cursed and he fell there with a nasty disease. After
this he did penance for 300 years and the Lord relieved him from that disease.
He then created the temple.
Purana References: The Srikurmam Shrine, as per Puranas References, spread over a diameter
of 30-kiloMetres from Srikakulam to Kalingapatnam and flourished with
PanchaLinga Kshetras and Ashta Teerthas. Lord Balarama who took the Darshan of
Lord Sri Kurma, visited this area Knowing about the Cosmic importance of this
Divya Kshetram, He ordained that Srikurmam be the only Temple in the entire
World for the Tortoise incarnation of Lord Sri Mahavishnu. Since the Darshan of
Lord Sri Kurma was allowed only for Devatas.
So he constructed 5 Shiva
Temples as Kshetra Palika Temples on the four borders of Sri Kurma Shrine,
including one at the main entrance of Srikurmam Temple. After the Consecration
of idols and observing celestial rituals, Lord Bala Raama allowed Humans to
enter the holy shrine of Lord Sri Kurmanadha for a Darshan. The 5 temples were:
- Sri Paayakeswara Swamy Temple
- Sri Someswara Swamy temple
- Sri Sangameswara Swamy Temple
- Sri Umarudra koteswara temple
- Sri Mani Nageswara Swamy Temple
Architecture
The temple is one of the living examples of
architectural gem. The walls of the temple are rich with sculptural excellence
everywhere. The pillars have Yalis
designed on them and there are motifs of all deities across the walls of the
temple. The presence of two Dhwaja Stambhas in the temple is unusual for a
Vaishnavite temple, proving its original Shaivism. The design of the gopurams
is unique and distinctive from the regular gopurams of Dravidian temples and
Kalinga architecture. The upper part of the sanctum
sanctorum is built in the form of an ashtadala
padmam (eight-petaled lotus).
The temple resembles the Dravidian
structure like Vimana from Pyramid structure. The temple Mukha Mandapa leads
antarala.
The deity of Kurmanathaswamy is made of
black stone, but due to regular applications of sandalwood paste, it appears
yellow. An important feature is that the main idol faces the West
Direction. It sits on a platform made of stone with a length of 5 feet, a
height of 1 foot, and a width of 4 feet. The deity is 2.5 feet
(0.76 m) long and consists of three stone structures. The stone
representing the head faces the west; the middle stone represents the body of
the tortoise, the small stone at the
rear end, covered with swirling circles, represents either the tail of the
tortoise or the Sudarshana Chakra.
This temple contains 201 pillars, and
each pillar has the individual identity. And the temple has a total of 127
inscriptions in four different languages.
The temple has an unusual conservation park
for the protection of young and adult star tortoises. Originally facing east,
the deity now faces west in response to Ramanuja’s prayers. Another unusual
feature is the presence of the deity on a Gopala Yantra.
Temple
Timings:
Temple opening hours: 06:00 AM to 07:45 PM
Srikakulam Srikurmam Temple Daily Sevas And Timings:
Suprabhata Seva, Nityabhishekam,
Prabhodika, Mangala Snanam, Thiruvaradana, Sarva darshan, Balabhogam: 06:00 AM
to 12:00 PM
Rajabhogam: 12 PM
Nitya Thiruvaradana, Amngalasnanam: 7
PM
Pavalimpu Seva: 8 PM
Culture
and Tradition:
The main festivals at the Sri Kurmanadha
temple includes Dolotsavam, Janmadinam Jayanti, Kalynotsavam, Mukkoti Ekasasi.
Photography and Parking:
There is a charge for photography at the
entrance. Photography of deities and garbagriha are not allowed though.
Drone is tougher to use because of parking
issues around the temple. The roads are very congested.
Location:
The temple is located around 13 KMs from
Srikakulam. If one is travelling on his own, parking is a bit problematic
there. The galis are narrow and it is hard to park with residences and market
around. One do get parking, but its difficult.
Stay
and Accomodation:
Nearest location to stay is Srikakulam
city. We personally didn’t find good hotels in Srikakulam despite high prices.
But that is the only place to stay.
How to reach:
A detailed visit to Srikurmam can be done
for a day from Srikakulam. Otherwise as in one of my previous write-ups on
Mukhalingam, the temples of Meliaputti, Mukhalinga, Mandasa and Srikurmam can
be done together on a single day.
Travel roads across all the places are very
good.