Annavaram Sri Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple

Annavaram village is situated on the banks of the Pampa River in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in India.

Annavaram is located at a distance of 125 KM from Visakhapatnam and 80 KM from Rajahmundry. National Highway number 5 passes through Annavaram. The bypass road (NH - 5) goes straight and to visit the temple take right turn in the junction near the Annavaram. It takes two and half hours from Visakhapatnam and from Rajahmundry side it will take 2 hours. Separate pooja halls are available for offering special pujas.

Annavaram Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple

The most distinctive feature of Annavaram is the shrine to Lord Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy on the hill top. The name of the Goddess is Ananta-lakshmi Satyavathi Ammavaru.

National Highway (NH)-5 pass via Annavaram. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operates regular bus services from Kakinada to Tuni, Rajahmundry to Tuni, and Yele-swaram to Tuni via Annavaram. Important trains links of the South Central Railways (SCR) passing through are the Vijayawada-Vishakapatnam Ratnachal superfast express, the Chennai-Howrah Mail, Kolkata-Chennai halt at Annavaram, which is the nearest railway station about 2 miles from the temple. The temple, situated on the hill top is about four furlongs away from its base. It can be reached either by steps covered with canopy, via ghat road or trekked through a rusty stone paved trail road.

The popularity and importance of the temple is gaining among the pilgrims and this place is considered as second only to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Festivals are celebrated round the year at this temple with great pomp and show. Some of the popular festivals celebrated are the Kalyanam festival in May, Devi Navaratri festival in September, the Swayamvara Vardhanti of Sraavana Suddha Ekadashi Day, Srirama Kalyana, Kanakadurga Yatra, Prabha Utsavam, Teppa Utsavam and Jalatoranam.

The serene atmosphere of the temple and its surroundings captivate devotees of Lord Veera Venkata Satya-narayana Swamy. The prasadam offered to the devotees has a wonderful taste that cannot be replicated.

Etymology of Annavaram

Anna means whatever you say or you desire and varam means boon, hence whatever you desire will be given as boon by the deity.

Ratnagiri rupaya Ramasatyadevaya Mahashakthi yantraya Bakthakalpavrukshaya

History of Annavaram Temple

According to the puranas, the presiding deity of the place blesses the devotees with Anina Varam (Wanted Boon) the place is called Annavaram.

The hillock by the side of the village is considered to be very sacred. Meruvu the Lord of the hills and his consort Menaka did great penance and begot two sons by the grace of Lord Vishnu. One was named Bhadra and the other Ratnakara. Bhadra pleased Lord Vishnu with his devotion and penance and with his grace became Bhadrachalam on which Lord Sri Rama had permanently settled. Ratnakara desired to emulate his brother and succeeded in pleasing Lord Vishnu by his penance to settle on him as Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy, Ratnakara remaining as Ratnagiri hill.

The temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satya-narayana Swamy is the main temple on the Ratnagiri hill. There is also a temple of Sri Rama and the shrines of Vanadurga and Kanaka Durga nearby. The temple of grama-devatha (village deity) is in the village at the foot of the hill.
It is said that Raja I.V. Rama-narayanam, the then zamindar of Gorsa and Kirlampudi estates, having been ordained by the Lord in his dream, traced the idol on the hill, worshipped it and installed it at the present spot on sravana suddha vidhiya of the telugu year Khara, 1891.

The Vishwakarma Brahmin stapathis architectural cognizance is at its best in sculpting this temple. The hillock it self is about 300ft above sea level, green fields all-round the hills and the pampa river encircling Ratnagiri. About 460 well laid stone steps leads to the top of it.
The main temple constructed in the form of a chariot with the four wheels at each of the four corners. In front of the main temple is the kalyana mantapa, constructed and decorated with modern pieces of architecture. As we go down the way, we come across Ramalaya and then the shrines of Vana Durga and Kanaka Durga.

The Akriti of any temple is, according to the Agni Purana, merely a manifestation of the Prakriti. According to this the chariot of the temple is intended as a symbol of the Seven Lokas and the seven Lokhas above with, the garbhalaya of the Lord, at the heart’s center ruling over the entire Universe.

The temple at Annavaram has been constructed to depict this idea concretely. The front side of the temple depicts the chariot. The Meru on the floor with the pillar at the center, and the idols at the top are intended to bring forth the idea that the Lord not only remains at the heart’s center but also permeates the entire universe. The wheels depicting the Sun and the Moon serve to remind us that this Juggernaut moves on the wheels of time, and goes on for ever and ever, Thus the Annavaram temple satisfies both the ritualistic values and the spiritual aspirations of the devotees.”

Location and How to Reach Annavaram Satyanarayana Swamy Temple

Annavaram temple of Lord Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy is located at a distance of 125 KM from Visakhapatnam and 80 KM from Rajahmundry. National Highway number 5 passes through Annavaram. The bypass road (NH - 5) goes straight and to visit the temple take right turn in the junction near the Annavaram. It takes two and half hours from Visakhapatnam and from Rajahmundry side it will take 2 hours. Separate pooja halls are available for offering special pujas.
Annavaram railway station is located at main Chennai – Howrah (Kolkatta ) railway line. Many trains stops here and from the railway station the temple is 3 KM. While going towards Chennai side this temple falls in right side and can be seen from the moving trains. Railway station and moving trains are visible from the temple also.
There are so many parking places for private vehicles on the hill surrounding the temple. Well equipped lodge facilities available. Free darshanam is with normal que and special darshanam with additional fees of either INR 25/- or INR 116/- are also available.

Prasadam counter is available on the national highway for those who are not able to visit the temple. This temple is located at a hill top. Vehicles are allowed to climb up the hill. At the top of the hill guest houses for staying are available. Many mirages are preformed here so during this seasons you may have to book in advance if you a plan to stay here. There is a facility of quick Darshan in busy seasons. The main status is covered in two floors. The ground floor is for Pada darshan or to view the feet of the god. The first floor is the upper part of the Lord Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy.

From this hill top you can get a panoramic view of the surrounding green fields and villages. There is a river water barrage with boating facility and it can be visited while going up or while returning from the temple, available nearer to the main entrance of the hill. This place is called Pampa Sarovara. Boat ride gives a memorable experience to the visitors. Inside the main temple complex photography is not allowed. However, around the temple there are so much of panoramic view available for viewing and enjoying the nature's beauty. From Anavaram Vizag 125 KM Rajahmundry 80 KM Some more places near Annavaram having importance of tourism include Samalkot, Thalupulamma Thalli and Draksharama. Travellers interested in visiting Simhachalam in Visakhapatnamcan reach as APTDC has arranged bus service directly from Annavaram to Simhachalam (up to hill top nearer to the temple).

Accommodation at Annavaram

Devastanam administration has taken all measures for the piligram's comfortable stay on the Ratnagiri. Visitors will be offered diffrent kinds of accomodation ranging from Normal rooms to A.C Suits in various choultries and guest houses on the hill.

For the convenience of the casual visitors devastanam provided lockers to keep their luggage .

Advance reservation fecility is available for all accomodations except Prakash Sadan. Reservation will be done by paying one day rent + 50% of additional amount for the guest house of their choice.

Visit :- annavaramdevasthanam.nic.in/index.htm for updated information

Other places to Visit in the Temple Complex

The temple sree veera venkata satyanaryana swamy in the main temple on the ratnagiri hill.
The temple Sri sita rama ,as keshatra palakulu
The shrines of vana durga and kanaka durga near by.Godess Vanadurga held in great venaration and devi is said to be seen even to this day in the nights going about the holy precincts perpetually guarding the lord.
The temple of gramadevatha (Village deity ) is in the village at the foot of the hill.

Other places to Visit near to Annavaram

Sri Bhuvaneswari temple ,Kovvuru, East Godavari (Dist)
Sri VenuGopala Swamy Temple ,Gedhanapalli
Sri Malleswara Swamy Temple

Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami Charitra

Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami a Hindu mystic, born in 1610 in Kadapa District of Andra Pradesh state in India. He is the author of Kalagnana, a collection of predictions about future or prophecies, an important Telugu text that predicts the arrival of Kalki in the form of Sri Veerabhoga Vasantaraya. . He is often referred to as Nostradamus of India.

Birth of Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami

Very little is known about Sri Veera-Brahmam’s childhood except that he was born in Vishwabrahmin caste to Sri Paripurnachari and Smt Prakruthamba and that he grew up under the care of foster parents. Sri Veera Bhojacharya head of the Papaghni math near Nandikonda(Chikkabalapura District appro. 45 km from Bangalore City) and his wife Smt. Veera-Papamba lovingly called him “Veeram Bhotlayya”. He used to impress everyone by his extraordinary intelligence and spiritual bent of mind. When he was 13 years old, his foster father died. He not only bore the blow calmly but proved a pillar of strength to his desolate mother.

Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami Kalagnanam

He wrote 'Kalagnana', collections of prophecies on palm leaves. Most of his predictions have come true and many are yet to happen in timeline. Also known as Indian Nostradamous by west, he declared that he would reincarnate as 'Veera Bhoga Vasantharaya' and that would mean the end of life on earth. He prophesized that before his arrival the world would be in a very chaotic condition. Siddaiah is popular amongst his disciples.

Story of Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami

Sri Veerabrahmam taught to his disciples about Shat Chakra and Kundalini yoga. He asked his disciples to chant 'Aum Hreem Kleem Sreem Sivaya Sree Veerabrahmane namaha'. He also said anyone who chant this mantra for 12,000 times will get his Darshan. Sri Veerabrahmam left his body with his self imposed 'Jeeva Samadhi'. He went into Samādhi alive. It is located at Kandhimallayapalle, Andhra Pradesh, India about 25 km from Mydukur town in Kadapa district.
His philosophic talks made her understand the illusory nature of attachments and the continuum of consciousness in life and death. Realising that her son is an enlightened soul, Papamba gave him permission to leave home and go on a pilgrimage to holy places. While Veeram Bhotlayya was visiting Harihara Kshetra, he came across a yogi named AnandaBhairava. Anandabhairava confessed to Veeram Bhotlayya that he took to Sanyasa as a mark of repentance on his inadvertent killing of a cow. To liberate him from the sin of killing a cow Veeram Bhotlayya initiated him into Dwadasakharimantra and gave him the boon that in his next birth he will be born in a family of cotton growers and when he comes of age he would become his (Veeram Bhotlayya’s) chief disciple.

The next recorded evidence available about Sri Veeram Bhotlayya is his stay as a sage in a Matt built for his use in Banaganapalli by an elderly devotee, Acchamma. Legend has it that Acchamma who initially entrusted Veeram Bhotlayya with the task of tending cows was surprised to hear that the young man was spending more of his time inside a cave scribbling something on palm-leaf parchments. She followed him one-day and saw him draw a line round the cattleand command them to stay within the line. The cattle implicitly obeyed his command and Acchamma realised that the boy was not an ordinary shepherd but must be a God man of great powers. She walked into the cave which was bright and aglow as with the light of a thousand suns, and prostrating herself at his feet begged to be excused for having treated him as a menial. Veeram Bhotlyya gave her initiation into ‘Dwadashakshari’ mantra, and begged by her consented to stay for some more time in Banaganapalli. Acchamma was one of the few who were given the privilege of listening to the future predictions written in the form of chants by Sri Veeram Bhotlayya. During his stay at Banagapalli math, Veeram Bhotlayya used to bury the palmleaf parchments in a secret place underground and visitors to this day make it a point to pay homage to the Tamarind tree that grew in that spot. During the twelve years that he stayed in that village Sri Veeram Bhotlayya performed many miracles. He restored eyesight to Acchamma’s son, Brahmanandareddy by suggesting a retribution for Reddy’s sins of a past life. Once the Nawab of that region who was jealous of the fame of Veeram Bhotlyya sent word to him and after a hypocritical show of respect and Courtesy, presented him a platter covered with a muslin cloth.

Knowing that meat was taboo to the Hindu sage the Nawab still filled the plate with dishes made of meat. Veeram Bhotlayya accepted the plate and removed the cloth cover. To the utter amazement of the Nawab and his courtiers the platter was heaped with beautiful flowers and no trace of meat anywhere. The Nawab fell at his feet begging forgiveness and donated land for the founding of an Ashram by Veeram Bhotlayya. Annajayya, a Brahmin disciple used to look after the math and Ashram and it is he who made the predictions of his master known to the public.
In the twelfth year of his stay, entrusting the change of the Ashram to Annajayya, Veeram Bhotlayya left for ‘Kandimallaya Palle, a village in Cuddapa Taluq. He used to work as a carpenter and soon became the spiritual leader of the village community. While visiting the temple in a near by hamlet, Pedakomerla, Veeram Bhotlayya chanced to come across a funeral procession. Going near the bier Veeram Bhotlayya sprinkled holy ash (Vibhuthi) on the corpse and to the amazement of everyone the dead man, one Mr. Reddy, got down and bowed to the feet of Veeram Bhotlayya. This created a sensation in the village and most of the villagers began worshipping Veeram Bhotlayya as the very incarnation of God. A few non-believers wanted to play a trick on him. One of them lay down on a bier pretending to be dead and the rest approached Veeram Bhotlayya with the request that their friend’s life be revived. Wishing to teach them a lesson Veeram Bhotlayya said their friend could not be brought back to life. The non believers gleefully asked their friend to sit up but were shocked to see that he was really dead. Moved by their pitiful pleas for forgiveness and help, Veeram Bhotlayya brought the young man back to life and this won for him the respect and admiration of everyone.

Veeram Bhotlayya accorded to a few seekers of that village knowledge of his Kala Jnana chants pertaining to events that would take place in the first five thousand years of Kali Yuga. Sivakotayya was one of those seekers and he reverentially offered his dauaghter Govindamma as bride to Veeram Bhotlayya. Hearing that Govindamma had chosen to remain unmarried all these years as it was her wish to marry a man who is an embodiment of Divinity, Veeram Bhotlayya smilingly gave his consent. After the marriage the couple returned to Kandimallya Palli and from there left on a pilgrimage to holy places. After a shortvisit to Banagnapalli they returned to Kandimallayya palli. Devotees built an Ashram for them and Veeram-Bhotlayya began to be worshipped by devotees as Veeram- Brahmam. The couple were blessed with four sons and a daughter. All the children were devout like their parents and took active part in the spiritual programme conducted in the Ashram. One day a fifteen year old Muslim boy, Sheik Saheb came to the Ashram to become a disciple of Sri Brahmam. Brahmendra Swami's sons refused to allow him in because he was a Muslim. Brahmendra Swami rebuked them for their intolerance and allowed the boy to enter. He renamed the boy Siddhayya who turned out to be the most loyal and devoted of his disciples. Siddhayya is none other than Ananda Bhairava and in accepting him as disciple Sri Brahmendra Swami was fulfilling a boon he granted earlier. Brahmendra Swami gave Siddhayya initiation into many spiritual practices including Taraka Yoga.

Accompanied by his disciples Sri Veera Brahmendra Swami made a tour of all the important districts in the Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema regions. He halted for some time at Hyderabad and convening a meeting of goldsmiths. He gave discourses on the three importantgoals of life in the outer, middle and inner planes. He surprised everyone in the court of the Nawab by lighting a lamp that had water in it, instead of oil. After predicting the future of the Hyderabadi regime he started home. On the way back, to teach a lesson to some of the disciples who resented what they thought was Brahmendra Swami favouritism to Siddayya, he pointed to the carcass of a dog and ordered his disciples to eat it. The carcass was decomposed, wormridden and emitting an unbearably foul smell. No one wanted to go near it. Siddayya sat by its side and began eating it with relish as if it was a succulent sweet dish. This demonstration of Siddayya's implicit obedience to the words of the Guru shamed the disciples into repentance. One more instance of Sri Veera Brahmendra Swami miraculous powers was revealed to the disciples when a Brahmin couple fell on the feet of Swamiji and begged him to cure the Brahmin of the dreadful disease of leprosy. Brahmendra Swami not only cured him but gave the couple initiation, blessed them and sent them home in a happy frame of mind.


By the privilege of association with Godmen, disciples also acquire spiritual stature. This is proved in the life of Siddhayya who was fortunate to learn from Brahmendra Swamy theKalikaaba Sapthasathakam" means this book contains 700 poems Saptha in sankrit means 7 and sathakam means collection of 100 poems .All the poems ends with line "Kaalikaamba Hamsa Kalikaamba" Kaalikaamba means the Bio-Cosmic Energy is compared with diety "Kalika" and "Amba" means the Mother, "Hamsa" means the Breath .

In all his 700 poems swami tells about the Importance of Meditation in Human Life,the way of understanding higher truths,what precautions are to be taken to lead happy life,understanding universal consiousness,how Physical body and soul are linked to Earth etc.

Popular Telugu actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao portrayed the role of Sri Veerabrahmam in his film Sri Madvirat Potuluri Virabrahmendra Charitra.