Sri Sita Ramaswami Gudi ~ Kakinada.

Train no. 17643 takes you there ….. it is called ‘Pensioner’s paradise; and 2^nd Madras’ it is the HQ of East Godavari District, Kakinada ~ also called Cocanada. Most trains are named after Gods, rivers and important places in the origin or destination – but this one is a bit different - it is known as Circar Express ! The word ‘Circar’ – noun would mean a District or part of a Province. More on a different post.

In this industrial city which has Fertilizer plants and known for vegetable oil extraction plants, old heritage still coexists with modernity. The people of Kakinada are very affable and are characterized by Godavari Telugu accent. There is the Subash Road [named after Netaji Subash Chandra Bose], which in fact is the Main Road. On the main road, existed the Town Hall and just opposite Town Hall is the Temple of Sri Sita Rama, which should be at least a century old. A traditional Vaishnavaite temple referred as ‘Pedda Ramalayam’ it is the Sri Sita Ramaswami temple, one of the oldest temples of Kakinada.

Not a very big temple ~ but neatly maintained one where lot of bakthas come daily. The presiding deity is ‘Sri Rama’ as ‘Sri Sita Rama’ having Sitadevi in His lap and in a seated posture. The temple lies on the Main road with tradition 5 layered Gopuram. In the main sannathi, Lord Sri Rama is in seated posture having Sri Sita on his lap. There is a separate sannathi for Goda Devi [Andal - Kothai Piratti] and another housing all Azhwars and Acharyar.

During Margazhi, corresponding to Pagal Pathu in Sri Vaishnavaite temples down south, 10 days of festivity gets celebrated as ‘Dasavathara Sevai’. Each day, the Moolavar is decorated representing the ten avathars of Sri Maha Vishnu. Unlike the sarrupadi [alankaram] seen in Temples of Tamilnadu, here they have silvercast of Avathars, which would be placed in front of the Lord, and would represent the Avathar of the day. Thiruppavai Uthsavam gets celebrated in the month of Margazhi with traditional fervour.

After many years had the fortune of worshipping Sri Sitarama on 28^th Nov 2012. It was another festivity ~ this time Dasavatharam – [mini dasavatharam] as the silver ones were much smaller in size and hence one can have darshan of the Avatharam as also the Moolavar ~ the presiding deity. On 28^th it was Narasimha Avatharam and on the next day, it was Vamana Avatharam.

Here are photos of the temple as seen from outside, the Moolavar, Uthsavar, Azhwargal, Sri Narasimha Avatharam and Vamana avatharam.

Jai Sri Ram.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.