Jonnawada

Jonnawada is a temple town 12 km Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. This is famous for Sri Mallikarjuna swamy and Kamakshi amma temple. In tretayuga Mahamuni Kasyapa Brahma performed yagna and pleased Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy thus this place is named as ‘Yagnavatika Jonnawada’. Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Kamakhsi tai grant to the innumerable devotes their desires, as their God head. Since then he continues conferring boons and his blessings on his devotees. This temple is constructed in the year 1150( Tretayuga). The goddess Kamkshi is belived as an incarnation of Shakti. A ‘Sri Chakram’ was installed here by Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya. Brahma Rushi Sri Kashyap Mahamuni visited Bhoolokam (The Earth) and wanted to perform Yagna and chosen north of vedadri as Yagna Vatika (place to perform yagna) After successful completion of the Yagna a bright light appeared. It has spread over the whole bhoolokam. Later Lord Eswara appeared as Lord Mallikarjuna, who came out from fire of Yagna.

Kalyanotsavam puja for Mallikarjuna swamy and Ammavaru was long pending for us. So we thought to go over there to perform the puja during the Karthika masam(during November).

The puja at temple was around 10 am so we started early from Gudur around 7 am. Jonnawada is around 50 km from Gudur. Our in-law's family also joined us for this trip.

We reached Jonnawada around 8am and went for dharshan and Kshirabisheka for Mallikarjuna swamy. It was around 9 am when the dharshan was completed. Then we spent time on verifying boards available in the temple about Dhwadasa (12) Jyothirlinga temples dedicated to lord Shiva and Astadasa (18) shakthi peethams dedicated to Ammavaru. I counted and wondered to see that I have already visited almost one third of them. Mean while Amma and wife lit Karthika deepam in the temple.

Then the Kalyanotsvam started. It took around 1 hour to complete the puja. Then we went around seeing Pennar river. It was hot afternoon so we did not go to the river for the dip. Then we started our journey back to Gudur. We initially thought to go to Nellore city to have lunch at Murali krishna Hotel. But due to time constraints had lunch at a hotel in Reliance petrol bunk in the highway. The food was just Okay, not upto the expectations.

Accomodation - Average - Some TTD Managed rooms are available

Food - Below Average except Temple's Annadhana facility

Transportation - Self, No regular buses available. Some Autos are running from Nellore

Other places to see nearby - Narasimha Konda is another temple dedicated to Lakshminarasimha swami is around 3 to 4 km from Jonnawada. We could not visit this place this time. I visited this place long back during 1999. It was a nice experience to trek this small hill. Even a road is available to reach the top of the hill.

Vedagiri Lakshmimarasimha Swamy devastanam came into being nearly 500 years ago, on the summit of Narasimhakonada. According to the rock inscriptions, this temple was built by the Pallava king Narsimha Varma in the ninth century. Legend goes that the sage Kasyapa established the temple on the bank of Pennar. And the Vedic scripture “Brahmapurana” reveals that the Saptarishis performed “yagnam” on the top of Narasimhakonda.