Kumararama

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Kumararama Bhimesvara Swami Temple, also called Kumararama, is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. It is located in Samalkota (Samarlakota), Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The other Pancharama temples are Amararama at Amaravati, Draksharama at Draksharam, Ksheerarama at Palakollu, and Somarama at Bhimavaram.

The temple was built by the Chalukyas between 892 and 922 CE. It features a tall limestone Shiva Linga near 16 feet high that rises from the floor and even reaches toward the second level, a 100-pillared mandapam, and a guard figure of Ekasila Nandi at the entrance. The Koneti mantap stands to the east, and a Pushkarni lake named Koneru is nearby. The temple is similar to Draksharama and is known for its white Linga. It is a National Heritage Site.

Over the centuries, later rulers such as the Kakatiyas (1340–1466) and Musunuri Nayaks added and refined the pillars. Inscriptions from 1147–1494 record gifts to the temple. The goddess Bala Tripura Sundari is revered here, along with Kala Bhairava. Maha Sivarathri is the main festival; daily Abhisheka is performed during Kartika and Margashira months, and a major celebration (Kalyana Mahotsam) occurs around Magha Bahula Ekadashi. Temple timings are 6:00 am–12:00 pm and 4:00–8:00 pm. Nearby attractions include Draksharama, Annavaram, Thalupulamma Thalli, and Rajahmundry. APSRTC runs a 24-hour Pancharama circuit tour starting on Sundays from 8:00 pm, covering all five temples; the fare is around Rs 350 and includes darshan. Nearby other temples include Mandavya Narayana Swamy and the Trimukha Lingam Temple in Samalkot.