Travel Date : 17.05.2008

We  have visited  SriKalahsthi on the eve of  Pradosham  one of the pancha bhootha sthalam. From Chennai early morning first travelled to Chittor and visited the famous  Vinayaka temple at KANIPAKKAM. Lord Swayambhu sri Vinayagar koil is very beautiful and always fully crowded.  As all the devottes who visit Tirupathi Tirumala also visit here , if there is long  que adivice to have a special darshan ticket 50 rs to have darshan of swamivaru. Here lord Ganapathi is swayambu , and belives still growing. For this instance inside the temple they have kept all the   Silver kavachams which are made to vinayagar from time to time. Small to big one.  

 Temple tank in front of the temple is very big and belived to be sacred is not well maitained and even cant step inside the water, all the wastages are scattered around water. Temple having a very big gopuram and lord ganesh dancing posture are carved on it.   While entring the temple on your right there is a temple of Lord Varadaraja Swami and next to Vinayagar temple one more temple Sri Maragadambika Sametha Manikantheshwara Swami is located.

Had a peaceful darshanam and then  traveled towards Srikalahasthi.

KANIPAKKAM VINAYAKA TEMPLE

<- Click above to see photos of KANIPAKKAM Temple

SriGnanaprasunambika Devi  sametha sri Kalahastheshwarar Temple – Srikalahasthi-Andra Pradesh

Worship of lord siva was there in India even before Christian era. Saiva saints of first century sang about this temple. The initial stracture of Sri Kalahastheshwara  temple was constructed by the great Pallava dynasty. Tamil Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings also gave great help for the temple development. Like other great temples, the construction period of Srikalahasthi lasted centuries. Near about tenth century, the Chola kings renovated the temple and constructed the main structure. The outer walls and the four gopurams were constructed in the period of Sri Veera Narasimharayar in twelfth century. The 120 feet high main gopuram and the 100 pillar mandapam were constructed by Krishnadeva Raya, the great Vijayanagara king in 1516.  This ancient temple dedicated to Lord Siva is one of the panchabhootha stalams (temples celebrating Lord Siva as the embodiment of the primary elements), Air (Vayu Lingam) being the element in case here, the other four  temples being Tiruvannamalai (fire), Chidambaram (space), Thiruvanikkaval (water) and Kanchipuram (earth) respectively in Tamil Nadu.  (Refrence : www.srikalahasthi.com)

 Pradhosha Vrata, or Pradhosham, is an important fasting day dedicated to Lord Shiva. Pradosha occurs twice in a month – on the 13th day (Trayodashi) – during the waxing moon fortnight and the other during the waning moon fortnight. The puja and worship is done in the evening. The Pradosha period can be closely indicated as 1.5 hours before sunset and 1 hour after sunset. Pradosha worship is more auspicious if it falls on a Saturday. This year it has been on 17.05.2008 and as per calender this is the only satuarday appears as Shani Pradosha this year. (correct me if i am wrong)  We are graced to be there at Kalahasthi to perform the Pradosha pooja at Kalahasthi.

Sri Kalahasthishwara Swami Shiva temple, SRI KALAHASTHI

<- Click above to see photos of Sri Kala Hasthi  Temple 

 River Swarnamukhi having quite good water at this time, as it was very hot coudnt go till the river bed on the bare foot. After seeing the temple we have went inside the temple by 4.30 pm, By 7 pm they allowed in front of the santrum where the lord nadikeshwar was sitting in front of lord. Like other shiva temple Nandi not resides outside the temple, but its inside the temple infront of Lord shiva Small one in a small pit like place. (there is one Nandi in the ouside prakaram of the temple). At the prasosham time sevarthis are allowed to perform the abhishekam for lord. Afterwards started Pradosha Nandi Seva, First Sankalpam and followed by  Abhishekam was performed to Ambal and Shiva utsthva murthies and nandikeshwar. Later dhikshitar poured the abhishekam water on all and purified. At last aarathi was performed to Kalahasthiswarar and Nandikeshwarar.  Due to long que we couldnt visit the Pathala Ganapathi this time.  After having the prasadam we left to chennai by 8.00pm.

 Travel Note:  

• 1. From Chennai to Chittor around 170 km. 3.5hr drive. Better to take early morning Bus. We got by 5.30am and reached Chittor by 9 am. From Chitoor to Kanipakkam Busses are available and its 1/2 hr drive.
• 2. From Kanipakkam to Srikalahasthi as no direct busses available, board the busses going to Thirupathi (75 kms) at Kanipakkam Bus stand which is next to temple, every 15 min or continuously available.1.45 hr drive . From Thirupathi bus stand catch bus towards Srikalahasthi frequenttly available 30 to 40 min drive. Buses plying towards Chennai, Nellore direction.
• 3. In the night as many buses passing to chennai do not come inside the Kalahasthi Bustand, advised to travel back to Thirupathi and board to CHENNAI. As enquired buses available to Chennai from Thirupathi till late night as they come from chennai and returns back. (only Tamil nadu buses, no late night APSRTC available)

  §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  Om Namah Shivaya  §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§