Context: A 13th century Sri Pattabhi Sita Rama Swamy temple founded by Rani Rudrama Devi of Kakatiya dynasty has been revered as Sri Santhana Venugopala Swamy temple by people of Brahmana Kothapalli village in Nellikuduru mandal of Mahabubabad district.

Key Points

• Historians credit this as at least 300 years older to Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam.
• There is enough recorded evidence about the glory of this temple since Kakatiya rule.
• It also has a shrine for Lord Shiva, and it is quite interesting to note that being an ardent devotee of Lord Siva, Rudrama Devi constructed a temple dedicated to Sri Rama.
• It stands on a well-built jagati platform - now covered under modern flooring.

Dancing Anjaneya image

• There is a common pillared mukha mandapa hall and entry is through a highly carved doorway at the east.
• The doorway is very distinctive and rarest of its kind for it has the dancing image of Anjaneya with folded hands and flanked by two dancing vanaras playing musical instruments on its decorated lintel.
• In addition, two shrine models are carved on either side. There is a common vestibule positioned before the central shrine while the rest two have only sanctums.
• After the vestibule, there are three sanctum sanctorums.
• The central cella enshrines Sri Santhana Venugopala Swamy in standing position by holding flute in his hand with Rukmini and Satyabhama on either side.

Inscription

• An inscription of Kakatiya period on pillars in Telugu script and deciphered it.
• The inscription clearly proves that the trikuta shrine was constructed during the reign of Rudrama Devi and named Sri Sri Ramachandra.
• It seems she has erected this shrine of Sri Pattabhi Sita Ramachandra Swamy after her victorious expeditions and extension of Kakatiya kingdom.
• There is an ancient Siva temple located just behind the trikuta complex and it is also one more attraction of the same place.
• This is surely a very rare shrine in both the Telugu States and deserves promotion of tourists.