Draksharamam Bhimesvara Swamy Temple or Draksharamam Manikyamba Devi Temple or Sri Manikyamba Sametha Sri Bhimeswara Swamy Temple is an ancient temple located in Draksharamam, Ramachandrapuram Mandal, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh State. This temple is one of Pancharama Kshetras in Andhrapradesh, is one of the Trilinga kshetras in Telugu-speaking states and one of the 18 Shakti Peeth temples in India. The presiding deities are Lord Bhimeswara Swamy (Lord Siva) and Manikyamba Devi (Parvati Devi). Here there is a big temple of Lord Bhimeswara Swamy, constructed in many Prakaras and the Manikyamaba Devi temple is situated in the inner circle of Lord Bhimeswara Swamy temple.
Draksharamam Manikyamba Devi Darsanam Timings:
Morning: 5:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
Evening: 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM
On Masa Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri temple will be open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Draksharamam Manikyamba Devi Temple History:
Daksha Prajapati, father of Goddess Parvathi arranged for a yagna and did not invite Lord Shiva and Sati. But, Goddess Sati went there against Siva’s desire and got humiliated by her father and sacrificed her life in the same fire. Angry Shiva created Lord Veerabhadra out of his hair to destroy the yagna. After the demolition, Lord Shiva had done rudrataandavam carrying Sati’s corpse in anger. Lord Vishnu had used his disc to cut Sati Devi’s dead body into 18 pieces to calm Lord Shiva. The places where the parts of Sati Devi fell were called Shakthi Peetas, the holy places of Goddesses. One among them is at Draksharamam and the goddess here is named Manikyamba.
Sri Manikyamba Devī at Draksharamam is one of the 18 Sakthi PIthas. The portion of Sati Devi that exists in the Daksaramam temple was believed to be installed by Lord Siva. About 1200 years ago Adi Sankaracarya visited this temple and installed a powerful Sri Chakra in the shrine of the Goddess.
Near the Draksharamam Temple, we can still see the Homa Kunda of Daksha Prajapati, where Satī Devi left her body. Now the homa kunda has become a small tank. An idol of the Goddess Sati has been enshrined in the center and there are some small temples adjacent to the homa kunda.
Draksharamam Bhimeswara Swamy Temple History:
Another legend says that the demon Tarakasura after doing severe penance was booned by Lord Shiva with his AtmaLinga. Further, Tarakasura committed many sins against devas. Devas carried out Goddess Parvathi’s marriage with Lord Shiva and Lord Shanmukha was born. Shanmukha in a battle against Tarakasura destroyed the Atmalinga in Tarakasura’s neck and killed him. The pieces of Atmalinga fell at 5 holy places in Andhra Pradesh which were popularly known as ‘Pancharamams’. The first one is Amareshwara in Amaravathi, installed by Lord Indra; the second one is Someswara in Bheemavaram installed by Lord Chandra; the third is Ksheera Ramalingeswara in Palakollu installed by Lord Rama; the fourth is Kumara Rama Bheemeswara in Samrlakota installed by Shanmukha and the fifth one is Bheemeswara who had shown himself in Drakshramam.
The sages requested River Godavari to sanctify the piece fallen in Drakshramam, but the Godavari had responded late and hence Lord Shiva emerged himself in Draksharamam. River Godavari came here with the request of Saptarshi and hence it is also called SapthaGodavari, which is on the east of the temple as Pushkarini. Once Lord Shiva tested Sage Vyasa by which he could not get any food by donation in Kasi. Feeling hungry, Sage Vyasa lost his patience and cursed Kasi, but Goddess Annapurna gave him food and Lord Shiva asked him to leave Kasi. The goddess suggested to go to Drakshramam, which is equivalent to Kasi. Vyasa considered it as Dakshina Kasi and worshipped Lord Shiva, and it was also named Vyasa Kasi. Lord Shiva taught a lesson to Vyasa that Kasi is meant for the liberation of the soul but not for a luxury living, whereas Draksharamam is meant for both, as stated in Bheema khanda.
Draksharamam Temple Sculpture:
As per the inscription at Pithapuram, the temple of Kumaram Chalukya Bhimesvara was built by Chalukya Bhima-I , the famous Eastern Chalukya king towards the end of the 9th century AD. The presiding deity Lord Siva, in the form of tall Sivalinga, was named after the monarch as Chalukya Bhimesvara. The inscription mentions that Chalukya Bhima was the son of Vikramaditya, who had won 360 battles and ruled the country for thirty years. The temple is similar in architecture to that of the Bhimesvara temple at Samalkot. Two prakara walls, built of dressed sandstone, surround the temple. The outer prakara wall has a gopura entrance on all four sides. The four gopura – entrances have Ardha mandapas on either side. The inner enclosure wall is partitioned horizontally into two sections, which are separated by a cornice and have a two-storeyed pillared mandapa running throughout the inner side.
Draksharamam Temple Daily Poojas Sevas:
1) Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam
2) Laghunyasam
3) Astottara Kumkumarchana
4) Mahanyasapurvaka Abhishekam
5) Sahasra Kumkumarchana
Draksharamam Temple Weekly Poojas Sevas:
1) Every Saturday Abhishekam
2) Every Monday Kumkuma Pooja
Draksharamam Temple Monthly Poojas Sevas:
1) Every Month Masa Sivarathri Abhishekam
2) Every Month Masa Sivarathri Kumkumarchana
Draksharamam Bhimeswara Swamy Temple Poojas:
Laksha Patri Puja
Laksha Kumkumarchana
Laksha Vattula Nomu
Surya Namaskaramulu
Ekadasa Rudramu
Mahanyasa Purvaka Abhishekamu
Sahasra Kumkumarchana
Laghu Vyasa Poorvaka Eka Vaara Abhishekam
Ashtotthara Kumkumarchana
Every Monday Masa Shivaratri Abhishekam
Every Monday Masa Shivaratri Kumkuma Puja
Every Monday Abhishekam
Every Friday Puja
Nomulu / Aksharabhyasam / Annaprasana
Special Darshan Ticket (On Festivals)
Keshakhandana
Upanayanamu
Monthly Abhishekam Ticket
Monthly Kumkuma Archana Ticket
Abhishekam at the time of Dasara Festival(For 10 days)
Kumkumarchana at the time of Dasara Festival(For 10 days)
Rudra Homam
Japam/Tarpanam / Nava Varaarchana
Nitya Kalyanam
Sthala Puranam
Sri Swamy Vari Archana
Abhishekam / Kumkumarchana through Money Order
Ubhayam at the time of Dasara
Nitya Samuhika Abhishekam, Kumkumarchana(For One Year)
Draksharamam Temple Important Festivals Celebrated:
1) Vinayaka Chavithi
2) Dasara
3) Karthika Masam
4) Varalakshmi Vratham
5) Subramanya Swamy Shasti
6) Swami Kalyanam and Birthday
7) Shiva Ratri
Draksharamam Bhimeswara Swamy Temple Address:
Sri Manikyamba Sametha Sri Bhimeswara Swamy Temple,
Draksharamam,
Ramachandrapuram Mandal,
East Godavari District,
Andhra Pradesh – 533262
Office: 08857-252488.
Other Pancharama Temples:
Amararama Temple, Amaralingeswara Swamy, Amaravathi
Draksharama Temple, Bhimesvara Swamy, Draksharama
Somarama Temple, Someswara Swamy, Bhimavaram
Ksheerarama Temple, Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy, Palakollu
Bhimarama Temple, Kumara Bhimeswara Swamy, Samalkota