Visit this temple for quick marriage

The website of the Sri Bhadrakali Sametha Sri Veereswara Swamy temple located at Muramalla of the East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh assures worried parents of quick results to wards whose marriage got delayed due to various reasons. The temple is located 85 km from Rajahmundry in the picturesque Konaseema area surrounded by coconut trees on the banks of the River Vridha Gautami.

All one has to do is go to the website and submit details such as birth star of the girl or boy whose marriage is delayed. The website then offers three different dates. After booking Kalyanam (celestial wedding) of the deity and paying Rs 800 a receipt is generated. The speciality of the temple is that the wedding of the deity is performed at night. Those who can’t travel all the way to Muramalla can also book the Kalyanam by paying the fee through  money order and the purohits at the temple will perform it for them.

The Kalyanam is believed to solve problems of the unemployed and unsuccessful and those having problems in studies and not getting opportunities to go abroad. Those booking for the Kalyanam will have specify the purpose of the pooja. The temple provides everything for the celestial wedding except a few articles that one needs to purchase from the shops near the temple which might cost around Rs 200.

The process starts with three circumambulations of the temple by the performing boy or girl or her family members along with the Palkin carrying the Utsavigrahs of the deity. Following which the deities are placed in the kalyana mantapam which can accommodate around 100 people. A group of trained priests performs the celestial wedding in a smooth manner and offer Ganeswara Puja, Punya Vachanam, Kankana and Yagnopaveetha Dharana, Kanyadanam, Sumuhoortam and Sutradharana. The devotees get a chance to understand the process.

“On any given day not less than 80 people participate in the Kalyanam. It is believed that the wishes of the devotees are granted immediately and the legend never failed,” says Akella Satyanarayana, a priest at the temple.  

He says that people can book at the counter on the temple premises. The devotees and their kin can avail a free meal offered as a service by the donors. A piping hot sumptuous dinner is served after the completion of the Kalyanam, which generally ends around 10 pm. Many consider this meal as a celestial gift.

“We are asked to send this ‘akshintalu’ (turmeric-laced raw rice grains) and a piece of jacket cloth given to us to my daughter who is in the USA. She is not getting a good marriage proposal due to some problem in her horoscope. So I booked through the website and I hope soon she will get married,” a father, who performed the Kalyanam on behalf of his daughter, said. He said that many have confirmed that Muramalla is the destination for people whose marriage is delayed. Every day dozens of young men and women perform the Kalyanam hoping that they will also  get married. After their wishes are fulfilled devotees bring their married children to the temple to perform the celestial wedding of the lord once again as a thanksgiving.

According to the temple literature, Muramalla is the place where Lord Shiva married Bhadrakali in Gandharva style. The wedding was performed to pacify a furious avatara of Rudra after the self-immolation of Sati Devi at Daksha Yagna. It is believed Adi Parasakshi sent her to earth to bring peace. At the very place Munimandala (a congregation of sages), now known as Muramalla, Rudra and Bhadrakali were married. It is also said that every day sages such as Agastya, Suka, Viswamitra, Vasishta, Goutam, Bhargava, Bharadwaja, Mareecha, Kasyapa, Markandeya and Narada visit the Munimandala to witness the celestial wedding performed at night.

The legend says that around hundred years ago a local chieftain Veluvali Sarabha Raju of Komaragiri wanted to reconstruct the dilapidated temple at Muramalla. However, the Linga which they were carrying to a new place grew and became heavy. Upon the advice of the lord himself they said to have erected the Linga at the place where the new temple in Muramalla now is located. The kalyana mantapa was built by one Routu Peramma, a Dravidian queen who was saved by the Lord while her boat was about to capsize in the Bay of Bengal.

Muramalla is also unique as it has no flour mill or grinders. There is a belief that any work related to rotors and motors won’t flourish in Murmalla. The temple which provides paid accommodation to devotees earns a considerable amount from the 200 acres of land donated by land lords of I Polavaram village. Free annadana is done every day with help of donations given by devotees from across the globe.

Just 51 km from Muramalla is another temple which fulfills the wishes of employees who want a transfer. Devotees believe that one visit to the temple will result in the long pending transfer. The Jagan Mohini Kesava Swamy temple is situated between the rivers Vashista and Gautami, tributaries of the River Godavari. The famous temple is the birthplace of Purusha Shakti concept. The only other temple of Mohini avatar is in Mhalasa in Ponda, Goa.

The black idol which is 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide depicts  “Kesava” or Lord Vishnu in the front and  “Jaganmohini” in the rear with hairdo.  Also carved into the idol below is the image of the Akasha Ganga or the image of Goddess Ganga washing the feet of Sri Maha Vishnu.