Ancient temples and an ancient Buddhist site in Visakhapatnam the city of beaches: Blog 3
- Srinivasa Malladi
- Jan 30
- 6 min read
Blog series by Hindumitra Karen Dabrowska during her visit to India
Temple visits started with a trip to the Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple. Hindumitra Aishwarya a lovely lady who studies management and her niece accompanied me as we finalised the trip organised by the SB Travel Agency. It was wonderful having a Hindumitra friend to visit the temple with and help to negotiate the queues. It was quite difficult to see the deities due to the large numbers of people. There was a deity hidden in what resembled a small ravine and Aishwarya made sure I got a look at the statue which the devotees were clamouring to see.
The temple on Simhachalam hill, is 500 metres above the sea level. It is dedicated to one of the Hindu trinity deities Vishnu, who is worshipped there as Varaha Narasimha. As per the temple’s legend, Vishnu manifested in this peculiar form, with a boar head, human torso and a lion’s tail, after saving his devotee Prahlada from a murder attempt by the latter’s father Hiranyakashipu. Except on Akshaya Tritiya, the idol of Varaha Narasimha is covered with sandalwood paste throughout the year, which makes it resemble a Shiva Lingam. The architecture of this temple is a mixture of the styles of the Odishan Kalinga architecture, Chalukyas and the Cholas. The temple faces west instead of east, signifying victory. There are two temple tanks Swami Pushkarini near the temple where devotees can bathe.
The present temple was built in the 9th or the 10th century and was extensively rebuilt in the 13th century. There are 525 inscriptions in this temple, and the earlier one dates back to 1087 A.D. An inscription dated as far back as 1098 AD of the Chola King Kuloththunga provides some clue as to the temple’s antiquity. Another inscription shows a Queen of the Eastern Ganga of Kalinga (ancient Orissa) (1137-56 AD) covering the image with gold while a third inscription says the eastern Ganga King of Orissa, Narasimha Deva, built the main/central shrine in 1267 A.D.
Aishwarya also invited me to the Sri Sita Ramalayam temple where her niece was dancing during the evening puja. It was a joyous affair with the chanting of shlokas from the Gita. Professor Prasanna Kumar the former rector of Andhra Pradesh University who set up the temple 40 years ago presented me five of his books. The sprightly 90-year-old spoke with a non-arrogant pride of his work at the university and the School of Public Policy which he set up. “Dialogue and democracy go together he emphasised as he spoke of how Gandhi threw the British out of India without hurting anyone.
Before the visit to the temple the driver took me to a lookout point Rushikonda Hill. It was a magnificent view where the sea met the sky. We then drove to Rushikonda Beach another popular spot for families where the kite flyers were out in force. Nestled amidst lush greenery and rolling hills, this beach offers a serene escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. The pristine golden sands, clear blue waters, and scenic backdrop create a perfect setting for relaxation and photography. Along the beach side, there is a lot of interesting street food, a limited supply of ice cream and plenty of sun hats one of which replaced the inappropriate hat I brought from London. It was a joy to paddle in the water and gaze out to sea. A lovely lady with a serene expression sat on a rock contemplating the moment or maybe being totally in the moment. The tide was coming in and some of the tourist boats were going out to sea as they have done for centuries.
On Tuesday January 14th, 2025 it was time to meet the locals. The visit started at Jalaripeta fishing village. The village once a separate entity has now been absorbed into the city of Visakhapatnam. There was a visit to the small modest home of Srinvasa’s maid Kanaka Maha adorned with a large photo of Sai Baba who makes a frequent appearance on photos in this town.
Srinivasa, who is happy to include his maid in Hindumitra activities, explained the purpose of my visit and I asked about conversion in the village. “I go to my friend’s church, she is a Christian,” one of the family members said. “But Christians seldom come to the temple.” “Does she accept Jesus as a messenger of God.” “I would tell him namaste,” came the diplomatic reply.
Next to the house was a small Ganesh temple in which the local deity Mutyalamma is worshipped. The priest reverently lit some incense and bowed to the deities. Each village has its own deity which protects the inhabitants.
Srinivasa then took me on a tour down memory lane to his old school and university. He showed me the three hills: one with a temple, one with a mosque and one with a church. Like the vedas say: there is one truth, it has many expressions.
And off we went in search of the mysterious Buddhist site at Thotlakonda hill. The Thatakonda Buddhist site is located 15km from Visakhapatnam on the Vizag-Bhimli highway.
An aerial survey of Vizag port by the Indian navy in the 1970s showed strange structures located atop a hill called Thotlakonda, overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Local people say the hill is shaped like an eagle’s head. An excavation by the Indian archaeological department revealed breathtaking structures like stupas, chaityagrihas, pillared congregation halls, viharas with cells, bhandagaras(storerooms), a bhojanshala (refectory), parts of a drainage system, stone pathways and huge water reservoirs.
Spread over 120 acres, the complex contains remains of an ancient Buddhist monastery and an advance centre of learning. This Hinayana school of Buddhism of the Kalinga empire flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The strategic location on a hilltop gave the site a natural protection against invaders. The presence of the sea, with a natural harbour, allowed access to students and scholars from far-off lands via the ancient maritime routes. Today, the ruins lie scattered on the hill, overlooking the crescent coastline stretching all the way to Bhimli 32kms away.
The ruins drove home the point that all material things will pass. It was a fascinating walk through centuries of history. The complex is now a well preserved ruin but the Buddhist philosophy continues to inspire and enlighten.
The day ended with a visit to a Srinivasa’s family friend who put together an amazing collection of dolls from Andhra Pradesh. The dolls come out every year on Sankranti, adorn the house for the duration of the festival and return to their boxes for the next year.
Srikakulam is famous for two ancient temples: Arasavalli and Kurmam. Another Hindumitra Swapna and her husband accompanied me to these temples. It was two hour drive and the hot sun was starting to make its presence felt. Swapna a qualified accountant, now devotes her time to the study and propagation of Indic knowledge.
The first temple was Arasavalli where Dr Srinivasa Malladi’s medical classmate Dr. Harshavalli had arranged a special puja for us. It was an honour to be offered the holy water. The puja always has a very positive effect on me especially when there is arti a well as there was on this occasion.
Arasavalli Sun Temple, one of the oldest sun temples, is a temple for Lord Surya, the solar deity, located in Arasavalli village. It was built in 7th century CE by King Devendra Varma, a great ruler of Eastern Ganga Dynasty of Kalinga. The present structure is largely a result of 18th-century renovations.
The temple was constructed in such a way that the early morning rays of the sun fall on the feet of the deity in the inner sanctum sanctorum, twice a year once in February and once in June. The deity is an idol of Lord Surya, holding a lotus in each of his raised hands, standing atop a grand chariot. An idol of Adisesha (serpent) crowns the deity's head. The radiant colours of the deity give the impression the sun is shining from the statue which is a joy to see. The temple is said to be a powerful place of healing, and many devotees visit it seeking blessings for good health.
There are other shrines in the temple complex which are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Anjaneya, Kala Bhairava, Subramanya and Goddess Mahalaxmi.
The second ancient temple was the shrine of Sri Kurmam, situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal. It is the only swayambhu temple in the world where Lord Vishnu is worshipped in the form of Kurma Avataara (the tortoise – the second incarnation of the famous dasa avataras). The temple is covered in magnificent, intricate carvings and it’s the magical atmosphere seems to transport visitors into another time and age or perhaps to a place beyond time and space.
There is turtle enclosure where the not so happy turtles eat a scant number of leaves. There is not much water for them to swim in and the enclosure is not nearly as well cared for as the rest of the temple.
After the visit we were invited for lunch to Dr Harshavalli’s house. The doctor was away in another part of India, but her family laid on a sumptuous meal. I was very touched that she would do that for someone she has never met. Hindumitra is a great fraternity.
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