01The sage in the anthill
The temple’s katha tells that the sage Dwaraka sat in tapas here so long that an anthill grew over him, and Venkateswara revealed himself in it. The swayambhu murti shows only the upper half of the body; the feet are held to be in Patala, worshipped by Bali. Since devotees wished for darshan of the full form, a second, complete murti was installed behind it, which temple tradition ascribes to Ramanujacharya. Both are worshipped together, and pilgrims who cannot reach Tirumala fulfil their vows here.
02Two Brahmotsavams
Because there are two murtis, the temple keeps two Brahmotsavams a year, one in Vaishakha for the swayambhu form and one in Ashwayuja for the installed one. Pilgrims offer their hair at the kalyana katta as at Tirumala. The zamindars of Mylavaram and Dharmavaram were among those who built the halls and gopurams in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The life of this place
- 18th–19th centuryLocal zamindars build the halls and gopurams.
About 40 km from Eluru and 15 km from Bhimadolu railway station. The temple is managed by the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department.
