Nalgonda trip –Part 2 ------CHERUVUGATTU --Road Trip to Powerful god

SRI PARVATHI JADALA RAMALINGESHWARA SWAMY

Hyderabad – cheruvugattu(nalgonda district) –80kms

NH-9-Vijayawada-Chennai highway

Route: JNTU-Secunderabad-Tarnaka-Uppal-LB nagar-Hayatnagar- Ramoji film city--Choutuppal-Narketpally-yelareddygudem-Chervugattu-

Trip members:-2

Vehicle –WagonR

Temple timings: 6 am-12 pm & 4 pm – 7:30 pm

Vicinity !!!!

Chaya Someshwaram and Cheruvugattu can be covered on 1 day as these 2 places falls on the same route.

Trip: 

CHERUVUGATTU (SRI PARVATHI JADALA RAMALINGESHWARA SWAMY)

Heard a lot about this temple and could not stop myself travel to this place. In just 20 mins with small cool drink break in between at nalgonda started heading towards cheruvugattu temple and the hot summer did not deter us as devotion to the lord siva had inspired our will-power to take darshan.

The name itself sounds interesting right!!!

Cheruvu (Pond) gatu (Shore) is the literal meaning of Cheruvugattu, but Cheruvugattu is a village located in Nalgonda, this place is familiar for Lord Siva situated on  rock on top of a hill known as Cheruvugattu gutta. Here the Lord Siva was named as Sri Parvathi Jadala Ramalingeshwara Swamy.

Journey from Nalgonda!!!

After travelling 16kms from Nalgonda and 2kms from yellareddigudem ,on right side you find an arch khaman,which is the entrance to abode of cheruvugatu lord siva.From arch we should travel 2kms inside to reach the temple.

Once you reach the temple entrance you will see a large gopuram (temple tower) and a big nandi & Ganesh idol on steps route down the hill as welcoming you to the temple.

There are two ways to reach the temple top. One way to reach the temple by climbing steps (around 360 steps) & the other way is you can go on your vehicle by paying Rs.30 at the toll gate. The road here is like a ghat road, similar to the one at Yadgirigutta.

Due to hot summer we did not dare to climb steps, so we had to drive to reach the top of the temple. As we were heading up we can have the view of full Nalgonda city which was Magnificent. Halfway to the temple top you will find a large blue coloured statue of Lord Siva about 20-25 feet tall in a standing posture welcoming us for his darshan. We chanted “Om Namah Sivaya” and reached top of the hill and parked our vehicle in hot  as there was no shade .I wonder how it would be once we reach back from darshan,I think we will be roasted like a paper dosa once we get into the car,hahaha !!!!! We started walking; the hill was steep upwards and was tough to walk in energy sapping conditions.

Koneru

On your right hand side you will see a koneru (water pond) named as govu garbham (means cow uterus) for holy dip ,and this water is used for lord abhishekam too and there is a strong belief that if this water sprinkled on their fields the crops are grow profitably.That’s y people offer huge quantity of rice for thalambralu during celestial wedding.  

Offerings tree (Mudupula gattu)

Further ahead to your right you will find a tree,here people sleep on ground  placing wooden chappal (pavukolu in local language)  on whole of there back body and hold it for some time, by doing like this it’s a stong belief that if suffering from any illness will be cured by lords grace.

 On your way to the main idol (lingam) at the hill top on your right hand side you will see a temple of Lord Siva west-side faced who is named as jadala rama lingeshwara swamy he is very beautiful will eyes arrangement on siva linga. It is said that darshan can be done at this temple, devotees who could not climb the hill rock. There was a big mandapam  built for devotees to sleep during amavasya at temple.After crossing mandapam at the entrance of temple u see lord ganesh idol.Then inside we see lord jadala ramalingeshwara swamy .Here there is no temple for his consort Parvathi devi. Only we see utsava idols here and u see nandhi, kshetrapalaka kalabhairavudu and small dwajasthambham and u see lord hanuman   and yellamma temples.

Why named Jadala rama lingeshwara swamy?

The name jadala ramalingeshwara swamy was figured out as the siva linga  back side there are carvings like jadalu(plaits) hence the name.These carvings on sivalinga are formed by parasurama as he was doing penance  lord siva has not appeared so parasurama got angry and hit the sivalinga with his axe (that’s why thse carvings formed behind sivalinga) immediately siva appeared and blessed him with the boon as he stays here till end of kaliyuga and cures illness of the devotees.

Main hill Temple Trail

Main temple is located on top of the rock. Earlier people used to climb the rock with support of just ropes and some nails here and there inserted in hill rock. But due to increase in the number of devotees coming to the temple (mainly during amavasya), the authorities have taken measures to see that the maximum number of devotees have darshan of the Lord by building iron stairs around 96 steps (One to reach top & the other to come down).

Still to reach the top of the rock to take darshan you really have to be careful, the way is not as easy as you think. At entrance we see lord ganesh and nandhi idols.It’s narrower and no steps at some places while climbing & you have to put up with filthy and slushy surroundings (scattered broken coconuts, plastic covers etc stuff all over). 

One important thing is we see lots of monkeys but they usually don’t harm us.

Finally after some adventure you will see a small Siva Linga on top of hill (you will feel quite relaxed after seeing this Siva Linga). The Siva Linga was covered with grills on four sides & a thatched roof at the top as cover. From here u can have view of  the whole city which is marvelous.

Temple History

It is assumed that this Siva Linga is the last among 108 Siva Lingas installed by sage Parashuram  to clean his sins for killing Kshatriyas like karthaveeryarjuna and other kings on earth not once but for 21 times. After a blissful darshan of Lord Siva we chanted “om nama sivaya” filled up with full devotion with divine grandeur performed sacred rituals and worships to the diety.

Parvathi devi temple:

There is no temple of paravathi devi on top of hill. At down the hill there is temple for goddess parvathi devi .Entering to temple u will see siva lingam  and left side adjacent to lord siva in wall goddess parvathi was incarnated so devotees cannot enter  into sanctum sanctorum so temple committee arranged  mirror placed side by sivalingam, thru mirror we can see the idol of goddess parvathi.

About temple Jathara /fair:

Usually there is jathara held every year, during these days Kalyanam is performed with religious fervor. At early hours of the day the devotees come all the way to watch the celestial wedding with utmost devotion and reverberated with  chanting of “om nama sivaya“.Baring the excruciating conditions (cold winter/hot summer) locales throng to hill shrine and take holy dip in koneru and take darshan  every amavasya.

Agnigundalu (walk on the burning coal)

The age old practice of walking on burning coal is still practiced in this temple. Agnigundalu is the main event that takes place during Jathara. Gajavahana procession at  evening marks the conclusion of jathara.

Auspicious Day for visit is:

Visit to temple is auspicious during Aamavasya. Devotees from various places visit the lord and do Jagaran in temple  chanting “om nama sivaya” during amavasya and take holy dip in koneru and take darshan of lord next morning after Jagaran.

During  amavasya, karthika-masam, siva-rathri and during jathara, temple is usually thronged with devotees.

Back to Hyderabad!!!!

Finally with lot of Memories we started our journey back to the city.

We could not find a good Dhaba or a restaurant to have food, but there is a subway after 10kms from cheruvugattu but we planned to have our lunch at Tarnaka Swagath but were absolutely disappointed with the taste of the food and the service was horrible.