Gollala Mamidada Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple –(Sri Surya Narayana Temple),Andhra Pradesh

Address

Gollala Mamidada Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple –(Sri Surya Narayana Temple), Gollala Mamidada, Peddapudi Mandal, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh- 533344.

Diety

Kodanda Rama Swamy Amman: Sita

Introduction

Kodandarama Temple is located in Gollala Mamidada in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. It was built on the banks of Tulyabhaga (Antharvahini), a tributary of Godavari. The temple is notable for its unique architecture and two huge gopurams which stand at 160–170 feet (49–52 m) and 200–210 feet (61–64 m). The temple gopurams are adorned with intricately carved statues depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavatam. The temple is located at a distance of 25 km from Kakinada, 45 km from Rajahmundry, and 180 km from Visakhapatnam.

Puranic Significance

The construction of the temple began in 1889 by brothers Dwarampudi Subbi Reddy and Rami Reddy who donated land and built a small temple with wooden idols of Rama and Sita. A larger temple was built in 1939. The east and west gopurams were built in 1948–50 and 1956–58 respectively. The east-facing gopuram is 160–170 feet high and has nine storeys and five kalasams. The west-facing gopuram is 200–210 feet high and has 11 storeys and five kalasams. It is one of popular Rama temples in Andhra Pradesh. A mirror hall (addala mandapam) was built between the two mandapams, above the sanctum sanctorum in 1975. The mirror hall has a stucco relief of Sri Rama Pattabhishekam (coronation of Rama) on one side and of Rama blessing Hanuman on the other side. The garbhalayam contains the idols of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita along with Hanuman. There are intricately carved statues depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavatam on the four sides of the gopurams in each floor. The Sikhara of the temple is carved with statues depicting Bala Ramayana (childhood of Rama). Devotees can reach the top storey of the gopurams through a 300-step climb. Around 200 metres from the temple is a Pushkarini, a small pond of water sourced from the Tulyabhaga river. Water from the Pushkarini is used in various religious ceremonies at the temple. The midst of coconut gardens, the green fields and natural surroundings, and on the banks of river “Thulya Bhaga” (Antharvahini) is a well known pilgrim centre known as G. Mamidada (Gollala Mamidada) which is also called as Gopurala Mamidada, famous for Sri Suryanarayana Swamy Temple. It is the second famous temple after Arasavilli(in Srikakulam).

Special Features

The locations of the paintings of Surya namaskar are seen on the walls at the entrance of the Gollala Mamidada Suryanarayana Temple. From the mirror inside the top of the Gopuram Gollala Mamidada Temple, a small idol of Lord Krishna can be seen. The temple’s exterior walls are sculpted with various depictions of gods. The temple is notable for its unique architecture and two huge gopurams measuring 160-170 feet (49-52 m) and 200-210 feet (61-64 m). The temple’s gopurams are adorned with intricately carved statues depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavatam. The temple is also known as ‘Chinna Bhadradi’ or the ‘Little Bhadrachalam’.

Festivals

Sri Rama Navami is the most prominent festival celebrated at the temple and features an annual wedding ceremony of Rama and Sita. Other important festivals celebrated at the temple are Vaikunta Ekadasi and Vijayadasami.