Hemalapuram (Alampur) is a town situated in
Jogulamba Gadwal district
Jogulamba district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The administrative headquarters of the district is located at Gadwal. The district shares boundaries with Narayanpet, Wanaparthy districts and with the state boundary of Andhra P ...
in the Indian state of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
. Alampur is a popular
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
pilgrimage site in
Shaktism
Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, al ...
and is also home to the
Navabrahma Temples,
a group of nine temples dedicated to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
built in the seventh and eighth century CE. It is the meeting point of the rivers
Tungabhadra and
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
and is referred to as ''Dakshina Kasi'' and is also considered the western gateway to
Srisailam. The sacredness of Alampur is mentioned in the
Skanda Purana. It is surrounded by the
Nallamala hills and is situated on the left bank of the
Tungabhadra river. Alampur was ruled by badami chalukyas they built 9 cluster of shiva temples. After them rashtrakutas of manyakheta and western chalukyas of karnataka built papanasi temples. Alampur is home to hundreds of old Kannada inscriptions because it was ruled by all Kannadiga dynasties like badami chalukyas, Rashtrakutas of manyakheta, western chalukyas of kalyani etc. Alampur contains numerous Hindu temples, the prominent ones being
Jogulamba temple,
Navabrahma temples,
Papanasi temples, and Sangameswara Temple.
Jogulamba temple is one of the eighteen Maha
Shakti Peetha
The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various fo ...
s, which are the most significant
shrines
A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...
and pilgrimage destinations in
Shaktism
Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, al ...
. The
Navabrahma Temples are nine temples dedicated to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
built in the seventh and eighth century CE by the
Badami Chalukyas
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
. The Navabrahma temples are listed as an archaeological and architectural treasure on the official "List of Monuments" prepared by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...
. Papanasi temples are a group of twenty three
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
s dated between 9th- and 11th-century located in Papanasi village, to the south-west of
Alampur. Papanasi temples are close to the
Navabrahma Temples of the
Shaivism
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...
tradition, but were constructed a few centuries later by the
Rashtrakutas
Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...
and Western
Chalukyas
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
.
History
Alampur was under the rule of
Satavahanas, Ikshvakus of
Nagarjunakonda,
Badami Chalukyas
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
,
Rashtrakutas
Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...
,
Kalyani Chalukyas
The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the Deccan Plateau, western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada people, Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalya ...
,
Kakatiyas
The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
,
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
, and the Qutb Shahis of
Golconda
Fort (Telugu: గోల్కొండ, romanized: ''Gōlkōnḍa'') is a historic fortress and ruined city located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was originally called Mankal. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparu ...
. Alampur was previously known as ''Halampuram'', ''Hemalapuram'' and ''Alampuram''. Under the name ''Hatampura'', it was mentioned in an inscription dated to 1101 CE in the reign of
Western Chalukya king
Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI (r. 1076 – 1126 CE) became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Someshvara II, a political move he made by gaining the support of Chalukya vassals during the Chola invasion of Chalukya territory.Sen ( ...
.
Temples
The Alampur ''Navabhrama Temples'' are historically important and reflect remarkable architectural skills. The Alampur temples are listed as an archaeological and architectural treasure on the official "List of Monuments" prepared by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...
under The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. Since the original area of the temples at Alampur became submerged by the Sri Sailam Hydro-electric Project, the temples were relocated to higher ground. The uniqueness of this group of temples lies in their plan and design in the northern architectural style introduced by the Chalukyas of Badami between 650 and 750 CE.
Jogulamba Temple
![Dakshayani](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Dakshayani.jpg)
The
Jogulamba temple is regarded as a Shakti Peetha where
Sati Devi
Sati (, sa, सती, , ), also known as Dakshayani (Sanskrit: दाक्षायणी, IAST: ''Dākṣāyaṇī'', lit. 'daughter of Daksha'), is the Hindu goddess of marital felicity and longevity, and is worshipped as an aspect of the ...
's upper teeth fell.
The mythology of
Daksha yagna and Sati's self immolation is the origin story of
Shakti Peethas
The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various fo ...
. The original temple was grounded by Muslim invaders in 1390 CE. The temple was rebuilt after 615 years.
Shakti Peethas
The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various fo ...
are shrines which are the most divine seats of the Mother Goddess. The body parts of the corpse of
Sati Devi had fallen in these places, when Lord
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
carried it and wandered throughout Aryavartha in sorrow.
Navabrahma Temples
Navabrahma Temples include nine temples dedicated to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
.
These temples date to 7th to 8th century CE and were built by the
Badami Chalukyas
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
rulers who were patrons of art and architecture. The sacredness of Alampur Temple is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. It is mentioned that
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
performed a strict penance here for Lord Siva. Lord Siva appeared before him and blessed him with the powers of creation. Therefore, the name Brahmeswara.
Papanasi Temples
Papanasi temples are a group of twenty three
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
s dated between 9th- and 11th-century located in Papanasi village, to the south-west of
Alampur.
Papanasi temples are close to the
Navabrahma Temples of the
Shaivism
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...
tradition, but were constructed a few centuries later by the
Rashtrakutas
Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...
and Western
Chalukyas
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
. The Papanasi temples exhibit the Nagara architecture with a square plan.
Together with the Navabrahma temples, the Papanasi group were related to the Kalamukha and Pashupata sect of Shaivism.
Sangameswara Temple
Sangameswara is derived from the word Sangam meaning confluence. Hence the temple is also known as Kudavelli Sangameswara Temple. On the basis of a label inscription found in the temple, the temple is dated to pre-
Pulakesin-II (r. 610-642 CE) time period and is the oldest of all the Chalukyan temples at Alampur.
The Kudala Sangameswara temple was originally located at the meeting point of Tungabhadra and Krishna river, north east from the current site. It was shifted to Alampur in 1979 when the original site got submerged due to the construction of
Srisailam dam.
Archaeology Museum
An archaeology museum is situated at the entrance of the Bala Brahma Temple complex. It houses a collection of sculptures and inscriptions recovered from the Navabrahma temples and surroundings of Alampur.
Demographics
The population in 1901 was 30,222, compared with the 27,271 in 1891. Alampur, the headquarters, had a population of 4,182. According to
The Imperial Gazetteer of India
''The Imperial Gazetteer of India'' was a gazetteer of the British Indian Empire, and is now a historical reference work. It was first published in 1881. Sir William Wilson Hunter made the original plans of the book, starting in 1869.< ...
, Alampur was a taluk of
Raichur district,
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
. It has an area of in 43 villages.
India
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, Alampur had a population of 9350. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Alampur has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 64% of the males and 36% of females literate. 16% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Geography
Krishna river separates the taluk from Mahbubnagar district on the North and the
Tungabhadra from Karnataka state. The confluence of these two rivers is situated in the extreme east of the taluk, formerly a
KudavellyVillage. The village was submerged by construction of Srisailam dam. The well known poet Kudavelly Srinivas Rao lived in Kudavelly village and has been documented in
Golkonda Kavula Sanchika Book published in 1934 by
Suravaram Pratapa Reddy
Suravaram Pratapa Reddy (1896—1953) was a social historian from the Hyderabad State (now Telangana), India.
Life
Pratapa Reddy was born on 28 May 1896 in Boravelli village in Gadwal district of erstwhile Hyderabad State.
Bibliography
* ''G ...
.
References
External links
Glory of the past - AlampurGroup of Monuments, Alampur, Andhra Pradesh
{{Hindu Temples in Telangana , state=collapsed
Chalukya dynasty
Shakti Peethas
Buildings on the Indian Archaeological Register
Mandals in Jogulamba Gadwal district
Jogulamba Gadwal district