Srisailam visit on Janmastmi Day

Srisailam: 12-15 Aug 2017

Some pictures at https://www.flickr.com/photos/drprithviraval/albums/72157685208314920

‘Indira - the rain god’ was with me on this trip to Srisailam, AP.  When it poured everywhere including Bangalore, I did not face a drizzle on this Janmashtmi - Independence day trip !

(As per my prayer!!)

Left Bangalore on Saturday 12th morning by 9 am after breakfast and was at Kurnool by 3 pm (371 KM). Saw the Konda Reddy Fort, Baba Mandir and walked around town. Next day left to Srisailam. The Ghat road is lovely going through the forests. Took me 4 and half hours for the 185 KM trip.

Srisailam was full of people, to the brim and there is no other private accommodation available there.  I was lucky to get a dormitory, which was a nice experience. Had not slept in one, since the YMCA school days!  Could see the Krishna River from a distance.  People at the temple town were really enjoying themselves. The Srisailam temple is the abode of one of the 12 Jyothirlinga’s.

Janmashtmi evening was at Puttaparthi. Young college girl students did a play on ‘Meera Bai’ which was exceptional. Left on Tue 15^th morning by 11 am and was home by 2 pm.

In the evening it rained like hell !

Total distance 1125 KMs:

Bangalore > Kurnool > Srisailam > (556 Kms)

Kurnool > Ananthapur > Dharmavaram > Puttaparthi  > Bangalore (569 Kms)

Avenger motorcycle about 39 Kms / litre.  Underlined = Overnight stay

History Srisailam:

The earliest known historical mention of the Hill-Srisailam can be traced in Pulumavi’s Nasik inscription of 2nd Century A.D. Malla Satakarani, an early member of he Satavahanas got his name after ‘Mallanna’ the deity on this sacred hill.

The Vishnukundis (AD 375-612) were the devotees of God Sriparvatha Swamy who was none other than Mallikarjuna Swamy, the presiding deity of Srisaila Kshetram. The Telagunda inscription of Kadamba Santi Varma proves that the Srisailam region was originally included in the Pallava Kingdom (AD 248-575) and subsequently formed the first independent principality of Kadambas (AD 340-450).

The period of Reddi Kings (AD 1325-1448) is the Golden Age of Srisailam that almost all rulers of this dynasty did celebrated service for the temple. Prolaya Vema Reddy, the Reddi King constructedstepped path way to Srisailam and also Pathalaganga.

In the year 1674 AD Chatrapathi Sivaji the great Maratha King visited Srisailam, restored the festivals of the temple under protection of his officers and taken up some renovations. According to tradition the north gopuram of the temple was caused by him.
Later the Moghal Emperors conqured this region and this place was given as Jagir to Nawabs of Kurnool. After the fall of Moghal Emperors this place came under the control of Nizam of Hyderabad. When the Nizam cede the Kurnool District to the British East India Company in 1800 AD, Major Manro took procession of the District and entrusted the management to the authorities of the District Court.
In 1929 a committee was constituted by the British Government for the management of the temple.  In 1949 the temple came under the control of Endowments Department and attained its past glory after it was opened by the road during the year 1956.

Gandikota - Puttaparthi Ride Oct 2016

Gandikota – Puttaparthi

Road Trip: 9- 11 Oct 2016

Some pictures at:-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/drprithviraval/albums/72157673886767361

Had two nights to spare at the ‘Vijayadashmi festival’ time and I took the back roads of Andhra Pradesh (AP) to visit Gandikota and Puttaparthi. It was a remarkable ride tracking through rough roads, though most of AP roads are well done. Quite a bit of road work is going on for better driving conditions.

Left home at 7 am on the 9^th Aug and reached a place called Jammalamadugu by 2.00 pm. This about 15 Km from Gandikota. There was no accommodation at Gandikota hence I stayed at a place called ‘Sagar Palace.’    The AP government runs the place at Gandikota and is very spacious with A/C and clean.  This is the place to stay.  Telephone, mobile: 7382237380.

At Gandikota the places to see are the ‘Grand Canyon’ type of rocks, special to the area with the Penna river flowing through it into the reservoir; Jumma Masjid, Gandikota fort and Ranganatha aalayam.  Could not take much pictures, as it was late, poor light. You really need a day and half to fully go through it in detail.

Through the travel, I went through these rhythmic Andhra names (alphabetical-but not in order):

Batalapalli, Elukuntala, Gorantala, Kadiri, Kappalabanda,  Kottacheru, Kurli, Maddanur, Muddigubba, Pamudurti, Pulivendula, Reddipalli. For lunch I stopped stop at Muddanur and they called it a “Bamman’ food.  Though the outside was shabby inside was clean and finger liking good!

Next day morning, I left to Puttaparthi and went through the celebrations there, including the grand “Purnahuthi”, praying for world peace.

It was a nice solo ride; Total distance covered  628 Kilometres

Bangalore – Jammalamadugu            308 Km (overnight)

Jammalamadugu to Puttaparthi          130 Km  (overnight)

Puttaparthi to Bangalore                    157 Km

Travel Gandikota and back twice       33 Kms

No problems with the bike

Prithvi

(Brief read, more at Wiki)

Gandikota Kings Gandikota is a small village on the right bank of the river Pennar, 15 km from Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh.
Gandikota was founded in 1123 by Kapa Raja of nearby Bommanapalle village and a subordinate of Ahavamalla Someswara I, the Western Chalukyan king of Kalyana.^[1] The town played a significant role during the Kakatiya, Vijayanagara and Qutub Shahi periods. The fort was made more impregnable by Pemmasani Thimma Nayudu. The fort was under the control of Pemmasani Nayaks for over 300 years.
The fort of Gandikota acquired its name due to the 'gorge' (in Telugu it is called 'gandi'), formed between the Erramala range of hills, also known as Gandikota hills and the river Pennar that flows at its foot, reducing its width to a mere 300 ft (see the river image below). Situated amidst beautiful landscape and wild forests, it is endowed with vast natural resources.