Doddapet Sri Pete Venkataramanaswamy Temple is located at Kolar
in Karnataka.
Deity: Sri Venkateshwara / Srinivasa is a form of Lord Vishnu.
Jala Samadhi: Indicates the idol was divinely present or hidden under water before being revealed.
Date (05/02/0995 CE): An ancient consecration date, highlighting the temple’s over 1000-year-old heritage.
Cultural Belief: The temple is regarded as a wish-fulfilling (Manokamana) kshetra by devotees.
Doddapet Sri Pete Venkataramanaswamy Temple – History - Story
In ancient times—about one thousand (1000) years
ago—Kolahapura, which is present-day Kolar, was a very dense and fearsome
forest. There was no human habitation, and it was filled with wild and
dangerous animals.
One of the Sapta Rishis, the great sage Bharadwaja Maharshi,
found this region suitable for penance. He established a small hermitage
(ashrama) with a simple hut and consecrated a small idol of Sri
Venkataramanaswamy, whom he worshipped regularly.
Every day, very early in the morning—around 3:00 AM—he would
rise, go inward in meditation, and then travel to the Ganga River to take a
holy bath. After bathing, he would have the darshan of Sri Kashi Vishweshwara
Swamy, bring sacred Ganga water back with him, and perform scripturally
prescribed worship of Sri Srinivasa, offering naivedya (sacred food). He would
then continue his penance. In this manner, he observed three daily baths,
Sandhyavandana, and devotional services continuously for many years.
As time passed and the sage’s final days approached, he
instructed Vedabrahma Sri Peddatirumalacharya, a great scholar and spiritual
successor, in the proper Vedic rituals and worship methods of Sri Srinivasa.
After this, Bharadwaja Maharshi attained liberation. Thereafter, Peddatirumalacharya
continued the worship of the Lord.
After several years, Lord Srinivasa himself appeared in
Peddatirumalacharya’s dream and spoke in a divine, bodiless voice:
“O devoted one, I am presently in Jala Samadhi (submerged in water) in the
forest, at a distance toward the eastern direction from here. Retrieve me and
consecrate me according to scriptural injunctions. I shall protect this
village, grant it good health, and ensure its continuous prosperity.”
Peddatirumalacharya conveyed this divine message to the
devotees. Shortly thereafter, he too became one with the divine (passed away).
When the devotees and village elders went to search, the Lord was not visible
to anyone. Then, through mantra recitation and mental consecration, Vedabrahma
Sri invoked the Lord. At that moment, the compassionate Lord Srinivasa revealed
Himself to the eyes of the priests.
Both man-made idols and divinely sculpted celestial idols
became visible. These were exceptionally beautiful idols of Sri Venkateshwara
Swamy accompanied by Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. The idols were brought, a temple
was constructed, and the Lord was consecrated.
According to the inscription placed beneath the idol of Sri
Srinivasa, the consecration took place in the Angirasa-nama Samvatsara, on Magha
Shukla Panchami, a Friday, corresponding to the date 05/02/0995 CE.
Doddapet Sri Pete Venkataramanaswamy Temple Festivals
In this temple, special worship is performed on Shravana Saturdays and on Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Every year, during the month of Chaitra, a Jatre (annual fair) and Brahma Rathotsava (grand chariot festival) are celebrated. It is firmly believed that devotees who visit the temple and have darshan of the Lord will have their heartfelt wishes fulfilled.