|
|
| Form City |
Via |
Distance (kms) |
|
| Adilabad |
Utnur - Birsaipet - Lakshettipet |
141 kms |
|
| Hyderabad |
Siddipet - Karimnagar - Jagityal |
226 kms |
|
| Karimnagar |
Kondagattu - Jagityal |
78 kms |
|
| Kamareddy |
Armur - Metpalli - Jagityal |
165 kms |
|
| Mancherial |
Lakshettipet - Gudem Gutta |
42 kms |
|
| Medak |
Ramayampet - Kamareddy - Armur - Jagityal |
214 kms |
|
| Nirmal |
Mamda - Sathanapalli - Lingapur - Lakshettipet |
123 kms |
|
| Nizamabad |
Armur - Metpalli - Jagityal |
130 kms |
|
|
Dharmapuri attained religious importance owing to the existence of the shrine dedicated to Narasimha Swamy, an
incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Siva With Dakshinamurthy, Vinayaka and Sapitha Mathrukas carved on a single slab of
stone and Mahishasuramardhani, the sixty pillared temple, Mahalakshmi temple, Akkapalle Rajanna. An over five
hundred year old Sri Sita Rama Swami temple are the other temples of importance that heighten the sanctity of this The
Ramalingeswara Temple which is of about 1000 years old, is in the proximity of the Narsimha Swamy Temple. It is said
among local inhabitants that the Shiv Lingam installed in this temple was installed by Lord Rama during his exile and
on way to Lanka in search of Sitha Maatha.
Dharmapuri was called so after King Dharamavarma, (Who was a staunch evotee of Lord Narasimha), it was known
earlier as Dhamaraya, Dharmapuram, Dharmmanpuram, Dhammanvuru, Dharmavura and Dharmapuram80. It is
famous for temples and artists, located on the banks of holy river Godavari. It is called Dhakshin Kashi. It is nearly 80
km from the district headquarters81.
The name of this place as Dharmapuri and Dharmapuram in the two Sthalapuranas both titled “Dharmapuri Kshetra
Mahatyam”, dated 928 A.D82 and 1767 A.D.83 Historically we find the name of this place in an inscription of Arikesari-II
(930-955 A.D) of Chalukyas of Vemulavada, at Kurikyala of Gangadhara Mandal. This place was known as
Dhammanvura,84 Dhammampuram85. Further, we see the name of this place as Dharmapuri and Dharmapura in an
inscription of Vikramaditya IV (1076-1126 A.D) of Chalukyas of kalyani on the stone in the Rameswara temple at
Dharmapuri. It records the gifts to the Rameswara86. Malki Singana87 mentioned is this place as “Dharmapuram” in
his Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana (1420 A.D)88. The great Telugu poet Bammera Potana (1400-1470 A.D) mentioned
this place as Dharmapuri in his Narayana Satakam89. Again, this place is also mentioned by Korai Goparaju (1430-
1490 AD) in his Simhasanadwatrinshika90. This place as “Dharmapuri” was mentioned in “Kalapurnodayam”91 by
renewed Telugu poet Pingali Surana(1560 AD)92. Thus, In 19th Century Sheshappa (1800 AD)93 wrote a Satakam on
Narasimha of Dharmapuri and Narasimhadasu wrote “Rohilala pata” in 185894, In which the sorrows of the victims of
Rohillas at Dharmapuri are described. In the modern period this place was mentioned in “Dharmanagada Charitra”
which is also known as “Pamupata” by Puri Narayana Raju, wherein the importance of river Godavari at Dharmapuri is
given and mentioning Dharmapuri, a sacred place95.
|
|
SHIVA LINGAM Found at Rachakonda Fort |
| Loddi Mallaiah Temple in Nallamalla Forest |
|
|
|
|
