Alampuram (Hemalapuram)

Alampuram (Hemalapuram)is a town situated inJogulamba Gadwal districtin the Indian state ofTelangana. Alampur is a popularHindupilgrimage site inShaktismand is also home to theNavabrahma Temples,a group of nine temples dedicated toShivabuilt in the seventh and eighth century CE. It is the meeting point of the riversTungabhadraandKrishnaand is referred to asDakshina Kasiand is also considered the western gateway toSrisailam. The sacredness of Alampur is mentioned in theSkanda Purana. It is surrounded by theNallamala hillsand is situated on the left bank of theTungabhadra River. Alampur was ruled by badami chalukyas they built 9 cluster of shiva temples. After them rashtrakutas of manyakheta and western chalukyas of karnataka built papanasi temples. Alampur is home to multiple Telugu and old Kannada inscriptions .Alampur contains numerous Hindu temples, the prominent ones beingJogulamba temple,Navabrahma temples,Papanasi temples, and Sangameswara Temple.
Jogulamba templeis one of the eighteen MahaShakta pithas, which are the most significantshrinesand pilgrimage destinations inShaktism. TheNavabrahma Templesare nine temples dedicated toShivabuilt in the seventh and eighth century CE by theBadami Chalukyas. The Navabrahma temples are listed as an archaeological and architectural treasure on the official "List of Monuments" prepared by theArchaeological Survey of India.Papanasi temples are a group of twenty threeHindu templesdated between 9th- and 11th-century located in Papanasi village, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) to the south-west ofAlampur. Papanasi temples are close to theNavabrahma Templesof theShaivismtradition, but were constructed a few centuries later by theRashtrakutasand WesternChalukyas.
Alampur was under the rule ofSatavahanas, Ikshvakus ofNagarjunakonda,Badami Chalukyas,Rashtrakutas,Kalyani Chalukyas,Kakatiyas,Vijayanagara Empire, and the Qutb Shahis ofGolconda. Alampur was previously known asHalampuram,HemalapuramandAlampuram. Under the nameHatampura, it was mentioned in an inscription dated to 1101 CE in the reign ofWestern ChalukyakingVikramaditya VI.
The AlampuramNavabhrama Templesare historically important and reflect remarkable architectural skills. The Alampuram temples are listed as an archaeological and architectural treasure on the official "List of Monuments" prepared by theArchaeological Survey of Indiaunder The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.Since the original area of the temples at Alampur became submerged by the Sri Sailam Hydro-electric Project, the temples were relocated to higher ground. The uniqueness of this group of temples lies in their plan and design in the northern architectural style introduced by the Chalukyas of Badami between 650 and 750 CE.
TheJogulamba templeis regarded as a Shakta pitha whereSati Devi's upper teeth fell.The history ofDaksha yagnaand Sati's self-immolation is the origin story ofShakta pithas.The original temple was grounded by Muslim invaders in 1390 CE. The temple was rebuilt after 615 years.
Shakta pithasare shrines which are the most divine seats of the Mother Goddess. The body parts of the corpse ofSatiDevi had fallen in these places, when LordShivacarried it and wandered throughout Aryavartha in sorrow.
Navabrahma Templesinclude nine temples dedicated toShiva.These temples date to 7th to 8th century CE and were built by theBadami Chalukyasrulers who were patrons of art and architecture.The sacredness of Alampur Temple is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. It is mentioned thatBrahmaperformed a strict penance here for Lord Siva. Lord Siva appeared before him and blessed him with the powers of creation. Therefore, the name Brahmeswara.
Papanasi templesare a group of twenty threeHindu templesdated between 9th- and 11th-century located in Papanasi village, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) to the south-west ofAlampuram.Papanasi temples are close to theNavabrahma Templesof theShaivismtradition, but were constructed a few centuries later by theRashtrakutasand WesternChalukyas. The Papanasi temples exhibit the Nagara architecture with a square plan.Together with the Navabrahma temples, the Papanasi group were related to the Kalamukha and Pashupata sect of Shaivism.
Kudavelly Sangameswara is derived from the word Sangam meaning confluence of two or more rivers. Hence the temple is also known as Kudavelly Sangameswara Temple. On the basis of a label inscription found in the temple, the temple is dated to pre-Pulakesin-II(r. 610-642 CE) time period and is the oldest of all the Chalukyan temples at Alampur.The Kudavelly Sangameswara temple was originally located at the meeting point of Tungabhadra and Krishna river, 20 km (12 mi) north east from the current site at Kudavelly village . It was shifted to Alampur in 1979 when the original site got submerged due to the construction ofSrisailam dam.
Kudavelly Family residing in theKudavellyVillage has immensely helped the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in shifting the temple to Alampur. ASI documented the temple design, dismantled it block by block, moved the material to outskirts of Alampur and assembled it and restored it to its original form. Kudavelly Family has contributed for the renovation of Kudavelly Sangameswara Temple , one such inscription stone is found near the Temple premises describing the contribution in 1958 ( Vilambi Telugu Year ).
An archaeology museum is situated at the entrance of the Bala Brahma Temple complex. It houses a collection of sculptures and inscriptions recovered from the Navabrahma temples and surroundings of Alampur.
The population in 1901 was 30,222, compared with the 27,271 in 1891. Alampur, the headquarters, had a population of 4,182. According toThe Imperial Gazetteer of India,Alampur was a taluk ofRaichur district,Hyderabad State. It has an area of 480 square kilometres (190 sq mi) in 43 villages.
As of 2001Indiacensus,Alampur had a population of 9350. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Alampur has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 64% of the males and 36% of females literate. 16% of the population is under 6 years of age.
TheKrishna Riverseparates the taluk from Mahbubnagar district on the North and theTungabhadrafrom Karnataka state. The confluence of these two rivers is situated in the extreme east of the taluk, formerly atKudavellyVillage. The village was submerged by construction of Srisailam dam. The well known poet Kudavelly Srinivas Rao lived in Kudavelly village and has been documented inGolkonda Kavula Sanchika Bookpublished in 1934 bySuravaram Pratapa Reddy.