Ventrapragada
Encyclopedia
Ventrapragada is a village in Krishna District
in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
. Ventrapragada is situated 30 km from Vijayawada
and 9 km from Gudivada
.
The neighbouring villages are Kalavapamula
, Mudunuru
, Vanapamula
, Cheruvukommu and Nandamuru.
The famous ancient temple
of Sri
Nameswara Swamy (Lord Siva) is here. Nowhere else in the world is Lord Siva called with this name or has a temple with this name. The sivalingam in this temple has Namam
(which is uncommon for Siva) and hence the name. It is told that the lingam is so long and deep-rooted that the end has not been found, but there is a well in the temple, the depth of which is said to be a measure of how deep the lingam was seen when it was first discovered.
For many generations there has been a strong belief that couples or women who pray for children get their wish fulfilled – they then name the child Nameswara rao, Nameshwari, Namesh etc. There is a strong belief that those who want to have children or get married or wish for anything, do 108 pradakshina
s around the temple in a period of 1–3 months or 108 days.
The village also has a newly constructed Ramalayam (temple of Rama
) opposite to the Nameswara Swamy temple. This is only the second such place in the world to have Shiva
and Vishnu
temples facing each other exactly. This rare structure makes this village a famous pilgrim place in the Krishna District.
In the temple there are idols of Veerabhadra
swami
and his wife; he is believed to be guardian of the village.
The festivals of Shivaratri, Srirama navami
, Dussera, and Sankranthi
fill the temple with pilgrims. Sankranthi is celebrated at harvest time, and it is traditional to decorate the village with rangoli
s.
This village also has an ancient famous temple of Shirdi Sai Baba.
The village has a bus station and an old railway station. Villagers here grow rice, wheat, sugar cane, and many vegetable crops. The village has a stream of the Krishna River
flowing through it, which is mainly used for agricultural purposes; the stream provides irrigation for about 1000 acres (4 km²).
Krishna district
Krishna District is a district of India's Andhra Pradesh state. It is named after the Krishna River, the third longest river that flows within India, flows through the district and joins Bay of Bengal here in this district. It has a population of 4,529,009 of which 32.08% is urban as of...
in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. Ventrapragada is situated 30 km from Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
and 9 km from Gudivada
Gudivada
Gudivada is a census town in Krishna district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a mandal headquarters with more than 100,000 inhabitants, lying as junction of Vijayawada-Machilipatnam-Bhimavaram-Nuzvid-Eluru in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh of...
.
The neighbouring villages are Kalavapamula
Kalavapamula
Kalavapamula is a village in Krishna District in Andhra Pradesh. Kalavapamula is situated 28 km from Vijayawada.The neighborhood of the village are Vemanda, Indupally, Nandamuru, Rajupet, Katuru, Bollapadu, Mudunuru and Ventrapragada....
, Mudunuru
Mudunuru
Mudunuru is a village in Vuyyuru mandal of Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India.Indian Independence activist Anne Anjaiah was born in this village.-Demographics:...
, Vanapamula
Vanapamula
Vanapamula is a village in Krishna district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. it is at 8 km distance from Gudiwada and 35 km from Vijayawada. There are two famous temples here;1.Sri venkateswra devastanam and 2.sivalayam. about 5000 people live there. It is also near a smaller...
, Cheruvukommu and Nandamuru.
The famous ancient temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
of Sri
Sri
Sri , also transliterated as Shri or Shree or shre is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in the Indian subcontinent as polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." in written and spoken language, or as a title of veneration for deities .-Etymology:Sri has the root meaning of radiance, or...
Nameswara Swamy (Lord Siva) is here. Nowhere else in the world is Lord Siva called with this name or has a temple with this name. The sivalingam in this temple has Namam
Namam
Namam may refer to:*Sricharanam, identification mark of Sri Vaishnavites and Iyengars*Thirunamam, used by Ayyavali...
(which is uncommon for Siva) and hence the name. It is told that the lingam is so long and deep-rooted that the end has not been found, but there is a well in the temple, the depth of which is said to be a measure of how deep the lingam was seen when it was first discovered.
For many generations there has been a strong belief that couples or women who pray for children get their wish fulfilled – they then name the child Nameswara rao, Nameshwari, Namesh etc. There is a strong belief that those who want to have children or get married or wish for anything, do 108 pradakshina
Pradakshina
Pradakshina or Pradakshinam , meaning circumambulation, consists of walking around in a 'circle' as a form of worship in Hindu ceremonies in India. The devotees walk around the sanctum sanctorum, the innermost chamber of the shrine housing the temple deity. It is done around sacred fire , trees and...
s around the temple in a period of 1–3 months or 108 days.
The village also has a newly constructed Ramalayam (temple of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
) opposite to the Nameswara Swamy temple. This is only the second such place in the world to have Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
temples facing each other exactly. This rare structure makes this village a famous pilgrim place in the Krishna District.
In the temple there are idols of Veerabhadra
Veerabhadra
Veerabhadra is a Telugu film released on 29 April 2006 and was directed by AS Ravi Kumar Chowdary. Balakrishna plays the lead role. For the first time, Tanushree Dutta appears in a Telugu film. Sada plays the Second Heroine in the movie.One of the Biggest disasters of Tollywood and Bala krrishna...
swami
Swami
A swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
and his wife; he is believed to be guardian of the village.
The festivals of Shivaratri, Srirama navami
Srirama Navami
Srirama Navami is an upcoming Tollywood film directed by Sri Vasu of Lakshyam fame. The film stars Jr. NTR, Trisha Krishnan and Tamanna Bhatia in lead roles. The film is produced by Dil Raju.According to reliable sources, the film will start shooting from October, 2008....
, Dussera, and Sankranthi
Sankranthi
Makar Sankranti or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi on its celestial path...
fill the temple with pilgrims. Sankranthi is celebrated at harvest time, and it is traditional to decorate the village with rangoli
Rangoli
Rangoli is a traditional decorative folk art from India. These are decorative designs made on floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals and are meant as sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed on through the ages, from each generation to...
s.
This village also has an ancient famous temple of Shirdi Sai Baba.
The village has a bus station and an old railway station. Villagers here grow rice, wheat, sugar cane, and many vegetable crops. The village has a stream of the Krishna River
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
flowing through it, which is mainly used for agricultural purposes; the stream provides irrigation for about 1000 acres (4 km²).