Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/PYsVpT88mRQ
Location: "Sri Someswara Swamy Temple, H5GF+H7J, Appikonda Beach Border Rd, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530031"
The beach:
Among all the beaches in Visakhapatnam, Appikonda Beach is one of the
beaches that is located far away from all the tourist attractions in the city.
Widely known for its scenic beauty and crystal-clear waters, Appikonda Beach,
surrounded by Cashew and Casuarina trees, offers a delightful experience to all
those who are here to relax and rejuvenate. Appikonda Beach
invites tourists to experience a laid-back atmosphere along with witnessing the
incredible view of the sea and mountain which is hard to explain in words.
Named after the hill, this beach is a well-maintained beach in Vishakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh, South India and has golden smooth sand scattered all around the
place.
The beach is situated around 30 KMs from the Vizag city, and is well
connected by road.
Shri Someshwara
Temple
Culture and History
Shri Someshwara Temple is an ancient temple situated on the side of
Appikonda beach, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is around 1000 years old,
built by King Kotulunga I of Chola dynasty. The temple contains a life size
Nandi carved out of black stone. The Siva temple contains inscriptions dating
back to the 12th century A.D. These inscriptions mention that this village was
granted continuance by a commander-in-chief of the Cholas so that devotees
could continue to worship in the temple.
Inscriptions are also found at the temple dated back to 14th century king
Upendra chakravarthi son of Koppaladeva chakravarthi of Elamanchalli Chalukya
Family.
Below context:
Coutesy: Mallikarjunarao Navuluri (Google reviews)
Adjacent to this temple, in the south, three more temples buried in the
sand dunes were brought into relief. Consequently three temples to the
South of the Someswara temple and the prakara wall with attached sub shrines
were exposed. All are dedicated to Siva, and these are called as Siva temples
1, 2 and 3. The sub shrines in the north prakara wall on north-east corner and
the other in the south was in the south-west corner are empty. The main
entrance to the temple complex is in the west wall, on the south western
corner. There is another entrance porch in the east wall, in the south-east
corner. A big Nandi figure in a Mandapa is located in front of the Someswara
temple. All these temples are built with khondalite stone. It is biggest and
living monument on the northern side in the ancient prakara wall (35.55 x 35.55
m). The bright of the prakara wall is 2.20m with a thickness of 1 m. at the
top. Major part of the prakara wall is collapsed. The Somesvara temple is a
sama chaturasya avitla vimana with a square sikhara. The sculptural
representation on the temple is very scanty. The temple faces west.
The temple has a square Garbhagriha (5.5 x 5.5 m) followed by a narrow
vestibule (antarala), (1.30 X 3.60m) and a large square mukhamandapa (6.60 x
6.60m) on the same axis.
The Garbhagriha contains a polished granite linga in the centre, with a pranala
set in to the north wall. A narrow antarala opens into the Mukhamandapa and a
huge dvarapala flank the entrance. The Mukhamandapa has originally four pillars
in the centre and two pilasters. But later, three more pillars are added at
intervals. The Mukhamandapa is covered with a flat roof. The outer entrance of
the Mukhamandapa in the west is enclosed by an Ardhamandapa (entrance porch)
formed by four pillars with a flat roof. The door-jambs have neither sculptural
decoration nor dvarapalakas but the lintel has Ganesa at lalatabimba.
In front of the Ardhamandapa facing east is a square Nandi-Mandapa with
flat roof (4.50 x 4.50 m).
The Adhistana of the ground story has the following mouldings from bottom to
top. They are upana, jagati, padma, kumuda, padma, kantha, padma kapota and
pattika. At present only the central niche on the north wall contains a Vishnu
image and the remaining two central on the east wall and south wall possess
mutilated images.
The central pillars in the Mukhamandapa of the Someswara temple have two
inscriptions. An incomplete inscriptions dated in the Saha era 1053 and
Chalukya Vikrama era 55 (sadharana samvastara) in the month of Phalguna bahula
ekadasi, Budhavaram belongs to the reign of Somesvara III, the Kalyani Chalukya
king.
The second inscription is dated to the 14th Century A.D and was issued by
Upendra Chakravarti, son of Koppadeva Chakravarti of Elamanchili Chalukya
family. He ruled Visakhapatnam region in between 1356-72 A.D. He gifted to the
God Somesvara for the benefit of his father Koppadeva Chakravarti.