About the Temple
Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Vari Devasthanam located at Annavaram, Andhra Pradesh is a two-leveled complex. The shrine resembles to Ratham or chariot with four wheels at the four corners. The Chariot shaped temple portrays the seven lokas. The lord in the centre depicts that he pervades the entire universe and the wheels represents the Sun and the Moon.
The main idol of Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swami with his consort Ananthalakshmi Satyavathi Ammavaru and other deities are installed on the upper floor. The ground floor has a unique Yantra containing core letters or Beejaksharas which is based on the Tripada Vibhuti.The Sanctum sanctorum of the Lord has four entrances with a dias, similar to the one found under Shiva Lingam. On the top of the dias, a huge pillar stands on which the idols of Sri Veera Venkata Narayana Swami with his consort and a Shiva lingam can be seen adorned with gold body armour.
On the ground, the idols of Aditya, Goddess Ambika, Lord Ganapati and Lord Maheshwara are installed in the four corners.LegendThere is a legend about how the main idol was discovered. It is believed that the Lord himself revealed his presence by appearing in the dream of the native people. The Lord told that his idol was lying on Ratnagiri Hill, under a tree, unattended and deserted. He then asked people to trace it and sanctify it again. The villagers acted accordingly and found the idol under a tree on the hill. They performed the necessary rituals and installed the idol at a little higher place from where it was found. Later, the temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swami was built by Raja IV Ramanarayanam, the then landlord of Gorsa and Kirlampudi estates.
According to puranas, Meru the Lord of the hills and his companion Menaka did immense penance and got two sons by the grace of Lord Vishnu. One was named Ratnakara and the other Bhadra. Ratnakara pleased Lord Vishnu by his penance to stay on him as Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy while Ratnakara remaining as Ratnagiri hill. Since then, the abode of Lord Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy is located on the Ratnagiri Hills.
Festivals and Celebrations
Major festivals celebrated in the temple are Kalyana Mahotsavam and Jayanti .
Riuals such as Devi Navratri, Sraavana Suddha Ekadashi Day, Kanakadurga Yatra, Jalatoranam, Srirama Kalyana, Teppotsavam and Prabha Utsavam are performed religiously.
The most important and auspicious of all the rituals conducted for the deity here is known as Satyanarayana Vratam which is performed on Bhishma Ekadashi day.How to reach
By Train: Devasthanam, Annavaram is situated at a distance of 3 Km from Annavaram railway Station.
By Air: The nearest airports are Rajahmundry Airport and Visakhapatnam Airport .
By Road: Annavarm is 80 km from Rajahmundry, 125 km from Visakhapatnam, and 40 km from Kakinada. The regular bus services are available via Annavaram from Rajahmundry to Visakhapatnam.