Page 116 - Telephone Directory

WELCOME TO ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra Pradesh extends a warm welcome to you. The land, replete with history and legend
and endowed with an equable climate and hospitable people, invites you. A land of the mighty Krishna
and Godavari rivers, with a rich cultural heritage of literature, art, music dance and drama, it abounds in
magnificent monuments which breathe history, lakes and beaches which exude charm and beauty, wild
life sanctuaries that bring to your eye the majestic animal kingdom, great ancient, temples, mosques and
churches, and modern temples.

AMARAVATI : It is famous for its elegant architectural and sculptural remains of Buddhist origin. The
stupa is the largest in the country measuring 36.5 meters wide and 16.5 meters high. Lord Amareswara’s
temple here draws thousands of pilgrims on Sivaratri day.

AHOBILAM : Ahobilam, an ancient temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who took Narasimha Avatara in
order to kill the demon Hiranyakasipu. The place is also called Singavel Kunram. There are a number of
places in which Narasimhavatara or Lord vishnu is worshipped, but it is only at Ahobilam that all the nine
forms of the Lord Narasimha, Nava Narasimha are worshipped.
As soon as the foot of the hills is reached, there is the temple of Prahladavarada Narasimha, i.e
the aspect of Lord Narasimha as blessing Prahlada. From the foot of the hill one has to ascend the hill to
reach what is called Upper Ahobilam. The Upper Ahobilam is a plateau, 853.44 metres above sea level.
The two crests of the hill are called vedadri and Garudadri, through which the sacred Bhavanasini Tirtham
flows inside part of its course. On southern slope of the hill, the Lord in his fierce aspect called Ugra
Narasimha is worshipped. The temple is magnificent with a mantapa and gopuram. Nearby is the shrine
of Guha Narasimha at the entrance of which is a huge pillar. The popular belief is that in the famous
Puranic story of Prahlada, the pillar which Hiranyakasipu kicked asking his son whether Lord Vishnu was
imminent in a pillar too, was the same pillar.Lord Vishnu finally emerged as Ugra Narasimha, and killed
the demon.(360 Kms) from Amaravati.

ARAKU VALLEY : The Araku Valley is a picturesque valley, about 160 Kms from Visakhapatnam. It is
reached by a good road which climbs up the Anantagiri Ghat (mountain) to 1,116 metres after which it
descends to the valley which is itself about 975 metres above sea level. There is a good deal of
colonisation here,and a project to develop the valley is well under way. The tribal people of the valley
have their own folklore and traditions. The Dhimsa dance is peculiar to them.
About 85 km from here is the Machkund Hydro-Electric Project,a joint venture of the Andhra Pradesh
and Orissa states. It has been constructed by harnessing the 168 metres Duduma waterfalls. (439 Kms)
from Amaravati.

DRAKSHARAMAM : Draksharamam or Garden of Daksha contains a big Lingam of Shri
Bheemeswaraswamy, about 6 metres height, stated to have been created by the seven mouths of
Godavari, the sacred bathing ghat in this temple which confers in a condensed form all the sanctity
obtained by separate baths in each of the seven rivers.
Noted not only for its architectural beauty and historical importance, but also for its sanctity and
holiness, the temple attracts pilgrims in thousands every year. It can be reached from Kakinada and
Rajahmundry by road.(207 Kms) from Amaravati.

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