01Chandra’s linga
Here the piece of Tarakasura’s linga was installed by Chandra, the Moon, and so the Bhagwan is Someswara, lord of Soma. The priests and pilgrims of the delta say the linga turns pale, almost white, at purnima and darkens to brown and black by amavasya, following the moon that set it here. The temple stands beside a large tank, the Chandrakundam, and in the two-storeyed fashion of the Andhra temples the shrine of Annapurna rises on the floor above the sanctum.
02What the stones record
The oldest inscription on the walls belongs to the Eastern Chalukya king Shaktivarman I, who ruled from Vengi in 1001–1011 CE. Later records of the Chalukya and Kakatiya periods note lamps and land granted to the Bhagwan. The town of Bhimavaram is said to take its name from the Chalukya king Bhima, under whose line these shrines rose.
The life of this place
- 1001–1011 CEAn inscription of Chalukya Shaktivarman I is cut on the temple.
Gunupudi is about 2 km from Bhimavaram railway station. Go on a purnima and again on an amavasya if you wish to see the linga’s two colours.
