Yaganti: Sri
Uma Maheswara
Swamy Temple.
Yaganti is
located in Kurnool District of AP.
The place is about 300 kms from Hyderabad.
Yaganti is well connected by bus
from all the places. We visited Alampur,
and from there we visited Yaganti, via
Bethamcharla, and Banagapalli.
Sri Uma Maheswara
Swamy temple is one of the holy temples in Kurnool. The temple is surrounded
by mountains. There are several natural caves which add to scenic beauty to the
place. People visit the place in large number during Maha Sivarathri day. The temple was constructed and completed by first Vijayanagara Sangama Kings Harihara
Bukkarayalu in 15th Century.
There is a five tier Raja Gopuram for the temple with
Dwajasthambam erected.
Main Deity is Lord
Siva in Ardhanareeswara form known as Uma Maheswara Swamy.
There is a small pond in front of the temple.
Interesting fact
about this pushkarani is there is water all round the year. Here water flows
into the pushkarani from bottom of the hill through the mouth of Nandi. We do not see any water flowing
from the hill. No one knows how the water reaches the pushkarani in all season.
Holy bath in the pushkarani is considered highly beneficial. Water here is
clear and sweet. Saint Agasthya has
visited this place and worshipped Lord
Siva of this temple.
Nandi in the
temple is too big. Archakar says this Nandi
grows at the rate of 1 inch for every twenty year. Initially it was smaller
in its size, and devotees were able to go around it. Nandi is seen in a mandapam. It is to a side of the mandapam and
not in a straight line to main deity. Due to the growth of Nandi already they have removed a pillar.
According to Potuluri
Veera Brahmendra Swamy, the Nandi of Yaganti will come alive and shout at the
end of Kaliyugam.
Sthala Purana says
Agasthya Muni was traveling down towards south, and happens to visit this
place. Looking at the secnic beauty of this place he wanted to construct Temple for Lord Venkateswara. The idol that
was made, to install in the temple, was broken near the toe nail and sage was a
bit upset and he started penancing in a cave here. Lord Siva appeared in front of Agyasthya,
who tried to find the reason for what has happened. Lord Siva replied him that the place appears like Kailash surrounded by mountains which
is more suitable for Siva Temple. Agasthya
muni requested Lord Siva to give
darshan along with Goddess Parvathy, as
Uma Maheswarar on a single stone for devotees to worship. Siva obliged to
him, and stayed here in Yganti as Uma
Maheswarar.
When sage Agasthya
was performing penance, the crows disturbed him. So he cursed the crows, as not
to enter the place. From that time onwards crows are not seen in Yaganti kshetra. Devotees, who worship
here, need not fear about Saneeswara
Bhagawan, since crow is his Vahan. We do not see Navagraham in this Siva temple.
A devotee by name Chittappa
worshipped Lord Siva, to whom Lord gave darshan as a Tiger. Chittappa was able see Lord
Siva, in Tiger and he shouted “Neganti
Shivunnu ne kanti” Which means I saw Siva I saw) and danced in joy. Over a
period the place was known as Yaganti.
Agasthya cave:
We have to climb about 100 steps inside the cave to reach
the top.
Agyastya penanced and
worshiped Lord Siva.
Venkateswara cave:
The steps are steep here. We see the moorthy of Sri Lord Venkateswara, to which the toe
is damaged.
Veera Brahmam cave:
We find steps leading to Brahamam gari cave.
Here we have to climb steps to reach the entrance of the
cave. The entrance is too low and one has to bend, to enter inside the cave
Here inside we find Siva
Lingam and Nandi.
Sthala Purana
says this is the cave where Viswakarma Brahmin, Saint Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmam
wrote some of his “Kala Gyanam.”
Here on the top of
mountain cliff at the back of Uma
Maheswara Swamy temple, lamp is lit in the evening. Devotees can pay for
the lighting of lamp on the mountain cliff.
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