Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/l4biEeund1s
Location: "Sri Venkateswara Swamy vari Devasthanam, Dwaraka Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh 534426"
Rerference:
Eluru is a city
and the district headquarters of Eluru
district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The city
is on the Tammileru river.
It was a part of the Vengi Kingdom. During the rule of
the Buddhist kingdom of Vengi, it was the capital city and was known as
'Helapuri'. It was also known as 'Ellore'. To distinguish with Vellore, which was
having same pronunciation during Nizam rule, Ellore was referred as Uppu
Ellore (i.e. Salt Ellore), while the former one was referred as Ra
Vellore or Raya Vellore.
The history of Eluru dates back to the second century CE and
has great prominence in the history of Andhra. Vengi near Eluru was the capital
of Andhra from the second century to the twelfth century, ruled by Salankayanas,
Vishnukudinas, and Eastern Chalukyas. Vengi was the capital
city of Andhradesa for more years than any other city in Andhra Pradesh. Eluru
was part of the Buddhist kingdom of Vengi.
Eastern Chalukyas, or Chalukyas of Vengi (who built the temple of
Chennakesava in Eluru), were a dynasty of South India whose
kingdom was in the present day Andhra Pradesh. Their
capital was Vengi near Eluru and their dynasty lasted around 500 years from the
seventh century until c. 1130 C.E., when the Vengi kingdom merged with
the Chola empire. The Vengi kingdom
continued to be ruled by the Eastern Chalukyas (Eastern
Chalukyan kings) under the protection of the Chola empire until
1189 C.E., when the kingdom succumbed to the Hoysalas and
the Yadavas.
They had their capital originally at Vengi, now Pedavegi,
near Eluru of the West Godavari district and was later changed to Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry).
Another interesting bit of history is that Raja Raja
Narendra, was the grandson of the greatest Chola king, Raja Raja. Raja Raja
Chola's daughter was married to the Vengi Chalukya king Vimaladitya. Raja Raja
Narendra was their son, he had the support of his maternal uncle Rajendra Chola
and won the fight to the throne of Vengi. He went on to become the most well
known of the Vengi Chalukyas. Raja Raja Narendra is credited for the rise of
Telugu culture and heritage. Under his patronage, Nannaya began the translation
of Mahabharata into Telugu and sowed seeds for Telugu language as we know it
today.
Venkateswara Temple is a Vaishnavite
temple situated in the town of Dwaraka
Tirumala of Eluru
district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The
temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara,
an incarnation of Vishnu. The
temple is also known by other name like Chinna Tirupati meaning
Small Tirupati.
Legend:
Sthala
purana: This pilgrimage centre is called “Dwaraka Tirumala” after the
great saint, “Dwaraka” who located the self manifested idol of Lord “Sri
Venkateswara” after severe penance in a ‘Valmikam’ (ant hill). The devotees
call Sri Venkateswara as Kaliyuga Vaikunta Vasa. This place is also called
Chinna Tirupati. As per Sastras North Indian rivers like Ganges and Yamuna are
considered to be more and more holy as they go up to the origin and south
Indian rivers like Krishna and Godavary are more and more holy as they go down
the river to its mouth to the Sea. It is why there are numerous shrines and holy
bathing ghats, at close intervals, on both sides of the great grand rivers
Krishna and Godavary in their lower regions. The region covered by our Dwaraka
Tirumala is commanding the top most conspicuous position in India, being
garlanded by these two great Indian rivers Krishna and Godavary, as pointed out
by Brahma Purana. The devotees who wish to go and offer their donations, or
tonsures or any other offerings to Lord Venkateswara, Lord of Tirumala
Tirupati, called as Pedda Tirupati, due to some reason, if they are unable to
go there, they can offer their donations, prayers and worship in Dwaraka
Tirumala temple.
According to some Puranas, the temple is popular even in
Kruta yuga and is still attracting the devotees. According to Brahma Purana,
Aja Maharaja, the Grand father of Lord Sri Rama also worshiped Lord
Venkateswara for his marriage. On his way to the swayamvaram of Indumati, he
passed by the temple. He did not offer prayers in the temple. The bride
Indumati garlanded him, but he had to face a battle with the kings who came to
the Swayamvaram. He realized that the battle was thrust on him for ignoring the
temple on the way. After realizing this, Aja Maharaja prayed to the Lord
Venkateswara. Suddenly the kings stopped the battle.
It is a great wonder to see two main idols under one Vimana
Sikharam. One idol is a full and complete statue. The other is a half statue of
the upper portion of the form of the Lord. The upper potion of the form is a
self-manifested idol located by Sage "Dwaraka". The saints of the
yore felt the prayers to the Lord are not complete without worshipping His holy
feet. So, the saints joined together and installed a full statue behind the
self-manifested idol, to worship the feet of the Lord according to Vaikhanasa
Agamam.
It is believed that the prayers to the smaller statue of the
Lord will lead to Moksha, and the big form stands for Dharma, Artha and Kama.
Culture and
Traditions
Architecture
4 magnificient huge Gopurams creating a big compound creates
the brilliant Dravidian architectural masterpiece.
On entering the sanctum sanctorum, one feels a most inspiring
and enchanting experience. The presiding mythological deity Lord Venkateswara
is visible upto the Bust size and the lower portion is imagined to be in the
earth. The holy feet are said to be offered to Bali Chakravarthi in patala for
his daily worship. The full size idol of Lord Sri Venkateswara standing at the
back of the main idol is said to have been installed by the great social
reformer Srimad Ramanuja of the 11 th century. The idols of Padmavathi and
Nanchari are installed in the Arthamandapa facing east. This is a full equipped
shrine to be a Divyasthala.
The most peculiar aspect here is that the hill appearing to
be a serpant in form, even to the naked eye, confirms the mythological version
that Anantha, the serpant king has taken up this terrestial form of serpant
hill and is carrying God Mallikarjuna on the hood and Lord Venkateswara on the
tail, thus creating a happy and harmonious compromise of Vaishnavism and
Saivism at a single place.
The magnificent monuments like, Vimana, Mantapa, Gopura,
Prakara etc., stand to the credit of Dharma Appa Raoa recent ruler (1762 -1827)
and the golden ornaments and silver vahanas stand to the credit of the generous
queen Rani Chinnamma Rao of Mylavaram, Krishna Dist. (1877 - 1902). These
things immortalize the glory of the shrine.
The main temple is a masterpiece of South Indian Architecture
with its five-storied main Rajagopuram facing the south and three other
gopurams on the other three sides. The Vimana is in the Nagara style and old
Mukhamantapa is extended to a great extent to suit the present day needs. There
are several temples of Alwars attached to the Prakara on all sides. The whole
spacious compound has been paved with stone and flower trees are grown in an
order as if to feast the eye of the pilgrims.
How
to Reach:
By Road: Nearest
city is Eluru (40 KMs). Buses ply from Eluru to Dwarka Tirumala. Own vehicle is
the best way to reach the temple
By Train:
Nearest Railway station is Bhimadole. Passenger trains are available connecting
Vijaywada, Rayagada, Kakinada, Rajamhundry
By Air: Vijaywada
is the nearest airport: 87 KMs, Rajamahendravaram: 94 KMs
Popular
Festivals
Temple
Timings
Parking and
Photography
There is a huge dedicated parking available and parking of
vehicles is not an issue.
Photography is restricted inside the temple. Pics can be
taken from outside.
Drone usage should be done from very far off from the temple
and shouldn’t be an issue as the height has been increased sufficiently now.
Route and
Stay
Stay can be done at Eluru itself. Good hotels and residencies
available here. We planned to cover Guntupalli Buddhist caves and Dwarka
Tirumala, so followed this route:
