At the foot of Erra Buruzu, there are two ancient temples for Goddess Yellamma - One is Pedda Yellamma temple (on the South-eastern side) and the other one is chinna Yellamma temple (on the North-eastern side).| SAPTHAGIRI - June 2003 | ||
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Kurnool city lies on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is the headquarters of the mandal, the revenue division and the district of the same name. It was the capital of Andhra State from 1 October, 1953 to 31 October, 1956.
In pre-historic times, Kurnool formed a part of Dandakaranya forest and Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana came to this part of the country in search of Sri Sita. The famous Chinese traveller Hieuntsang, on his way to Kanchi, passed through Kurnool.
The name Kurnool is said to have been derived from Kandenavolu Regarding Kandanavolu (a Telugu name by which it is referred to in the inscriptions and literature of the past), there is an interesting legend. According to the legend, in the time of the Western Chalukyas of Badami in the 11 Century A.D., the Vadderas who carted stones of the construction of the temples at Alampur (also known as Dakshina Kasi in Mahaboobnagar District) used the site on which the city now stands as a halting place before crossing the Tungabhadra and greased their cart-wheels with oil, locally supplied by some of the oil mongers and called the place Kandenametta. This circumstance led to the formation of a small settlement on the spot which subsequently came to be known as Kandenapalli, Kandenolu and Kandenavolu, the city of Kandena or grease. It is also interesting to note that the site which was used as a halting place by the Vadderas in those days is still known as Bandla Metta (Bandla means carts; Metta means headquarters or halting place), a street in the Old Kurnool city.
In some of the inscriptions, Kurnool is referred to as Kannadu or Karu Nadu (Karu means black; Nadu means territory). Some scholars argue that Kurnool derived its name from Kallu which means stone and Nadu which means territory.
Kurnool is also said to have been derived from Skandanavolu, the city of Skanda or Kumaraswamy. The worship of Skanda in Andhradesha is very ancient. The cities were also named after Skanda, the chief God of war of the devas.
Erra Buruzu (Erra means red; Buruzu means watch-tower) one of the ruined fortifications of the Kurnool Fort is now in the heart of Kurnool (adjacent to Victory Talkies). It is so called because it was built with red sand-stone. It is circular in form (nearly 300 ft. in width) and was surrounded by a moat in the past. It is connected by a flight of steps.
From the sculptural evidence, it can be presumed that this Buruzu which formed a part of the Kurnool Fort was built by the Vijayanagara rulers and it played a significant role in history during the successive dynasties.
At the foot of Erra Buruzu, there are two ancient temples for Goddess Yellamma - One is Pedda Yellamma temple (on the South-eastern side) and the other one is chinna Yellamma temple (on the North-eastern side).
According to a tradition, the Madigas (a sect of the Harijans) used to offer prayers at Pedda Yellamma temple and the Malas (another sect of Harijans) at Chinna Yellama temple. But Mala Veedhi (street) is now completely cut off from this Erra Buruzu area due to the growth of Kurnool town and so only the Madigas perform pujas even in this Chinna Yellamma temple.
Both the temples are now renovated and new idols were installed inside the temples. In the case of Pedda Yellamma temple, the sculptural remains of the original idol of Goddess Yellamma (like the left leg which is nearly 12 inches in length and the bust of the Goddess) are still preserved. Daily pujas are offered in both the temples. Local people strongly believe that there is a hidden treasure in this Erra Buruzu.
Goddess Kali or Parvathi or Sakthi is commonly known as Renuka Yellamma, Jambulamma, Sankulamma, Poleramma, Maremma etc., in the districts of Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra and as Nalla Pochamma, Katta Mysamma, Pochamma, Mysamma, Muthyalamma, Peddamma in the districts of Telangana.
Animal Sacrifice had been the social custom of the people since time immemorial. Buffalo (or Devara Dunnapothu as it is called in Telugu) is known to be offered to propitiate Goddess Yellamma. This is corroborated by the sculptural representations of a buffalo and Goddess Yellamma (Boddu Devara as local people call it) on the walls of this Erra Buruzu. This is the most striking specimen of architecture to casual visitor or a student of History and Archaeology.
The walls of Erra Buruzu stand out for their architectural finesse and historical importance.
Royal swan and some other sculptures which are disfigured due to the ravages of time.
The origin of the Sunkulamma or Yellamma Jatra is based on the following legend, which is sung by the Byneni and Asadivandlu when they dance before the (images) Goddess.
Sunkulamma was the only daughter of a learned Brahmin Pandit, who occasionally took pupils and instructed them in the Hindu sastras gratuitously. One day, a handsome youth of 16 years came to the pandit, and announcing himself as the son of a Brahmin of Benares came in quest of knowledge, requested that he might be enlisted as a pupil of the pandit.
The pandit not doubting the statement of the youth that he was a Brahmin, took him as a pupil and looked him in his own house. The lad soon displayed marks of intelligence, and by close application to his studies made such rapid progress that he became the principal favourite of his master, who was so much pleased with him that at the close of his studies, he married him to his daughter Sunkulamma.
The unknown youth stayed with his father-in-law till he became father of some children. When he requested permission to return to his native place with his wife and children, which was granted he accordingly started on his homeward journey. On the way, he met a party of "Mala" (a sect of Harijans) people, who, recognising him at once as a man of their own caste and a relation, accosted him and began to talk to him familiarly,
Finding it impossible to conceal the truth from his wife any longer, the husband of Sunkulamma confessed to her that he was a 'Mala' by caste, and being moved by a stray desire to learn the Hindu Shastras, which he was forbidden to read, he disguised himself as a Brahmin youth and introduced himself to her father and compassed his object, and as what had been done in respect to her could not be undone, the best thing she could do was to stay with him with her children. Sunkulamma, however, was not to be so persuaded. Indignant at the treachery practised on her and her parent, she spurned both her husband and children.
Returning to her village, she sent for her parent, whose house she would not pollute by going in, and asked him what he would do with a pot defiled by the touch of a dog. The father replied he would commit it to the flames to purify it. Taking the hint, she caused a funeral pyre to be created and committed suicide by throwing herself into the flames. But before doing so, she cursed the treacherous 'Mala' who had polluted her that he might become a bufallo and his children turn into sheep, and vowed she would revive as an evil spirit and have him and his children sacrficed to her, and get his leg put into his mouth and a light placed on his head fed with his own fat.
This Siva temple is situated on the banks of the river Tungabhadra (adjacent to Gopala Darwaza). It is facing the east and is now renovated. It is believed that the construction of this temple coincides with the foundation of Kurnool as the very name Nagareswaraswamy (presididng deity of Kurnool city) indicated. The Chalukyas of Badami who ruled over Kurnool in the eleventh century might have constructed this temple. It may be mentioned here that it was the Chalukyas who built the famous Saivite temples at Alampur (now in Mahaboobnagar district,) popularly known as Dakshina Kasi. Sri Ramallakota Ramanatha Sastry (Head priest of Sri Nagareswaraswamy temple) and his family members maintain that a copper plate inscription was found beneath the Siva Linga (when repairs were undertaken) and it is 1000 year old.
It is adjacent to the Nagareswaraswamy temple and is facing the south. Local people say that Sri Vyasa Raya might have consecrated the idol of Anjaneya during the Vijayanagara period.
It is in between the Nagareswaraswamy temple and Anjaneya temple. This temple is also believed to be an ancient temple as Sunkulamma (an avatar of Goddess Parvathi) was the presiding deity of the then Kandenavolu.
It is located on the banks of Tungabhadra river and abutting the ramparts of the fort at Kurnool. It is near Madhwa Street and is facing the east. It is believed taht the Vijayanagara Emperors built this temple. It is now renovated and is maintained by the Mathadhipathi of Sri Raghavendra swamy Mutt at Mantralayam.
There are three ancient temples maintained within the premises of the Matham in the fort areas. Sri P.G. Rama Murthy and Sri Ananda Tirtha are maintaining the temples here.
This ancient temple is located in the old city of Kurnool. Sri Tirupati Srinivasaswamy car festival is celebrated annually for 5 days during Margasiramasam (November-December).
It is said that the Venugopalaswamy temple in the fort area and the Siva temple on the banks of the Handri River were destroyed by successive rulers. Between Bandlametta street and Kummari streeet, there was a garden popularly known as Chhatri Bagh on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. Here we find ruins of temples mostly saivite.
The stellar or star-shaped temple is on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is popularly known as the Shirdi of the south.
Sri Satyanarayana swamy temple or Birla Mandir and Bala Sai Mandir (adjacent to Shirdi Sai Temple) are other tourist attractions.
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