Shripad Shri Vallabh Swamy Maharaj, Pithapuram

Located 20 Km from Kakinada and 75 Km from Rajahmundry, It is considered to be one of the 18 Shakthipithas in India. It is famous for the temples of Kukkuteshwara Swamy, Kunthimadhava Swamy and Shripad Shrivallabh Anaagha Datha Kshethram, Agraharam, Sri Venu Gopala Swamy Temple. Development of ShripadShrivallabha Maha Samsthanam. Once a devotee from Maharashtra came to Pithapuram due to the divine prompting Shripad Shrivallabh and after having darshan he left. He got leaflets printed in Marathi language and distributed them to the devotees there with a view to inform in Maharashtra about the Sree Dattatreya Celebrations held in Pithapuram It was published in that pamphlet that there were facilities to reach Pithapuram from Maharashtra by railway. With that small number of devotees from Maharashtra started coming to Pithapuram now and then. Suitable boarding and lodging facilities were not available to those devotees arriving from long distances. Shri Ramaswamy garu convened a meeting of all the members of the 'Shripad Shrivallabh Maha Samsthanam' Committee.

He informed them that there was any amount of need to acquire a house for the accommodation of devotees of other regions coming for the worship and darshan of Shri Dattatreya. Some devotees who responded to the suggestions voluntarily came forward and provided some money. Then they saw many houses ready for sale in the town but they could not get even one satisfactory house which can be purchased. At last they got one site which was approved by all. There was an old house in that site. The owners told that they would give if the price of the site with the house of rupees 35,000/- is paid. However, the committee was not having that much money. Then that matter was temporarily postponed. Still Srimati Kamalamma garu insisted with the committee that they should anyhow purchase that site.

After that Sri Ramaswamy garu along with Kamalamma garu returned to Samardha ashram in Devanahalli. They were bringing pressure to purchase that site by writing letters to the Samsthanam Committee. Under compelling circumstances the members of the committee resolved to purchase that property even by borrowing money. They thought that the loan can be repaid in future in some way the other. They purchased that property in the year 1983. That is the very place where we are now witnessing the premises where the Padukas of Sree Sripada are installed and the Sripada Srivallabha residential houses are located. At that time Sri Rama Swamy garu got some addresses of Datta devotees in Maharashtra. Sri Ramaswamy garu informed all of them, "We have purchased a site under the management of Sripada Srivallabha Maha Samsthanam in Pithapuram, the birth place of Sripada Srivallabha for residential facilities.

We want to undertake constructions there. So you intimate this to other devotees also with generosity. We request you to extend your assistance and cooperation in collecting money necessary for construction". This matter was published in the local news papers there. Datta devotees who came to know through 5th Chapter of Sri Guru Charithra that Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh is the birth place of Sripada Srivallabha were very much happy to learn through these news papers that a beginning was made to form a 'Samsthanam' of Sripada. Many devotees responded immediately and sent sufficient contributions for the construction of the temple. They never visited Pithapuram personally, nor did they have any acquaintance with that place. Yet the fact that they sent contributions is a proof of their doubtless and pure devotion to Sree Sripada. All of them offered in this manner their devotion and service to God. It can also be assumed that Sree Sripada also granted to all those devotees a great fortune of service to Him and a lucky opportunity. Thus He had demonstrated His love for the devotees.

With that money they have repaid the debts contracted for purchasing the house. With the remaining money they got that old house repaired temporarily. In that house there were 5 rooms in the front portion and a hall in the middle. There was vacant land on the back side. After the conclusion of the next Datta Jayanthi, purifactory programmes were performed in that house by the Vedic Pandits according to Vedic tradition. Sri Ramaswamy garu along with Kamalamma garu entered into that house at an auspicious time and started living there.

They were placing the portraits of Sree Sridhar Swamy. Sree Samardha Ramadas and Sree Dattatreya on a high pedestal in the hall and worshipping them. Every night discourse on Sriguru Charithra was delivered. When the discourse was going on, the flower garland from the portrait of Sripada fell on the right side as a prasad exactly at that time to make it known that though Sripada Srivallabha disappeared on the 'Aswiyuja Bahula Dwadasi'. He is still granting benevolent grace to devotees. Similarly, on some days during the time of discourses when all were looking flowers were slipping down from each photo as a mark of His grace.

It is to be understood that this experience shown by Him is to confirm faith in us that He is showing grace from all forms. On another day when Sri Ramaswamy garu was sleeping in the early hours Sree Sripada Srivallabha clad in ochre robe sat by his side and gave him darshan. On one day a desire cropped in Sri Ramaswamy garu to plant an Audumbara tree in the vacant site on the back side of the house. The reason for that desire was the inconvenience faced by some people going to Padagaya Kshethra situated at a great distance from town for performing pradikshanas everyday. He told that if an Audumbara tree was planted in that vacant site and the 'Paadukas of Sree Sripada' are installed under that tree it would be convenient for all the citizens to perform 'pradikshanas.

During the ensuing auspicious time of Sree Datta Jayanthi in the year 1985 Sri Ramaswamy garu, Sri Devaraya Kulkarni garu and 'Vedamoorti' Sri Kasipati Sastry garu jointly cleared the vacant site on the back side of the house. The three of them planted an Audumbara tree there according to strict Vedic tenets. A small platform was constructed with bricks around that tree for its protection. A boy residing opposite to that house was asked to pour water to that plant every day. As if to prove that the Audumbara tree is verily Sree Dattatreya Himself, the boy got a good job and was happily married after one year from the time of planting that tree as he was watering that plant daily during that one year.

By that time Sri Ramaswamy garu completed sixty years of age. Then Kamalamma garu and devotees intended to celebrate Shashtipoorthi programmes to Sri Ramaswamy garu. They decided to conduct them, that too, in that house itself. As the hall was small they erected 'shamiyanas' in the vacant space on the back side of the house and commenced the Shashtipoorthi celebrations. They setup 60 kalasas (pots or vases filled with water) below the Audumbara tree. On the first day after prayachitam (expiation ritual) in Padagaya, he was given bath. From 8 O'clock to 12 O'clock eleven thousand times Nakshathra Japam and Nava Graha Japam was got done by about seven to eight priests.

On the second day in the evening Sri Ramaswamy garu was invited while musical instruments were played. All the deities associated with Shashtipoorthi ritual were invoked and worshipped. Afterwards Veda Parayana and recitation of Vedas was done. On the third day all the deities along with kalasas were worshipped. Then with the water kept in those vases charged with mantras the priests gave anointment to Sri Ramaswamy garu as laid down in the scriptures. All these programmes were conducted strictly according to Sastras' under the leadership of Sri Kasipati Sastry garu.

Finally the sanmana patra (the scroll of honour) sent by his friend Sri Devaraya Kulkarni was presented to Sri Ramaswamy garu in the meeting. In that paper honouring Sri Ramaswamy garu the programmes undertaken by him in Pithapuram were explained. It was informed that when it was not known that Pithapuram is the birth place of Sripada Srivallabha except through Sriguru Charithra, it is only Sri Ramaswamy garu who brought that fact to the light of the residents of Pithapuram and the people of nearby villages and other places. It was proclaimed that the manifestation of Sripada Srivallabha in Pithapuram is revealed only due to Sri Ramaswamy garu.

Devotees expressed a suggestion that the 'Paadukas of Sripada Srivallabha' have to be installed near the place where the Audumbara tree was planted. They requested Sri Ramaswamy garu to get the 'Paadukas' prepared. Then Sri Ramaswamy garu after he went to Devanahalli went with Sri Kulkarni garu to Chikkaballapur which was nearby. There they met one sculptor and asked him whether it was possible for him to chisel the 'Paadukas of Sripada Srivallabha'. That sculptor made some models of 'Paadukas' with clay and showed them. Sri Ramaswamy garu was enchanted with one of them and requested that the 'Paadukas' should be after that model. After one month when some devotees from Pithapuram, Sri Ramaswamy garu and Sri Kulkarni garu went to Chikkaballapur to fetch those 'Paadukas' that sculptor did not prepare the 'Paadukas' as yet. He requested for one more month time.

Then all of them returned back. During that one month Sri Ramaswamy garu stayed in Samartha Ashram in Devanahalli and was praying Sree Sripada Srivallabha. "Swami! You grant suitable intelligence to that sculptor and get the 'Paadukas' prepared as desired by you". After one month that sculptor intimated to Sri Ramaswamy garu that the 'Paadukas' were ready and he can take them. Sri Ramaswamy garu and Sri Kulkarni garu went to see the 'Paadukas'. As soon as the 'Paadukas' were seen they appeared at once to Sri Ramaswamy garu, an ardent devotee of Sree Datta as the 'Nirgun Paadukas' in the famous Datta Kshethra, Gangapur.

To Sri Kulkarni garu they appeared as the beautiful 'Paadukas' in Narasobawadi - another famous Datta Kshetra. Probably to proclaim that Sree Dattatreya, and Sripada Srivallabha are one Sree Dattatreya might have given experience of His glory in the same place to both of them. After that the 'Paadukas' were brought to Pithapuram. A wish to construct a temple at the base of the Audumbara Tree and install the 'Paadukas' in that temple arose. Sri Chekka Ramayya, Sri Chekka Narasimha Murthy, Sri Chekka Mangaraju, Sri Chekka Nookaraja and Sri Chekka Satyanarayana alias Sattipandu - sons of Sri Chekka Chelapati Rao and Smt. Chekka Bapiraju garu came forward to give the amount required for the construction of the 'Paaduka Mandir'.

Sri Ramaswamy garu laid the foundation stone with his nectarine hands. In 1987 the construction of the temple was completed in conformity with complete principles of Agama Sastra. On 22nd February, 1988 the 'Paadukas' were installed in the Mandir by Sri Ramaswamy garu with his ambrosial hands. In the Mandir, precisely at the centre point Sree Dattatreya Yantra and diamonds were placed beneath the 'Paadukas' and they were installed. During that time it was intended to install the idols of Sree Dattatreya. Sripada Srivallabha and Sri Narasimha Saraswati on the back side of the 'Paadukas'. Therefore, in the places earmarked for installation of the idols nine varieties of diamonds and the concerned Yantras were placed.

Then a priest was appointed to conduct worship and other services to the 'Paadukas' during three times (morning, midday and evening) daily. After that the Committee members went to Jaipur (Rajasthan) to bring the marble idols of the three saints. As some readymade icons of Sree Dattatreya were available the members of the Committee selected one from among them. However, the icons of Sripada Srivallabha and Sri Narasimha Saraswati were not available there. Then the committee members who already brought the pictures with them from Pithapuram gave them to the sculptors and asked them to prepare the idols according to those pictures. They gave some money to those sculptors for that purpose. Sri Varada Raya Setty garu and his son of Hasan village belonging to Karnataka donated money for the idol of Sree Dattatreya.

For the idol of Sree Narasimha Saraswati the Narasimha Saraswati Samsthanam of Bombay (Mumbai) donated money. Similarly some devotees came forward enthusiastically to give special donations for the idol of Sripada Srivallabha Swamy. However, with a noble intention that for the statue of Sripada Srivallabha the money of all the devotees should be utilized, that money was spent from the Sripada Srivallabha Maha Samsthanam. When those two icons were ready the committee members went to Jaipur and brought all the three idols at the same time. On Magha Suddha Trtiya i.e., on 6th February,1992 on an auspicious muhurat (auspicious time) arrangements were made to install all the three idols at the same time. Shripad Shrivallabh Swami Maharaj Ki Jay