Koulutla Chenna Kesava Temple, Andhra Pradesh

Address

Koulutla Chenna Kesava Temple, Andhra Pradesh

Kappatralla village, DevanaKonda Mandal,

Kurnool District,

Andhra Pradesh

Moolavar

Chenna Kesava

Introduction

• Location: Koulutla Chennakesava Temple is located in a reserved forest of Kappatralla, approximately 50 km from Kurnool District headquarters.
• Historical Significance: The temple complex was constructed by the great Vijayanagara King, Sri Krishna Deva Raya. In addition to the Koulutla Chennakesava Temple, there are several other temples dedicated to various deities within the shrine, including:
  • Mallikarjuna Swamy, Bramarambika, and Vijaya Vinayaka Temple
  • Lord Dakshinamurthy Temple
  • Lord Viswanatha Temple

Puranic Significance

• King Parikshith’s Story:
  • Parikshith, the grandson of Arjuna, ruled Hastinapura after the Pandavas retired to Kailasa.
  • During a hunting trip, Parikshith, feeling thirsty, encountered a saint in deep meditation. He requested water, but the saint did not respond.
  • In frustration, Parikshith played a prank by placing a dead snake around the saint’s neck. As a result, the saint cursed Parikshith to die from a snake bite within a week.
  • Parikshith died as foretold, at the hands of Takshaka, the Naga prince.
  • Janamejaya, the son of Parikshith, sought revenge and performed the Sarpa Yaga (serpent penance) to destroy the serpents responsible for his father’s death.
  • Astika, born of a man and a Naga woman, intervened during the sacrifice. He revealed that Takshaka was under the protection of Indra and convinced Janamejaya to stop the Yaga.
  • Janamejaya, pleased with Astika’s wisdom, granted him a wish. Astika asked to halt the snake sacrifice rather than requesting wealth.
• Consecration of Vishnu Temples:
  • To atone for the sins committed during the Sarpa Yaga, Saint Vasista advised Janamejaya to consecrate Vishnu temples. This led to the establishment of Vishnu idols across various locations.
  • One of these idols was consecrated in Koundinya Asrama, where regular pujas were performed. Over time, the idol became covered by an anthill (called putta).
• Discovery of the Idol:
  • In the 11th century A.D., Golla Koulutla noticed that his cow was pouring milk onto the anthill. That night, Lord Chennakesava (Vishnu) appeared to Koulutla in a dream and instructed him to remove the anthill and re-consecrate the idol.
  • Koulutla followed the divine instructions, and the idol was re-established with a formal consecration. Since then, the deity has been known as Koulutla Chennakesava Swamy.

Age of the Temple

• The temple is believed to be over 1000 years old, with a rich history tied to the local legends and divine interventions.

Century/Period

1000 years old.

Nearest Bus Station

DevanaKonda

Nearest Railway Station

Pendekallu

Nearest Airport

Hyderabad

Location on Map

lightuptemple