Pattiseema Temple

Introduction to the Pattiseema Temple

Pattiseema, also known as Pattisam, is located on a Devakuta hill. This famous Pattiseema Temple, or Sri Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, is in the Polavaram Mandal of West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. Pattiseema Temple is one of the Pancha Bhavanarayana Kshetras mentioned in the Skanda Purana. The other four temples are in Kedarnath, Kasi, Sri Kalahasthi, and Srisailam. Pattisam Veerabhadra Temple is another name for it. It is an island on the River Godavari.

Legend of the Pattiseema Temple

According to legends, Daksha failed to invite his daughter Sati and her husband, Shiva, to the Yagna he conducted. Sati went to the Yagna without Shiva's permission and Daksha's invitation. When Sati asked her father why they were not invited, Daksha insulted Shiva and Sati in front of his guests. Sati was disgraced and jumped into the sacred fire of the Yagna and self-immolated.

Hearing about Sati's death, Shiva became enraged. He plucked a lock of hair from his head, split it into two strands, and threw them on the ground. Veerabhadra and Bhadrakali emerged out of the two strands. Shiva ordered Veerabhadra to ruin the Yagna and kill Daksha. Veerabhadra destroyed the Yagna and killed Daksha. But his rage was unabated even after killing Daksha.

Rishi Agastya embraced Veerabhadra to calm him down. Then, Agastya requested that Veerabhadra settle down on the hillock. Veerabhadra agreed and settled down on the hillock in the form of Shivalinga. Agastya also collected the unbraided long hair and tied it on the forehead of Veerabhadra. It is now in the form of a Shiva Linga.

The Architecture of the Pattiseema Temple

The Pattiseema Temple is on a small island in the middle of the Godavari River. It can only be reached by boat. A big Hanuman statue is at the Pattiseema boating point.

Reddy Raju kings built the temple in the 12th century. The temple has a beautiful Nandi. Carved images of dancing folks adorn the walls of the temple. Veerabhadra Swamy and Bhadrakali are the presiding deities of the Pattiseema Temple. Veerabhadra is an incarnation of Shiva.

On the request of Agastya, Veerabhadra settled here with his consort Bhadrakali, while Shri Bhavannarayana Swamy is the Kshetra Palak of Pattiseema Temple along with his consort Bhu Neela Devi. Durga is in the form of Mahishasura Mardini, and Kanaka Durga is the Grama Devata (village deity) of Pattiseema Temple. Visitors worship Anistree and Punistree for progeny blessings.

The main sub-shrine is Lakshmi Sahitha Sri Bhavannarayana Swamy, one of the five Bhavannarayana Swamy temples in Andhra Pradesh. A massive sculpture of Bhadrakali with ornaments and a sword is in the Pattiseema Temple.

Sita Ramabhadra Swamy temple, Kala Bhairava temple, Subramanya Swamy, Saraswati, Lakshmi Ganapathi, Surya Narayana Swamy, and Sri Thandava Veerabhadra Swamy are the other deities in the Pattiseema Temple.

There is a hill called 'Elephant Hill' where Sri Maha Vishnu gave salvation to an elephant mentioned in Gajendra Moksha.

Festivals in the Pattiseema Temple

Mahashivratri, Kalyanam of Shiva on Bhishma Ekadashi, and Karthikai Masam are grandly celebrated in the Pattiseema Temple. On Mahashivratri, approximately a lakh pilgrims visit the Pattiseema Temple. Thousands of devotees come here during the annual Pattiseema Pushkaram festival.