Vishnu Temples Get Ready for Vaikunta Ekadashi

Hyderabad: Hidden in the lanes of Badangpet, the 400-year-old Sri Padmavathi Alamelu Manga Sametha Sri Venkateswara Swamy Swayambhu temple is decked up for Vaikunta Ekadasi scheduled for Tuesday. At the temple, also known as the Kashi Bugga temple, Lord Venkateswara is worshipped along with a Shiva Lingam in the same sanctorum.

According to temple priest Chakravarthula Madan Mohana Charyulu, the deity is an Ekashila Vigraham (idol) facing the northeast and the Shiva Lingam is present on the Varada Hastam of Lord Venkateswara.

The temple, which dates back to four centuries, was constructed by Chakravarthula Raghavacharyulu, who could not travel to Tirumala for darshan.

There are inscriptions related to the temple construction. However, they disappeared with frequent colourings, said another priest, Jagan Mohana Charyulu.

Until about 15 years ago, water used to flow in the Pushkarani called Kashi Bugga and reach the agricultural fields and the lakes of Meerpet and Jillelguda. With the rapid development of the colonies, the water flow has stopped completely.

The Shiva temple constructed later is worshipped as Annapurna Devi Sametha Kashi Bugga Sri Visweswara Swamy, as the Lingam resembles the one at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

According to elders of the area, people in the city reached the area during the plague outbreak and took a bath in the Koneru and returned home healthy.