AMARALINGESWARA SWAMY CAVE TEMPLE, DAIDA, GURAJALA MANDAL, GUNTUR DISTRICT, ANDHRA

Gurajala Bus stand

Board showing route to Daida Bilam 

Arch near the jucntion of Daida-Gurjala
Road and the dirt road leading to bilam.   

On Sat 13 NOV 2011, at 11AM I started from Piduguralla following the directions given by Mr. Vijay of Gamalapadu. Vijay send me sms how to reach this cave temple.    This is only 1 km across from the Vadapalli bridge on Krishna river that  we cross near Vishnupuram. But there is no direct route to go across as it is a dense forest with no route at all. So, I have taken Macherla bus and got down at GURAJALA.   Bus fare is about Rs. 18/- only and it took nearly 50 minutes to travel time. Near Gurajala bus stand there are regular 7 seater autos going to Daida village at Rs.10/- per person. Just about 2 kms before the Daida village in the midst of the Mirchi and Cotton fields on to the right side there is a  kachha road with a board indicating that 6 kms is the distance to the temple.  The usual kaman type arch with Lord Siva and Bramaramba Devi along with Ganesh and Subramanya swamy is there.  

Patapatamma temple in Daida

Venkateswara temple in Daida village

 Since there s no transport available I  was wondering what to do. In a few mnutes one Belero was going and he was kind enough to give me the lift upto the Daida village and also bargained  with an auto rishwa fellow and arranged the auto to go to the temple and leave me at Gurajala  at Rs.300/- (usually they take 10 people and rate is Rs.30/- person tha is on Mondays only during the month of Karthik Masam.) I have requested the rikshawa wala to wait for 10 minutes as I want to take snaps of the two temples just a stones throw from the auto rikshaws parking place.There are two temples in the village centre one of Lord Venkateswara swamy and the other one is village Godess PataPatamma and I have taken pictures of the two temples. Then we started at 12PM.  In a few minutes we have reached the junction of the Daida Amaralingeswara swamy temple road.  The kachha road of 6 kms length is too bad but some how auto rikshwa fellow could manage to drive the 6 kms stretch in one hour time.  

 Underneath this spot  Main Sivalingam
 &Nandi are located inside the Bilam /cave

The background tree is the important spot

Traditional Poturaju culture 

Tulasi infront of
Laxmi Narasimha swamy temple 

Small Sivalingam deep Inside the Bilam
that I saw first The lights went off
just at the time of taking this photo.

BILAM temple : There are three ladies who are receiving the devotees and make necessary arrangements for cooking etc. One of them is a widow  who can guide the devotees through the narrow routes inside  the  cave.  Before proceeding to the cave we saw the temples over the land.  The main tree and Nagaraju sila is the most important.  Under neath this spot lies the main big Siva lingam and Very big Nandi inside the caves.   On to the right side of the tree 200 meters away lies the Bilam's out gate.  To enter into the Bilam we have to the Krishna river side 0.7 km away. Old lady first turned on the lights and then we went inside the cave.  The lights are on  since the power supply is there at the time of entering into the caves. (They don't  turn on the Generator for they have to bear the cost of the diesel.   Endowments department only takes away the Hundi offerings but, donot supply diesel.).  First we passed through some distance then, the roof is only 2 feet up so literally we have to crawl for 50 meters or so.  Then after a strech 200 meters we have again come across similar narrow passage. then the first small siva lingam I had darshan. As I was adjusting the camera and prayed with a sloka then the lights went off. The old lady already had a pramide or deepam with oil and a match box.  She lit the Deepam and I was some what panicky. Already there is no air and the lights also went off.  Starting from this point the lady was proceeding first and showing me light. There are 4 to 5 small small paths where I have to sit and crawl behind the feeble light she was showing. At each dead end there is a statue of Paqrvathi, Durga, Hanuman, Bairava etc. then, we proceeded towards huge hall and it was confortable to walk straight and there is some light from outside as we reaching the EXIT. The main bigger sivalingam and large size Nandi  are located at this place.  I couldn't take any photos as the light is very dim and also I was under tension as there is not enough air and I was getting lot of sweat due to my diabetes problem.  Finally we came out through exit gate and proceeded to the tree and Nagaraju sila towards the centre of the bilam area.  It has been a wonderful experience and certainly make the devotees understand almighty as we worship Lord to save us instantaneously.              

Parvathi mata temple left side to the tree
Bilam exist is far right to the tree

Small sivalingam inside the caves

Laxmi Narasimha swamy temple
at right angles to the tree
and dwajastambham line.

Nagaraju near the Dwajastambham

Big Nandi adjacent to entrance of bilam  

The passage going down towards the river

The other side of passage facing to Bilam .
Entrance to Bilam is on to the leftside