3/12/11

Temples Of India-3

SRI BALA BALAJI TEMPLE-APPANA PALLE-2



Tale of two sisters Vinata and Kadruva:

Now here we have to know the tale of two sisters Vinata and Kadruva (wives of Sage Kasyapa) as this is related with this site. 

Vinata and Kadruva, wives of  Sage Kashyapa wanted male children. So they requested their husband for sons. Kadruva wanted thousnd sons with long shining bodies. Vinata wanted two sons stronger than those of Kadruva. Sage Kashyapa performed Putra kamesti Yagyam- a special ceremony for be getting children. 

As a result of that Yagya, both Vinata and Kadruva became pregnant. Kadruva got one thousand eggs and Vinata got two eggs. After some time, the eggs of kadruva were broken and 1000 snakes including Aadi Seshuvu, Takshaka, Vaasuki etc. came out of the eggs with long and shining bodies.

      Sons of Kadruva and Kashyapa
Vinata was jealous that her sister begot sons before her. She became impatient and broke one of her two eggs. Out of it emerged a man with strong half-grown body-only up till waist. His name is Aruna. He was very angry with his mother as she was responsible for his handicap. He advised her not to break the other egg till it hatched by itself. He went away to become the charioteer of  Surya- the Sun God.


Vinata heeded her son's words, started taking good care of the second egg and waited for it to hatch...


Here we have to leave these sisters for a while and go to the story of Samudra Manthana where the Devas and Asuras churned the Khseera Sagara for the Amrutham.....


Read this in my next post......


3/1/11

Temples Of India-2



SRI BALA BALAJI TEMPLE-APPANA PALLE-1
  
SRI BALA BALAJI TEMPLE-APPANA PALLE

The Bala Balaji Devasthanam or Temple at Appana Palle or Appana Pally is perhaps not so famous but a very ancient site. It is a temple of Lord Balaji or Lord Venkateshwara. Bala Means child. Here Lord Balaji is worshipped in the form of a child.

This is popularly known as Konaseema Tirupathi. Konaseema -kona means corner seema means region -the rich delta region of East Godavari District surrounded by River Godavari  and Bay of Bengal. It is full of tributaries and aqua ducts. The silt soil brought in by the River Godavari and its tributaries makes the region very fertile. One can find acres and acres of lush green Paddy and Sugar Cane fields, Coconut, Cashew, Mango and Plantain Orchards. The region has a rich cultural heritage with many famous laureates-Vedic scholars, astrologers, poets, musicians, philanthropists etc. There are many ancient and well known and not so well known temples in this region. My humble attempt is to introduce you to as many such places as I can an provide you with as much information as I can to the best of my knowledge.

One of these temples is that of Sri Bala Balaji Temple at Appana Palle.

LOCATION

APPANA PALLE is a small village in Mamidi Kuduru Mandalam of East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. Its situated on the banks of River Vainateya a tributary of River Godvari. 
                                     River Vaineteya-Tributory of Godavari

The legend of how Appana Pally got its name:

Appana Palle was originally known as Arpana Palle. Arpana means sacrifice and Palle means a place or village. The meaning of Arpana Palle is a place where a sacrifice was made.

Now who made the sacrifice and why? For that we need to go into very ancient times. Read on.....

Legends related to the site

Sage Kashyapa

Kasyapa was one of the ancient sages or Rishis and is one of the Saptha Rishis or the seven sages. He was the son of Marichi- who was the son of Lord Brahma (the Creator). That is Kasyapa was the grandson of Bramha. 

Kashyapa had thirteen wives- Aditi, Diti,Vinata, Kadruva, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Tamra, Krodhavasa, Ida, Khasa and Muni -who were the daughters of Daksha Prajapathi and were sisters to Sati -Consort to Lord Shiva. There are some variations in the names of some of the wives and also the number and names of the offsprings they begot. I am not going to discuss that here. But broadly I will give the details.

He had many sons from these wives as follows:



Name of the Wife
Sons/daughters   known as 
Details of Sons/daughters
1
Aditi
Eldest wife very virtuous  and  kind
Devatas
(Gods) 
and

12 Adityas
(Suns)
Gods –Indra, Agni etc

 and

Aśa, Aryaman, Bhaga, Dhūti, 
Mitra, Pūan, Śakra, Savit, 
Tvaṣṭṛ,  Varua, Vihu ,
Vivasvat or Vivasvan *

*These started the Surya Vansham or Solar Dynasty. Later on this was known as Ikshwaku Vansham (dynasty) after King Ikshwaku and after that Raghu Vansham (dynasty) after King Raghu. Lord Rama belonged to this dynasty 

2
Diti

Daityas
(Demons)
Hiranyakashapu
Hiranyaksha
and daughter Sinhika




3
Danu
Danavas
(Demons)
100 sons
Viprachitti.





4
Kadruva 
Nagas
(Serpents)
1000 serpents (Adi Seshu, Vasuki and Taksha etcare well known) from whom the  reptile clan started




5
Vinata

Garuda and Aruna or Surya




6
Surabhi
Cows
and
Buffalos





7
Surasa
Or
Samras
Dogs





8
Muni 
Or Manu
Or Pradha
Apsaras
(Devine Maidens)





9
Khasa 
Or
Vishva 
Yakshas,
(Demi-Gods)





10
Krodha
Or
Khrodhavasa
Rakshasas





11
Arishta
Gandharvas (Male nature spirits possessing musical  skills)





12
Illa or Eda
Trees





13
Tamra
 Daugters
Six daughters who started the line of animals and birds





In the next post know about the Tale of two sisters-Vinata and Kadruva and how it is related to this site........So follow my posts on this blog......

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