Bhimeshwara Swamy Temple, Draksharamam – Religious Significance

Bhimeshwara Swamy Temple, Draksharamam – Religious Significance

Pancharama Kshetrams:

This Temple is one of the Pancharama Kshetrams (five temples), dedicated to Lord Shiva in Andhra Pradesh. It is a widely held belief that a visit to all five temples in a single day would ensure salvation. Amararama in Amaravathi, is also the only one that lies on the banks of the Krishna River while the other four are located, two each in the East and West Godavari districts.

The Pancharama Kshetrams are:

·        Amareswara Swamy Temple, Amararama

·        Bhimeshwara Temple, Draksharamam

·        Someshwara Temple, Somarama

·        Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple, Ksheerarama

·        Kumararama Bhimeshwara Swamy Temple, Kumararama

Trilinga Kshetrams:

As per Hindu legend, Lord Shiva has been descended as Shivalingam on three sacred mountains. The three sacred mountains (Trilinga Kshetrams) are:

·        Kaleswaram in Telangana

·        Srisailam in Rayalaseema

·        Bhimeswaram or Draksharamam in Coastal Andhra

Sakthi Peethas:

The Shakti Peeth are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-focused Hindu tradition. There are 51 or 108 Shakti Peethas by various accounts, of which between 4 and 18 are named as Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts. Most of these historic places of goddess worship are in India, but there are seven in Bangladesh, three in Pakistan, two in Nepal, and one each in Tibet and Sri Lanka. It is also one among the Ashtadasa Shakti Peethas.

Various legends explain how the Shakti Peetha came into existence. The most popular is based on the story of the death of the goddess Sati. Out of grief and sorrow, Shiva carried Sati's body, reminiscing about their moments as a couple, and roamed around the universe with it. Vishnu had cut her body into 52 body parts, using his Sudarsana Chakra, which fell on Earth to become sacred sites where all the people can pay homage to the Goddess. Here at Draksharamam, Navel area of Sati Devi was fallen hence the consort of Siva (Bheemeshwara) was called "Manikyamba". Where Mani means navel in Sanskrit, goddess was named "Manikyamba".