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Situated in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, Kotappakonda is a holy hill which is considered sacred by many visitors and locals. It is approximately located at a 30-minute drive from the city of Narasaraopet and a little more than an hour’s drive from the city of Guntur. The Kotappakonda Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and a grand festival is also celebrated annually, which is known as Thirunallu Festival. Several lakh devotees participate in this event. The hill is named after the trinity of Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, thus it is known as Trikoteswara Swamy. The particular shrine is grand and measures 1587 ft.
As per popular belief, the daughters of Prajapati Daksha married the Devas. However, the younger out of the daughters named Sati decided to marry Lord Shiva even though she did not have her father’s consent. The relationship of Daksha and his son-in-law Lord Shiva were always strained. When Prajapati Daksha performed a Yajna, he invited all the gods and goddesses but did not invite his son-in-law Lord Shiva to be a part of the proceedings.
When she got the knowledge about the Yajna, Sati decided to go to her father’s house, even though she was previously prohibited from doing this. She was scolded here, and she decided to immolate herself in the fire. When Shiva got news of this, he got very angry and ordered Veerbhadra to stop the Yajna. Veerbhadra did as instructed and, along with the help of Kaali and other Gods, ended the Yajna and killed Prajapati Daksha. Lord Shiva performed penance on himself at the hill, which we now know as Maheshwara Sikhara, to get peace of mind.
Thereafter, to make sure that Lord Shiva is back where he belonged, the Kailash. Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma did penance on 2 other hills. The wish was granted by Lord Shiva. Following this, Lord Vishnu suggested performing Abhishekam, and to do this, Lord Shiva pierced the mountain with the help of his Trishul and gave rise to a pool. This became holy Tirtha, and Lord Vishnu took a holy bath in this water. It is now believed that if one takes a bath in this holy water, one is free from all his sins.
There is another legend that people have been known to believe. Anandavalli was a devotee of Lord Shiva who used to perform Abhishekam on the Shiva Linga on the hill. It is believed that at a time when it got difficult for Anandavalli to walk long distances, she prayed to Lord Shiva to reside at her home. Lord Shiva accepted her prayers upon one condition, that if she turns, Shiva will manifest at that location. When Shiva set foot on the Brahma Sikhara, he made a huge sound, which got Anandavalli to worry and she turned. Lord Shiva manifested right there and Anandavalli also turned into a statue.
The temple remains open throughout the day. Temple opens at 6 am and Abhishekam is performed from 6 am to 12.15 pm. After some more proceedings, the temple closes from 1.30 pm to 3 pm. Then the temple reopens at 3 pm and Astottaram and Sarva Darshan are performed at 8 pm. The timings may be different on special days, like Navratri and Siva Ratri. During the annual festival, there is a heavy rush in the temple and one should be prepared for long waiting hours.
The summers tend to get quite hot and humid at Kotappakonda Temple. Monsoons also retain the humidity and thus is not the ideal time to visit Kotappakonda Temple. The best time to visit is during the winter season when the weather is relaxing and pleasant. Thus, the perfect time for a visit to Kotappakonda Temple is from October to March. During these months, the temperatures range between 25 degrees and thirty-two degrees.
Apart from the weather, there is another factor that might impact when one must go to Kotappakonda Temple. It is the annual festival that is held during Mahashivratri, which sees lakhs of devotees visiting the temple from different corners of the country. However, from 2019, this festival has been converted to the Hill Festival, which will mean that there will be better arrangements and even more devotees will be expected. In 2018, the festival was a huge success. There is a carnival-like atmosphere on the eve of the festival, and you can hear chants of Har Har Mahadev wherever you go in the area during that time. There are several Prabhalus which are installations made of bamboo and decorated with cloth and paper. Some of these can go as tall as 60-70 feet, thereby becoming a sight to behold. If you’re visiting Kotappakonda Temple, you should also consider planning your visit around the Hill Festival.
Kotappakonda itself is not very easily accessible. However, one may choose to reach one of the nearby popular cities from which it is easy to reach Kotappakonda. There are regular taxis as well as buses that can help you reach Kotappakonda and you can also decide to drive down to the Kotappakonda Temple.
Reaching Kotappakonda Temple by Air: The nearest airport from Kotappakonda is in Hyderabad, which is also the capital city of Telangana and the erstwhile capital city of Andhra Pradesh. It takes approximately 5 hours to reach Kotappakonda Temple from the airport and the distance is approximately 270 km. From Hyderabad, there are numerous flights to different parts of the country. One can catch any of the regular flights to Hyderabad from the primary cities of Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. There is also an airport in Vijayawada, which can be reached in about 2.5 hours and is 116 km away from the temple. However, flights are not as regular from Vijayawada as they are from Hyderabad.
Reaching Kotappakonda Temple by Rail: Less than 100 km from Kotappakonda Temple and reachable in just a 2-hour drive is Vijayawada Railway Station, which is a popular mode of transport among the pilgrims visiting the temple. Closer to the temple, the Narasaraopet Railway Station is located at a distance of under 20 km and can be reached in just 30 minutes. However, this railway station does not connect with as many cities as Vijayawada does. Of course, if one wishes to travel from distant corners of the country, one can always board a train to Hyderabad which is reachable in 5 hours from Kotappakonda Temple.
Reaching Kotappakonda Temple by Road: Direct buses are available between Kotappakonda Temple and both Vijayawada and Narasaraopet. One can also choose to hire taxis, which might cost a little more but will help you reach faster and make the travel convenient. However, since the road is not very busy, one is suggested to make the road journey during the day only.
The distance of Kotappakonda Temple from Major Cities
Kotappakonda Temple to Vijayawada: 99 km (approx. 2 hours)
Kotappakonda Temple to Hyderabad: 270 km (approx. 5 hours)
Kotappakonda Temple to Machilipatnam: 165 km (approx. 3 hours)
Kotappakonda Temple to Khammam: 181 km (approx. 4 hours)
Although this area is only known for the temple, there are plenty of other places to be during your visit to Kotappakonda Temple. Some of these are religious places, while some have purely scenic value. Some of the cities you can consider visiting are:
There are several temples and other places of attraction in Vijayawada. Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam, Undavalli Caves, Bhavani Island, Paritala Anjaneya Swami Temple, and Gandhi Hill are some of the attractions of Vijayawada. It is a fairly accessible place to be, and most of the people visiting Kotappakonda Temple while connecting through Vijayawada. Thus, one can plan on spending a couple of nights here before moving on to Kotappakonda Temple.
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At a distance of approximately 90 km and reachable in about 3 hours are Nallamala Hills. The hills are very beautiful and one gets to witness different aspects of natural scenery, as there is a water body, jungle as well as expansive terrain here. One may plan to visit here for a day trip during their visit to Kotappakonda Temple.
At about 145 km, reachable in about 4 hours by car or bus, is Chirala, the beach town closest to Kotappakonda Temple. Like Kotappakonda, there are temples including Durga Devi Temple, Sivalayam Temple, etc. However, there are also beaches in this town which can help you relax during your stay. There are also resorts in the area, further upping the relaxation quotient in the town.
Several people visit Kotappakonda Temple from all over the country, as it is one of the most revered temples of Lord Shiva in the entire country. However, once you’ve offered prayers, you should explore the area as well as visit the nearby cities for the best experience.
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April 15, 2024 
