Kumararama Bhimeshwara Swamy Temple, Samalkota – The Temple

Kumararama Bhimeshwara Swamy Temple, Samalkota – The Temple

The temple is surrounded by two prakara walls built of dressed sand stones. The outer prakara wall is pierced by gopura - entrance on all the four sides. The main entrance of the temple is also popular as Surya Dwaram. The four gopura - dwara have Ardha mandapas on either side. The inner enclosure wall is divided horizontally into two sections separated by a cornice. It has a two storeyed pillared mandapa running all the inner side.

The temple has a mandapam that is supported by 100 pillars and is of great architectural importance. The temple has an Ekasila Nandi (A Bull carved from a single stone) guarding the Shiva Lingam at the entrance of the temple. The temple resembles the other Pancharama temple at Draksharama which is also called Bhimeshwara Temple. The main shrine is a free-standing monument lying at the center of the inner enclosure.

The temple is a rectangular structure and has two storied. Presiding Deity is called as Bhimeshwara Swamy. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Darshan of Sivalingam is at the first floor. Steps are available at both the side. The limestone Linga, installed in the shrine, is 16 feet tall that it rises from the pedestal on the ground floor and enters the second floor by piercing the roof, where the Rudrabhaga is worshipped.

Similar to Draksharamam temple the lower stair at the Shiva Linga is dark. Devotees worship the Shiva Linga from upstairs. The present Vimana of the main shrine has been renovated and is covered with thick plaster. It consists of flat pattas, row of geese kutas, salas, simhalalatas, lotuses and kalasa. It is a dvitala vimana of the dravida order with regional variations.

Mother is called as Bala Tripura Sundari. There are shrines of Kala Bhairava, Saraswathi, Durga and Ganapathi in the Temple premises. There is a shrine of Lord Raj Narayana Swamy to the west of this temple. To the East side, there is a mandapam called Koneti. Pushkarni (Koneru) lake can be seen here. There is also a Mandapa built in the centre of this pool.

In the west gate of the temple, there is a long stone Pillar. There is also a small stone carved Nandi on this pillar. When the fort built by Bhima was demolished, a lady (Gopakonta) used to come to this temple regularly to worship Lord Bheemeshwara. This pillar was built in her remembrance.

The temple has carvings of apsaras on its walls. There are inscriptions dated to 1147 AD – 1494 AD found on the pillars of the temple, which lists of gifts given, through the ages, for the temple. Recent excavations in the compound of the temple has yielded many figures dated back 1000 years are now present inside the temple.