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Sri Chennakesava Swamy Temple – Tallapaka

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Sri Chennakesava Swamy Temple

Tallapaka is the Birth place of Padakavitha Pitamaha Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya who wrote more than 32 thousand kirthanas on Sri Venkateswara swamy of Tirumala. There is a Vishnu temple in Tallapaka. The deity of the temple is Sri Chennakesava Swamy who is known for His benevolence towards the devotees who are in dire need and He is known to bless all the devotees liberally.

Previously the place is known as Tatipaka as the people of the area used to live in palm leaf huts.The hut is also known as Paka in Telugu. Later Tatipaka changed to Tallapaka. Sri Chennakesavaswamy Temple is one of the ancient temples of Tallapaka.

Legend

There is an interesting Sthalapurana about the temple and the deity there. As per legend the temple of Tallapaka Sri Chennakesava swamy temple was established by Janamejaya Maharaja. Along this temple, many Vishnu temples and Shiva temples are associated with the name of Janamejaya. Janamejaya’s father Pareekshit Maharaja was the grandson of the Pandavas and Son of Abhimanyu. One day, Parikshit Maharaja went for hunting, when he saw an animal, he chased. The animal entered the ashram of Shameeka Maharshi. Pareekshit entered into the Ashram and asked the Maharshi about the animal. However, the Maharshi did not answer as he was in a yoga sleep (Yoga Nidra). With this King Pareekshit got angry and put the dead snake around Maharshis neck and left from the Ashram. After some time, the son of Maharshi entered the Ashram and saw a dead snake around his father’s neck. He got angry and cursed that – “Who ever put the dead snake around my father’s neck will die within a week due to a snake bite”.

History Of Sri Chennakesava Swamy Temple

During the last decade Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams undertook the development of the temple. At present the temple is administered by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Sri Chennakesavaswamy was worshipped by the ancestors of the Tallapaka Annamacharya. The history of Annamayya shows that Annamayya’s grandfather Narayanaiah was a devotee of the Swami. Local legend also reveals that Sri Chennakesava Swami wrote the Beejaaksharas on the tongue of Tallapaka Annamacharya.

Temple Description

Sri Chennakesava swamy Temple is located next to the house where the Annamacharya lived in the village of Tallapaka. Sri Sudarsana Chakrattalwar Temple is located in front of the temple. The temple consists of Mukhamandapam and Garbhalayam. In Garbhalayam, we can see Sri Sudarshan Chakratalwar is carved on a black stone. At the bottom of the Sudarshana Chakra, we can see Lord Krishna in a reclining position with butter in hand. Sri Sudarshana chakrattalwar is worshipped as Sri Sudarsana Chakrattalwar and as Sri Santana Venugopalaswamy also. Sri Chennakesava Swamy Temple is located in a spacious courtyard facing east. There are Balipeetham, Dwajasthambam and Garudalwar Mandapams in front of the main temple in temple premises. The main Temple consists of four mandapas i.e.Mukhamandapa, Antaraalayam and Garbhagruha. In main sanctum sanctorum, we find the idol of Sri Chennakesava swamy having four hands with Shanku,Chakra, Gadha and Abhaya hastam. In temple premises, to the northeast side of the main temple there is a separate temple for Sri Anjaneyaswamy. Devotees believe that by worshipping this Swami they will get rid of planetary sufferings and attain all kinds of victories.

Brahmotsavams

Tallapaka Sri Siddeswara Swamy Brahmotsavams will be performed every year in the month of Ashada for Nine days apart from daily poojas. During Brahmotsavams different vahana sevas including Rathotsavam and kalyanotsavam will be performed in a grand style. Besides Brahmotsavam, every year Vaikunta Ekadasi, Dhanur Masa Pujas will be performed grandly.

Facilities

No accommodation facilities for the devotees in Tallapaka. Accommodation is available only at private lodges in the towns of Rajampet and Kadapa.
Transport facilities are available from Rajampet. There are regular buses to Rajampet from Tirupati, Chittoor, Anantapur, Nellore,Kadapa, Kurnool, Hyderabad,Vijayawada, Srisailam, Bangalore and Chennai.
All trains stops at Rajampet Railway Station on the Chennai, Mumbai main railway line.