Draksharamam

        Sri Manikyamba Sametha Bhimeswara Swamy Temple is situated in Draksharamam, a town near Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari District. It is 25 kms from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras and one of the 18 Shakti peethas. The main deities here are Bheemeswara Swamy and Manikyamba.  

  The Shivalinga here is established by Sun God. 

Draksharamam is also called as Dakshina Kasi. It is believed that Daksha Prajapathi performed Daksha Yagna in this place and so it is named as Draksharamam. 



The Bheemeswara linga is 18 feet height and is worshipped in two stairs. The Shivalinga is pierced from the roof to the second floor and rudra bhaga is worshipped from second floor. The shivalinga resembles the shivalinga of Kumararama, Palakollu. Both the temple constructions are during the Chalukya period and are constructed by the first Chalukya Bhima King. 
  The main consort here is Manikyamba Devi which is situated to the left side of the temple. The diety Manikyamba Devi is one among the 18 Shakti peethas.

Sapta Godavari Theertham: It is the holy pond situated near the temple and the Abhishekam for the Shivalinga is performed with the water from this Sapta Godavari.   

  There is a story behind this Theertham which is as follows After the Tarakasura Vadha when the Shivalinga broke into pieces and one fell down in Draksharamam. Bharadwaja Maharshi want to perform Abhishekam to Shivalinga with the sacred water of Godavari river. So he asked River Godavari to come along with him and flow along Draksharamam. Godavari agreed to his request and followed Bharadwaja Maharshi along with Sapta Rishis. But by the time he reached Draksharamam the Abhishekam was already performed. Sun God said to Sapta Rishis that as the Shivalinga was settled and it was becoming late for morning Abhishekam he performed it . But the daily Abhishekam will be performed by this Godavari Waters and is called as Sapta Godavari Theertham.
 

  There are four Gopurams presented inside the temple and it is believed that each Gopuram is protected by 4 Goddesses namely 1.Gokulamma 
2.Nookambika
 3.Moodhambike 
4.Ghattambike 

It is believed that every day the early morning sun rays fall on the Shivalinga.


There is a Lakshmi Narayana temple situated inside the main campus and he is the Kshetrapalaka of Draksharamam. 


There are 12 theerthas present in this temple and are called as Indreswara, Siddheswara, Yogeswara, Yameswara, Kaleswara, Veerabhdreswara, Brahmeswara, Kukkuteswara, Kapaleswara, Somanatheswara, Maheswara, Rameswara.
 

  Main festivals performed in this temple are Shivaratri which comes by the end of Telugu month Magha Masam ( February or March) and  Navarathri which is in the month of Telugu Month Ashviyuja Masam ( October). 

  One  of the famous Shiva Kshetram and Shakti Peetha temple situated in Andhra Pradesh. 



Happy Pilgrimage.
 

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