Sri Chandi Annapurna Seva Samithi

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In January of 2002, I was staying in Railway Quarter No. 675/2, now being dismantled in North Lallaguda, Secunderabad. When I arrived at my quarter for lunch, A STRANGER AND AGED but ROBUST man around 80 years was sitting in the first room and my wife introduced him.

Late Sri K.Vijaya Sarathy

He is the person who converted his blood to sweat with dedication for Twenty Long Years and could bring the temple to present state, even ignoring self, family members and everything, other than temple.Villagers arranged this in gratitude after his sad demise. He is permanently in the hearts of the Villagers

The World of Miracles

Then he went into details that, by name he is Krishna Swamy Iyer, Retired Vigilance Inspector, New Delhi, and also “Narasimha Upasaka” and on instructions of HIS SISTER, Parvathi, he has come to explain me about this. He continued that, in that village, in our forefathers house, MOTHER GODDESS ANNAPURNAMMA was roaming like a girl child and now that temple which our forefathers served, had reached collapsing state.Immediately I questioned him,
“Why are you restricting Mother to a village when she is present everywhere?
He replied with a mind blowing answer, you are feeding all MOTHERS and STARVING your OWN MOTHER. He continued, immediately you go and see your Mother as she is very much annoyed for her kids not seen her and not taking care of her.

Immediately I called my brother Late Sri K.Vijaya Sarathy, who passed away on 24.9.2020, Durgaashtami of Adhika Aswayuja 2020. He was also a Railway Employee, who took Voluntary Retirement from Railways as Sr.Section Section and settled in Bapatla. He referred our “Vamsa Vruksha” maintained by my father and told me that, Yes, what he said was correct and our ancestors migrated to Vijayawada three generations back,from a village by Name “ITIKAMPADU”, (the name which I used to hear from my father) in Ponnuru Mandal, Guntur Dist. Andhra Pradesh,So, my Father and probably my Grand Father were also not aware of this village.When I asked why this matter is coming to light during our generation, then, he said, this generation is privileged to serve her again. He strongly recommended us to immediately to visit Mother at the earliest and went away.

All the discussion and details will be voluminous and supersede a fantasy novel, so I am restricting myself to bare minimum.Out of curiosity, I made a phone call to paternal side lady and she revealed that she is from that ITIKAMPADU, with parents (Dhara) and also surprisinngly, husband side also from the same village with Konduri, our surname (It is rare for a lady having both paternal and husband side same place and that too making my first confirmation call to that lady making my first confirmation call made after decades, went to her). She revealed that Yes, there is a Annapurna and Kasi Visweswara Swamy temple and all the first girl child of that village is in general named as Annapurna. She too confirmed that the temple is now in about to collapse stage.

Our Story

Curiosity developed and as per the given guidelines and precautions, along with family I went to Bapatla and by picking up brother’s family, searching that village , reached ITIKAMPADU after three generations. In North East of the village, found, the said once Madicheruvu (The Sacred Tank) and Old temple in ready to collapse state.

The Lord Ganapati statue was in disturbed state (reportedly by miscreants in search of treasures) but Lord Kasi Visveswara Swamy’s BANA LINGA and smiling GODDESS, Mother Annapurna were not disturbed so intact.

Local people started coming and were happy to see us. A old person by name Sri Gullapally Narasayya Garu also came and confirmed that many lands were disposed by our ancestors and migrated. He also told that the presently school land and nearby lands were of our ancestors.

Came to know that, since there is no proper local maintenance, the temple went to the department of Endowments.
Local elders revealed that this village was once Agraharam of Brahmins, with nearby located and demarcated two areas for others.
Presently only four local Brahmin families are there, Konduri, Dhara, Jonnalagadda, Valluri and Gullapalli.

The present (including once) natives of this village are In Naidus – Talluri, Paalepu, Mekala, Kota, Surisetti, Pasupuleti, Panditi, Katakamchetti, Muttireddi, Kamisetti, Ikkurti, Vishnumolakala, Chilukula, Amirineni, Nunna, Maturaju, Aakisetti, Chintaa, Neeli, Nanduru, Sanku and some others In Yadavas – Bontagarla, Taadiboyina, Kukkala, Tupaakula, Minchaala and others In Vysya – Chunduri, Muvvala and others In Brahmins – Konduri (Ours), Gullapalli, Jonnalagadda, Dhara, Kowtha, Acchutuni, Malladi, Vadlamudi, Valluri, Pannaala and others. Most of the Brahmin families migrated to cities, disposing their lands to local Naidus and Yadavs who were too reportedly, migrated to this village long back.

Miracles happened after our first visit.

On our return to city, again the same Uapasaka again visited our house and said “MOTHER GODDESS IS VERY HAPPY BY SEEING HER CHILDREN”, i.e. our family. As per his guidelines, decided to renovate this “OUR” temple, with absolute excitement and Pleasure but not with Pressure, which is nothing but an Herculean Task.

I hope all of you agree with me that, doing a small Puja / Vratam in our own house, requires extra efforts, imagine, renovating a old temple far away, is it easy?

Being an Engineer, my brother Late Shri Konduri Vijaya Sarathy garu had taken the initiative. I can’t count, how many times he visited from his own house at Bapatla to this Temple, covering an approximate distance of around 20 Kms with cumbersome transport. It is most appropriate to mention here that, myself, my brother and all of our family members felt that we ALL, including ALL OF US AND THIS GENERATION are blessed and privileged to take part in this great Yagna, so, I personally feel that, there is no need to mention about any efforts that are put by us in this great and blessed Religious Mission that too ON HER CALL.

Historical People

I am proud and very happy to mention here that

Shri Balijepalli Lakshmi Kantam Kavi Garu, the author of Harischandra Natakam/Drama was from this Village and
Shri Kowtha Yagna Naarayana Sarma Garu, was the Engineer, who was popular for his role in laying the Second Ghat Road of Tirupati to Tirumala.
The great sculptor, Shri Konkipudi Gurunadham Garu and his son Konkipudi Pullayya Garu, both were very famous in those days, who had sculptured the famous Nandi in Srisailam.
This village has given birth to many artists and great people.

Sri Chandi Annapurna seva Samithi

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Sri Annapurna Sametha Kasi Visweswara Temple,Itikampadu,Guntur Dist,Andhra Pradesh. Donate for the good cause and get the blessings of Goddess Annapurna

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Sri Chandi Annapurna Seva Samiti
Itikampadu
Punnuru Mandal
Guntur Dist
Andhra Pradesh