Kumararama or Bhimarama (Chalukya Kumararama Bhimeswara Temple) is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is located in Samalkota of Kakinada district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The other four temples are Amararama at Amaravati(Dist. Guntur), Draksharama at Draksharama (Dist. East Godavari), Ksheerarama at Palakollu and Somarama at Bhimavaram(both in Dist. West Godavari). It is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance.
The temple is 1 kilometer from Samarlakota City. The limestone Linga, installed in the shrine, is 16 feet tall that it rises from the pedestal on the ground floor and enters the second floor by piercing the roof, where the Rudrabhaga is worshipped. The temple has a mandapam that is supported by 100 pillars and is of great architectural importance.
The temple has an Ekasila Nandi (A Bull carved from a single stone) guarding the Shiva Lingam at the entrance of the temple. The temple resembles the other Pancharama temple at Draksharama which is also called Bhimeswara Alayam. To the East side, there is a mantap called Koneti. Pushkarni (Koneru) lake can be seen here.
The temple is historically prominent, as it was built by Chalukyas who reigned over this location. The construction of the temple was started in AD 892 and was completed during 922. It is similar to the temple in Draksharamam, but is also unique, such as the linga being white. The temple still stands strong, and it was made a National Heritage Site. It resembles a twin of Draksharam, with two staired Mandapa, and notable that it is in excellent condition, without any cracks. Though the temple is not in a populated place, people do visit there.
The linga is a limestone, 14 feet (4.3 m) high. The temple was built in Dravidian style, by the King Chalukya Bhima. Hence, the god name is Bhimeswara (between 892-922CE). The Kakatiya rulers (in the period 1340-1466CE; Musunuri Nayaks) have added and renovated the temple pillars with very fine sharp finishes.
The work of Chalukyas and Kakatiyas is very easily distinguished, by the well-decorated and polished pillars in the temple to the rest of the temple, both new and old. The construction of this temple is so solid that it has not changed much through all the years, when compared to the Draksharaam temple.
Kala Bhairava is also of importance, and Balatripura sundari is the Goddess. Sasanas between 1147-1494 were scripted into pillars of the temple, which also have lists of gifts given, through the ages, for the temple. Recent excavations in the compound of the temple has yielded many figures dated back 1000 years are now present inside the temple.
In Puranas it has been written that it is a Yogakshetram, which means, the person who has the "yogam" ("fated to have" or "opportunity given by god" or "boon") to visit, will visit the temple.Here the Goddess is also known as Bala Tripura Sundari.
Samalkot is located at a distance of 12 km from Kakinada, 52 Km from Rajahmundry. Bhimavaram (Lat. 17o 02’N, Long. 82o 12’E), which now forms part of Samalkot town, is known as Bhimavara Kshetram with its famous temple of Kumararama – Bhimesvara. The village was known in the past as Chalukya Bhimavaram according to the inscriptions found in the temple. It is situated at a distance of about 11 kilometers to the North of Kakinada in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh and is on the Chennai – Howrah broad gauge railway line of South – Central Railway.
The place was under the yoke of several ruling houses from Nandas of Pataliputra to Asaf Jahis of Golkonda in its long history and was subjected to so many vicissitudes from the dawn of Christian era. Among the various dynasties that ruled over this region the Eastern Chalukyas had a lion’s share in shaping its destiny and as such it is no wonder that they had the privilege of exercising greater control and conspicuous influence than other dynasties.
The Eastern Chalukyas, also known as Vengi Chalukyas, ruled Andhra country for four and half centuries from AD 624 to AD 1076. The Kingdom of Vengi comprised at its greatest extent the whole area between the Mahendra Mountains in Kalinga and the Maneru River in Nellore; its Western boundary ran in general along the foot of the Eastern Ghats, though temporary extensions often brought areas of farther west under the rule of Vengi from time to time.
There were about 30 kings in this dynasty starting with the founder king Kubja Vishnuvardhana (AD 624 – 642) to the last king, Vijayaditya-VII (AD 1068-1076), who ruled first from Pishtapura, next from Vengi and then from Rajamahendri (Rajahmundry) and their hisotry is largely a record of disputes about succession. For some time the Rashtrakutas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani from the West and later the Cholas from the South interfered in these dispute. Of the kings, Narendra Mrigaraja Vijayaditya (AD 805 – 846), Gunaga Vijayaditya (AD 848 – 891), Chalukya Bhima-I (AD 892 – 922) Danarnava (AD 971 – 973), Ammaraja II (AD 945 – 970) and Rajaraja Narendra (AD 1019 – 1060) are the greatest patrons of Art & Architecture and Telugu Literature.
Rajaraja Narendra is said to have laid the foundation of the new city called Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry) after his name. On the request of Rajaraja Narendra, his court poet Nanayya began to translate Sanskrit Mahabharata into Andhra Mahabharata, which stood as a land mark in the development of Telugu literature. his temple, known as Kumararama at Bhimavaram in Samalkot is one among the five important and popular ‘Pancharama’ temples of Andhra.
The other four temples dedicated to Siva are Amararama at Amaravati (Dist. Guntur), Daksharama at Daksharama (Dist. East Godavari), Kshirarama at Palakollu and Somarama at Gunupudi – Bhimavaram (both in Dist. West Godavari). There is an episode on the origin of these ‘Pancharamas’ which is also found in ‘Bhimesvarapurana’ written by Srinatha (AD 14th – 15th Century).