Why These Vaishnava Temples In Adhra Pradesh Need Urgent Attention

Santana Venugopal Swamy Temple, located in the northeastern part of Nellipatla village, Baireddipalle Mandal in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh is currently in the headlines. According to Local 18 Andhra Pradesh, this temple boasts a rich sculptural heritage, including magnificent carvings of Nandi God on a pillar. Nandi God implies “giving delight” or “giving joy,” and is the sacred bull of the Hindu god Shiva. The carving has three heads implying three different activities, i.e.- grazing, running and licking its own body. This sculpture was made possible only due to the efforts of the rulers of the Pallavas and the Chola rulers. It is believed that such a remarkable creation is not constructed anywhere else.

Gopuram

Apart from the Nandi God’s carvings, the rulers of the Pallava dynasty also built a Gopuram in the Santana Venugopal Swamy Temple. The Gopuram is generally constructed with a stone base and a superstructure of brick and pilaster. It is rectangular in plan and topped by a barrel-vault roof. This structure, built during the Pallava regime, is still in the temple and is now a proper tourist attraction. All the pillars of the Gopuram are made differently. As per the elders, during ancient times, the elephants have trampled the soil in the Nellipatla village. This soil was then used in making the bricks of the Santana Venugopal Swamy Temple.

Boon for the childless couples

Among the devotees, especially childless couples, go to the Santana Venugopal Swamy Temple to overcome their problems. The worshippers believe that by paying their respects to this temple, they would be surely blessed with a child. Despite the importance of the temple due to these beliefs, its premises are lying in ruins today. Not only this temple but a Hanuman temple has also not been properly repaired for a long time.

Villager’s demands from the administration

The natives hailing from the Nellipatla village have demanded that the authorities should take over the repair work of Santana Venugopal Swamy Temple. The villagers feel that these temples should be preserved for future generations. According to them, it can only be possible if the authorities renovate these heritage sites.