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{{short description|Hindu temple in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{AI-generated|date=March 2026|reason=[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amararama&diff=1257971616&oldid=1255147951 these 2024 edits]; user has made many AI edits and these too display many [[WP:AISIGNS]] including undue emphasis on legacy, vocab distro typical of 2023/24 LLM output etc}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Amararamam
| script =
| image = Gopuramxx.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Amareswara Swamy temple
| map_type = India Andhra Pradesh
| map_caption = Location in Andhra Pradesh
| map_size =
| coordinates = {{coord|16.580990|N|80.358946|E|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| district = [[Palnadu district|Palnadu]]
| locale = [[Amaravathi, Guntur district|Amaravathi]]
| elevation_m = 31.4
| deity = [[Shiva]]
| festivals = [[Maha Sivaratri]], [[Kartika Purnima]]
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity = 1
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions = [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Sanskrit]]
| established = 11th century
| temple_board =
| website =
}}
{{Hinduism}}

'''Amararamam''' is a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] temple dedicated to [[Shiva|Lord Siva]], located in [[Amaravathi, Palnadu district|Amaravathi]] of [[Palnadu district]] in the Indian state of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. It is one of the five sacred [[Pancharama Kshetras]] and is unique for being situated on the [[Krishna River]], unlike the others in the Godavari region. The temple enshrines a 15-foot white marble [[Lingam|Sivalinga]], and daily rituals are performed by priests on a platform. The main deity, Lord Amareswara (also known as Amaralingeswara), is accompanied by his consort, Bala Chamundika.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=Chitra Ramaswamy |date=29 June 2017 |title=Five for peace |url=http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/pancharamar-khetrams-dedicated-to-lord-siva/article19174387.ece |access-date=7 October 2017 |website=The Hindu}}</ref>

The temple, based on epigraphical and historical evidence, is believed to have originated in the 11th century, with the earliest inscription dating back to 1129 CE.<ref name=":6" /> The temple has been patronized by various dynasties, including the [[Kota Vamsa|Kota chiefs]], and the [[Vijayanagara Empire]], with notable contributions from [[Krishnadevaraya|Sri Krishnadevaraya]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=C. Sivaramamurti |url=https://archive.org/details/AmaravatiSculpturesInTheMadrasGovernmentMuseum/page/n31/mode/2up |title=Amaravati Sculptures In The Madras Government Museum |date=1956 |publisher=[[Government Museum, Chennai|Madras Government Museum]] |pages=8}}</ref> Major renovations were carried out in the late 18th century.<ref name=":0" />

Built in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian architectural style]], the temple features four [[Gopuram|gopuras]] and a central [[Vimana (architectural feature)|vimana]].<ref name=":4" /> It is a significant spiritual and historical site, drawing pilgrims from across the region. Major festivals, such as [[Maha Shivaratri|Maha Sivaratri]] and [[Navaratri]], are celebrated here.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Amaralingeswara Temple Amaravati |url=http://www.templesofindia.net/temples/amaralingeswara-temple-amaravati |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007170114/http://www.templesofindia.net/temples/amaralingeswara-temple-amaravati |archive-date=7 October 2017 |website=Temples of India}}</ref> The temple is located on Krouncha Saila, a small hill near the Krishna River, and the surrounding village of Amaravathi is named after it.<ref name=":33">{{Cite book |last=H. Sarkar |first= |url=https://archive.org/details/amaravati00sark/page/8/ |title=Amaravati |last2=S. P. Nainar |first2= |date=2007 |publisher=[[Archaeological Survey of India]] |others= |edition=5th |pages=1–2}}</ref> This village also inspired the name of Andhra Pradesh's planned capital, [[Amaravati]], located 35 kilometers to the east.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 October 2015 |title=After 18 centuries, Amaravati set to become a 'capital' again |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/After-18-centuries-Amaravati-set-to-become-a-capital-again/articleshow/49489009.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025011007/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/After-18-centuries-Amaravati-set-to-become-a-capital-again/articleshow/49489009.cms |archive-date=25 October 2015 |newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref>

==History==
The Amareswara temple is believed to have been constructed in the 11th century, based on epigraphical evidence.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=M. Krishna Kumari |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.scoerat.1747pancharamasinmedievalandhradesa1989/page/29/mode/2up |title=Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa |publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan |year=1989 |pages=29}}</ref> However, its architectural style closely resembles the Bhimeswara temples of [[Kumararama|Samalkot]] and [[Daksharamam|Draksharama]], which date back to the 10th century. Among the 35 inscriptions found on the temple's walls, the earliest dates to 1129 CE. Legends associated with the Bhimeswara temples may have contributed to the temple's connections with them.<ref name=":6" /> Additionally, one of the earliest recorded inscriptions in the temple region is an [[Eastern Chalukya Empire|Eastern Chalukya]] epigraph found at [[Dharanikota]], near Amaravati.<ref name=":4" />

The temple's foundation reflects early Buddhist influence, featuring elements like a white marble lotus medallion and a cylindrical mula virat in the sanctum. These features have led to theories that the site may have initially been a Buddhist place of worship.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Rao |first1=Dr. P. Purnachandra |title=Chronicle of Guntur District Tourism |publisher=[[Acharya Nagarjuna University]] |year=2023 |edition=1 |location=Guntur |page=20}}</ref> The discovery of a Chaturmukha Linga and a small [[mukhalinga]] sculpture, both dating to the [[Satavahana dynasty]] (1st–2nd centuries CE), underscores the antiquity of [[Shaivism|Saivism]] in the region. Additionally, a life-sized, intricately decorated [[Nandi (Hinduism)|Nandi]] statue from the Satavahana era, found near the temple, reflects the craftsmanship of that period and suggests the early prominence of Saivism in Amaravathi.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=M. Krishna Kumari |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.scoerat.1747pancharamasinmedievalandhradesa1989/page/21/mode/2up?q=amaravati |title=Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa |publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan |year=1989 |pages=22–23}}</ref>

By the 12th century, the coexistence of Hindu and Buddhist structures was evident in Amaravathi. Inscriptions and accounts from this period reference both the [[Amaravati Stupa|Buddhist Mahachaitya]] and the Amareswara Temple. A 1184 CE inscription by [[Kota Vamsa|Kota chief]] Keta II describes the Buddhist stupa as "chaityam-atyunnatam yatra nānā chitra suchitritam" (magnificent and adorned). The same inscription also reverently mentions Lord Siva as Amareswara, indicating a harmonious blend of religious traditions.<ref>{{Cite book |last=M. Krishna Kumari |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.scoerat.1747pancharamasinmedievalandhradesa1989/page/19/mode/2up |title=Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa |publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan |year=1989 |pages=19}}</ref> Furthermore, inscriptions on the temple pillars record lamp donations to [[The Buddha|Lord Buddha]] by Keta II and his courtesans, suggesting the presence of a Buddhist temple in the vicinity, which has since disappeared.<ref name=":5" />

The temple continued to receive patronage in subsequent centuries. During the 14th-century [[Reddi Kingdom|Reddi dynasty]] and the 16th-century [[Vijayanagara Empire]], significant contributions were made to the temple. Notably, [[Krishnadevaraya|Sri Krishnadevaraya]] ({{Reign|1509|1529}}) added a [[mandapa]]m (pavilion), further solidifying the temple's cultural and religious importance.<ref name=":4" />

In the late 18th century, the temple underwent extensive expansion under the patronage of [[Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu]], the zamindar of [[Chintapalli, Palnadu district|Chintapalli]]. A devout follower of Lord Siva, Venkatadri Nayudu later built and relocated to Amaravathi and provided financial support for the temple's upkeep. He allocated land to priests, ensuring the continuity of worship and maintenance at the site.<ref name=":0" />

==Deity==
The primary deity in the Amareswaraswamy Temple is a large [[Lingam|Sivalinga]], notable for its height, which requires priests to stand on a platform to perform daily rituals and the [[Abhisheka]], a ceremonial anointment. According to temple lore, the Sivalinga once began to grow continuously, prompting devotees to drive a nail into its top to halt its expansion, resulting in a red mark where it is said blood emerged. The main idol, or Mula Virat, is a vertically aligned cylinder crafted from white marble.<ref name=":2" />

==Legend==
Legend attributes the origins of the temple to events involving the demon king [[Tārakāsura|Tarakasura]], who, after receiving a boon from [[Shiva|Lord Siva]], defeated the gods. To restore order, Lord Shiva vowed to eliminate the demon, and the gods came to reside at the site, thus giving the name Amaravati. Here, Shiva is worshipped as Amareswara, accompanied by his consort Bala Chamundika, one of the 18 revered goddesses.<ref name=":1" />

==Architecture==
[[File:Sri Amaralingeswara Swamy temple & Chariot.jpg|thumb|260px|Amareswara Swamy temple during Rathayatra]]
[[File:అమరేశ్వరస్వామి దేవాలయం.jpg|thumb|Amareswara Swamy temple]]
The Amararamam temple complex is surrounded by four towering [[Gopuram|gopuras]] in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style]], with a central [[vimana]] reflecting the same architectural design, enhancing its impressive structure. Located on Krouncha Saila, a small hill near the [[Krishna River]], the temple combines Buddhist and Dravidian architectural influences.<ref name=":3" />

Access to the [[Garbhagriha|sanctum sanctorum]], which is elevated, is via a flight of steps, leading to the main deity, a 15-[[Foot (unit)|foot]] white marble [[lingam]] called Amareswara, also known as Amaralingeswara. This lingam is the largest among the [[Pancharama Kshetras|Pancharama]] lingams, with a circumference of three feet, and is worshipped through prayers and [[abhisheka]] rituals performed from a platform within the sanctum. The temple also houses the goddess Bala Chamundeswari Devi, considered the consort of Lord Amareswara.<ref name=":3" />

==Festivals==
The temple hosts several major Hindu festivals, including [[Maha Shivaratri|Maha Sivaratri]], which falls on Magha Bahula Dasami, and [[Navaratri]], along with various Kalyana Utsavas. Its sacred location along the Krishna River elevates the temple's religious significance, making it an important pilgrimage site.<ref>{{cite web |date=21 February 2012 |title=Maha Sivaratri celebrated with religious fervour |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/maha-sivaratri-celebrated-with-religious-fervour/article2915441.ece |access-date=7 October 2017 |website=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Transport==
The temple is located approximately 40 km from [[Guntur]].<ref>{{cite web |date=19 December 2014 |title=Amaravathi declared heritage city |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/Amaravathi-declared-heritage-city/article10950696.ece |access-date=7 October 2017 |website=The Hindu}}</ref> The [[Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation]] (APSRTC) operates regular bus services from [[NTR bus station|Guntur]], [[Pandit Nehru bus station|Vijayawada]], and [[Mangalagiri]] to Amaravathi.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tourist Services in Guntur Region |url=http://apsrtc.gov.in/T_Guntur.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416174701/http://www.apsrtc.gov.in/T_Guntur.aspx |archive-date=16 April 2019 |access-date= |website=[[APSRTC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 November 2013 |title=RTC to operate 300 buses to 'Siva Kshetrams |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/rtc-to-operate-300-buses-to-siva-kshetrams/article5329207.ece |access-date=7 October 2017 |website=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Renovation==
In 2017, the temple's [[Gopuram]] was renovated to address structural cracks that had developed over time due to exposure to heavy equipment. This renovation, costing approximately ₹1.56 [[crore]], revealed ancient artifacts dating back 1,800 years in the foundation pits.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Sujatha Varma |date=7 September 2015 |title=Ancient sculptures found in Amaravati |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/ancient-sculptures-found-in-amaravati/article7623259.ece |access-date=7 October 2017 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.templenet.com/Andhra/amararama.html Amararama]

{{Pancharama Kshetras}}
{{Hindu Temples in Andhra Pradesh}}
{{Amaravati topics}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Guntur district]]
[[Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Pancharama Kshetras]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Guntur district]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Articles expanded in Collaboration with ANU, Guntur]]

Amararama - Revision history

AnkuMalik at 06:10, 16 March 2026