Annavaram Location

Annavaram temple of Lord Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy is located at a distance of 125 km from Visakhapatnam, 40 km from Kakinada, and 80 km from Rajahmundry. National Highway number 5 passes through Annavaram. The bypass road (NH - 5) goes straight. To visit the temple take a right turn at the junction near Annavaram. It takes two and half hours from Visakhapatnam and from Rajahmundry takes 2 hours. Separate pooja halls are available for offering special pujas.
Annavaram railway station is located at the main Chennai – Howrah (Kolkatta ) railway line. Many trains stop here and from the railway station the temple is 3 km. While going towards Chennai, this temple is on the right side and can be seen from the moving trains. The railway station and moving trains are also visible from the temple.
There are many parking places for private vehicles on the hill surrounding the temple. Well equipped lodge facilities are available. Free darshanam is with normal que and special darshanam with additional fees of either INR 25/- or INR 116/- are also available.
Prasadam counter is available on the national highway for those who are not able to visit the temple. This temple is located at a hill top. Vehicles are allowed to climb up the hill. At the top of the hill there are guest houses available. Many marriages take place here so during this seasons you may have to book in advance if you a plan to stay here. There is a facility of quick Darshan in busy seasons. The main building has two floors. The ground floor is for Pada darshan or to view the feet of the god. The first floor is the upper part of the Lord Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy.
From this hill top you can get a panoramic view of the surrounding green fields and villages. There is a river water barrage with boating facility and it can be visited while going up or while returning from the temple, near the main entrance of the hill. This place is called Pampa Sarovara. Boat rides are a memorable experience for visitors.
Inside the main temple complex, photography is not allowed. However, around the temple there are many panoramic views available for viewing and enjoying nature's beauty.
From Anavaram:
Vizag 125 KM
Kakinada 40 KM
Rajahmundry 80 KM
Other places near Annavaram important to tourism include Samalkot, Thalupulamma Thalli and Draksharama. Travelers interested in visiting Simhachalam in Visakhapatnamcan can reach it as APTDC has arranged bus service directly from Annavaram to Simhachalam (the hill near the temple).

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Annavaram History

According to the puranas, the presiding deity of the place blesses the devotees with Anina Varam (Wanted Boon), which is why the place is called Annavaram.
The hillock by the side of the village is considered to be very sacred. Meruvu the Lord of the hills and his consort Menaka did great penance and begot two sons by the grace of Lord Vishnu. One was named Bhadra and the other Ratnakara. Bhadra pleased Lord Vishnu with his devotion and penance and with his grace became Bhadrachalam on which Lord Sri Rama had permanently settled. Ratnakara desired to emulate his brother and succeeded in pleasing Lord Vishnu by his penance to settle on him as Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy, Ratnakara remaining as Ratnagiri hill.
The temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satya-narayana Swamy is the main temple on Ratnagiri hill. There is also a temple of Sri Rama and the shrines of Vanadurga and Kanaka Durga nearby. The temple of grama-devatha (village deity) is in the village at the foot of the hill.
It is said that Raja I.V. Rama-narayanam, the then zamindar of Gorsa and Kirlampudi estates, having been ordained by the Lord in his dream, traced the idol on the hill, worshipped it and installed it at the present spot on sravana suddha vidhiya of the Telugu year Khara, 1891.
The Vishwakarma Brahmin stapathis architectural cognizance is at its best in sculpting this temple. The hillock itself is about 300 ft above sea level, green fields all-round the hills and the pampa river encircling Ratnagiri. About 460 well laid stone steps leads to the top of it.
The main temple is constructed in the form of a chariot with the four wheels at each of the four corners. In front of the main temple is the kalyana mantapa, constructed and decorated with modern pieces of architecture. As we go down the way, we come across Ramalaya and then the shrines of Vana Durga and Kanaka Durga.
The Akriti of any temple is, according to the Agni Purana, merely a manifestation of the Prakriti. According to this the chariot of the temple is intended as a symbol of the Seven Lokas and the seven Lokhas above, with the garbhalaya of the Lord at the heart’s center ruling over the entire Universe.
The temple at Annavaram has been constructed to depict this idea concretely. The front side of the temple depicts the chariot. The Meru on the floor with the pillar at the center, and the idols at the top are intended to bring forth the idea that the Lord not only remains at the heart’s center but also permeates the entire universe. The wheels depicting the Sun and the Moon serve to remind us that this Juggernaut moves on the wheels of time, and goes on for ever and ever, Thus the Annavaram temple satisfies both the ritualistic values and the spiritual aspirations of the devotees.”

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Satyanarayana Swami Temple

The most distinctive feature of Annavaram is the shrine to Lord Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy situated upon the Ratnagiri Hills. The land of the Annavaram is considered to belong to both Lord Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swami Temple and Goddess Anantalaxmi Satyavathi Ammavaru.
National Highway (NH)-5 passes via Annavaram. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operates regular bus services from Kakinada to Tuni, Rajahmundry to Tuni, and Yele-swaram to Tuni via Annavaram. Important trains of the South Central Railways (SCR) passing through are the Vijayawada-Vishakapatnam Ratnachal superfast express, the Chennai-Howrah Mail, Kolkata-Chennai halt at Annavaram, which is the nearest railway station within about 2 miles of the temple. The temple, situated on the hill top, is about four furlongs (almost a kilometer) away from its base. It can be reached either by steps covered with canopy, via Ghat road, or trekked via a stone path.
The popularity and importance of the temple is increasing among pilgrims and this place is considered as second only to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Festivals are celebrated year-round at this temple with great pomp and show. Some of the popular festivals celebrated are the Kalyanam festival in May, the Devi Navaratri festival in September, the Swayamvara Vardhanti of Sraavana Suddha Ekadashi Day, Srirama Kalyana, Kanakadurga Yatra, Prabha Utsavam, Teppa Utsavam and Jalatoranam.

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Annavaram Etymology

Annavaram (Telugu: అన్నవరం) is a village situated on the banks of the Pamba River in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh state in India.

The Anna component of the village's name means "what you desire", whilst the second half, varam. means boon or godsend; hence, whatever you desire will be endowed as a boon by the deity.

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