The sacred Pushpagiri Kshetram on the bank of the Penna River came alive with hundreds of oil wick lamps offered as ‘harathi’ by the devotees who gathered for the auspicious ‘Kartheeka Deepotsavam’ on November 26 (Sunday).
The otherwise quiet temple complex was abuzz with devotees, especially women, offering prayers and lighting oil wick lamps.
The confluence of five rivers makes it popularly known as ‘Panchanadhi Kshetram’. The tributaries Papaghni, Kumudavathi, Valkala and Mandavi join the Penna at this point. The temple complex witnessed a steady development over the centuries during the Chola, Pallava and Vijayanagara regimes.
According to mythology, when Garuda, the celestial ride of Lord Vishnu, was flying with the pot of nectar, a drop fell into the Penna river at Pushpagiri. The presence of several temples dedicated to both Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu in this region is considered a rare phenomenon. Also, Adi Shankaracharya had visited this spot and consecrated a ‘Srichakram’.
Kadapa-based Asha Rekha Foundation, which played an instrumental role in organising the festival, arranged free bus services from the city to the banks of the river, located 16 km away. The place is a must-visit destination for heritage activists and archaeologists.
“This is an ancient treasure trove for the district, but not many in the present generation know about its glorious past. We intend to popularise the ancient, cultural sites and traditional practices of the land,” says N. Nagaveni, chairperson of Asha Rekha Foundation.
