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Arasavalli
Out growth
Suryanarayana Temple in Arasavilli
Suryanarayana Temple in Arasavilli
Arasavalli is located in Andhra Pradesh
Arasavalli
Arasavalli
Location in Andhra Pradesh, India
Coordinates: 18°18′N 83°54′E / 18.3°N 83.9°E / 18.3; 83.9
CountryIndia
StateAndhra Pradesh
DistrictSrikakulam
Mandalmandal
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total4,096
Languages
 • OfficialTelugu
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle RegistrationAP30 (Former)
AP39 (from 30 January 2019)[2]

Arasavalli is an outgrowth of Srikakulam municipality in Srikakulam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Srikakulam mandal of Srikakulam revenue division.[1][3] It is situated at a distance of about 1.6 km. from Srikakulam, the district headquarters and 17 km. from Srikakulam road, the railway station on Visakhapatnam-Howrah Line.

The Temple

A prominent Kalinga architectural temple dedicated to Surya can be found in Arasavalli Sun Temple, which is in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is built in such a way that the sun rays fall on the feet of the God, twice in a year in the months of February and June in the early hours of the day. All Sundays during the five months starting with 'Magha Nakshatra' are considered sacred.

Idols of Aditya, Ambica, Vishnu, Ganesha and Maheswara representing different faiths have been installed in one place.

The Sun God is depicted riding over a chariot drawn by seven horses driven by Anurudu, the Ratha Sarathi. It has been exquisitely carved out of a single black granite stone.

The coastal district temple is peculiar with its latitude aligned to the minor lunar standstill. Also the transition from lunar calendar of north India to solar calendar of south India can be seen in the local culture. This is probably the eastern most sun temple in the peninsular India, where prayers are offered till date. The place, Chicacole, has a significance in the Kalinga (historical region) kingdom with their port at Kalingapatnam, making it to Megasthenes dairy (Calingae). The diaspora is spread in the present day south east Asia at historical Kalinga (province), Kalingga Kingdom etc. Prince Vijaya, the first ruler of Sri Lanka is believed to have a Kalinga lineage.

The original name Harshavalli means abode of joy.[4] It is believed to have been built in the 7th century AD by the Kalinga rulers Devendra Varma .

References

  1. ^ a b "District Census Handbook - Srikakulam" (PDF). Census of India. p. 27,404. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. ^ "New 'AP 39' code to register vehicles in Andhra Pradesh launched". The New Indian Express. Vijayawada. 31 January 2019. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  3. ^ "District Level Mandal wise List of Villages in Andhra Pradesh" (PDF). Chief Commissioner of Land Administration. National Informatics Centre. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  4. ^ 2011 Census datacensusindia.gov.in Archived 15 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine
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