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CHANDIPPA MARAKATHA SHIVALINGA SOMESHWARA SWAMY
TEMPLE HISTORY IN ENGLESH

Chandippa Sri Marakata Shivalinga Someshwara Swamy temple is one of the ancient temples in India. This temple is located in the Chandippa village of Shankarpally mandal, Ranga Reddy district in Telangana state. An inscription found in the temple premises tells us about the history of this ancient temple. According to Pandit Shri Deshmukh Hanumanth Reddy, who translated the script found on the inscription in the temple premises, the Chandippa Sri Marakata Shivalinga Someshwara Swamy temple was built during the rule of the greatest Western Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI. Vikramaditya VI ruled from 1076 – 1126 AD. He earned the titles ‘Permadideva’ and ‘Tribhuvanamalla’. Tribhuvanamalla means ‘the lord of three worlds’. Vikramaditya VI ruled a vast empire stretching from the Kaveri river in southern India to the Narmada river in central India. Vikramaditya VI donated the region of Chandippa to the Brahmins well-versed in the Vedas. He also made education and food provisions for the students learning the Vedas. Vikramaditya VI made the necessary arrangements for the construction of Someshwara Swamy temple. He allocated over 250 acres of land for the puja, naivedya, performance of rituals, celebration of festivals like Shivaratri and other spiritual activities. It was in the 25th year of the coronation of Vikramaditya VI that the foundation of this ancient temple was laid. The exact details are a bit unclear. According to the inscription, it was on October 23rd, 1101 AD, Thursday (Vishnunama Kartika Shukla Paksha Panchami Thithi Brihaspati Varam) that the Someshwara Linga was consecrated. Jakkanabbe, a great Shiva devotee gave the donation while a person related to Maruvojana and Thammojana undertook the construction of the temple. This inscription tells us about the greatness and importance of the 11th century Western Chalukya kings. Further, the inscription also tells us about how and who should take care of the 254 acre land belonging to the temple and safeguard and maintain the temple. However, due to the insufficient care, all these temple lands have been encroached. Pandits say that it is Kalabhairava Swamy and a divine snake, who are the Kshetra Palaka of the temple, who are protecting this ancient and great temple. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE As the time passed, unfortunately the people began neglecting the temple. This negligence reached such an extent that except on festivals no pujas and abhishekams were performed on normal days. Absence of evidence regarding the puja and abhishekam activities shows the level of negligence of the temple. It might have been the wish of Lord Shiva after so many years, that he wanted to receive pujas and abhishekams. And he chose a great devotee to undertake reconstruction of this temple. On Shivaratri of 2007, Naresh Kumar, son of Shri Sailu, a great devotee himself, went to the Chandippa village to perform puja and worship the Lord. At that time in 2007, there was not any proper road to the temple. The temple building was in ruins. Moreover cattle were left near the temple area and even garbage was present at the temple area. This moved the devotee Naresh Kumar. He cleaned the Shivalinga and began performing abishekam. Just then the Sun rays struck the Shivalinga and the reflection of sunlight showed that it was no ordinary Shivalinga. Perhaps, it was a rare one. Devotee Naresh Kumar was surprised to find that the Shivalinga was a rare Marakata Shivalinga. He decided to put his utmost effort to reconstruct the temple. Naresh Kumar, who is a resident of Shankarpally, went to the Chandippa Sri Marakata Shivalinga Someshwara Swamy temple for five years on every Pournami and performed the puja and abhishekam. Improper roads, harsh weather and several other obstacles did not stop him. A reporter by profession, Naresh Kumar once wrote an article titled ‘Dhupa Deepa Naivadyalaku Noochukoni Chandippa Marakata Shivalingam’ in the Andhra Bhoomi newspaper. With this, he brought the temple into limelight. Some devotees who read this article visited Chandippa from Hyderabad. They were Shri Lalith Kumar and the relatives of the famous actor Shri Tanikella Bharani, namely Shri Seetamahalakshmi and Shri Kalyani. Under the supervision of Shri Sambashiva Murty, Maharudraabhishekam was performed to wake up Lord Shiva from the Yoganidra. After that on an auspicious day, on December 11th, 2011, Tuesday, Naresh Kumar met another devotee Shri Venkateshwar Rao during Lord Ayyappa Mahapadipuja. Naresh Kumar explained the situation of the Marakata Shivalinga temple to Shri Venkateshwar Rao. A contractor by profession, Shri Venkateshwar Rao came forward to reconstruct the temple. Within a very short time, the temple was reconstructed. With the help from Shri Venkateshwar Rao, Naresh Kumar undertook the reconstruction of the temple. The people of Chandippa also provided some help. Thus, on October 2nd, 2012, the idols of Lord Ganapati, Lord Subramanya Swamy, Lordess Rajarajeshwari Devi and Lord Nandeeshwara were consecrated. IN HIS WORDS “I am Naresh Kumar, the Aalaya Punarnirmana Srikarakudu and Aalaya Pradhana Karyadarshi of Chandippa Sri Marakata Shivalinga Someshwara Swamy temple. On Shivaratri of 2007, I wished to perform the abishekam of Lord Shiva. My elder brother Shri Ram told me that there is a Shiva temple in Chandippa village and it was being neglected. Chandippa village is around 2 km from my place of residence, which is Shankarpally. I went the Chandippa village. I asked the people of the village about the Shiva temple. They gave me the directions. There was not even a proper road. I parked my car and started walking in that direction. There was garbage all around. Cattle were left around the area. I could not find the temple. There were two people sitting at a place. I went to them and asked about the temple. Malla Reddy, an old man, showed me an old building that was in ruins and told that it was the Shiva temple. I was shocked seeing the condition of the temple. I expected it to be a huge temple with stone carvings. But the temple was then nothing more than a cattle shed. This moved me. I was shocked to know that it was the temple of Lord Shiva. I asked Malla Reddy about the Shiva Linga. He told that the Shiva Linga was inside the ruined building. I began performing the abhishekam. When sun rays struck the Shiva Linga, I was surprised. As the water from the abhishekam was falling on the Shiva Linga, there was a reflection of light green color. Then I identified that it was not an ordinary Shiva Linga. It was indeed a rare Marakata Shiva Linga. Then I asked Malla Reddy: “Do you know what this Shiva Linga is?” He told that he did not know about it. Then I asked him what did they call the Shiva Linga. He told that they called it Mahadeva. Then I understood the situation. After the abhishekam, I returned home. All through that Shivaratri day, this Shiva Lingam constantly appeared before my eyes. I went to the Shiva Linga after two days. At that time there was no one around. I performed the abhishekam. I was convinced that it was the Marakata Shivalinga. Then and there I wrote an article titled ‘Dhupa Deepa Naivadyalaku Noochukoni Chandippa Sri Marakata Shivalingam’ for Andhra Bhoomi newspaper. After that, the devotees related to Shri Tanikella Bharani, who have seen the news article, came to Shankarpally and contacted me. I took them to the temple. They performed the Maharudraabhishekam in the Brahmi Muhurtam that lasted for about 5 hours. They took promise from me that I should take care that the Lord Shiva receives regular abhishekams. They also wanted to reconstruct the temple. But they did not get support from the villagers. As per my promise, I convinced a pujari named Buchhappah to perform the daily abhishekams to Lord Shiva. I provided him with all the necessary items for the abhishekams whenever required and looked after the expenditure of the temple. For five years, from 2007 to 2011, I myself managed the temple. Unfortunately, I did not receive any support from the villagers. I was very disappointed. I thought of leaving the temple work. Then on December 11th, 2011, Tuesday, I met Shri Venkateshwar Rao at the Ayyappa Mahapadipuja in Shankarpally. I explained the situation of the temple to him. He agreed to reconstruct the temple. By the grace of Lord Shiva, I was able to convince Shekar Reddy and some other people of the village to help in reconstruction of the temple. But this was done by facing several difficulties. I told them not to miss this chance of temple reconstruction. Earlier when the relatives of Shri Tanikella Bharani wanted to reconstruct the temple, the villagers did not support them and the chance was missed. I pleaded them not to miss this chance. I assured that through my profession as a reporter, I would see to it that the village gets benefitted. After a lot of effort, the villagers were convinced. I worked day and night for six months and the temple was reconstructed. Thus, this great Sri Marakata Shiva Linga Someshwara Swamy temple was reconstructed in 2012. Even after the reconstruction of the temple, the villagers did not pay attention to the temple. Then the Lord Shiva showed a miracle. I found an inscription in the temple premises, which when translated gave the complete details of the temple. I initially thought that the Shiva Linga was only around 400 years old. I was surprised to find that the Shiva Linga is over 1,000 years old. Then I created the blog www.chandippamarakathashivalingam.blogspot.com in order to inform the people and younger generations about this ancient and great temple. After that, several famous people and devotees like Veda Pandita Pujaris, judges, actors, police personnel and several others visited the temple. And several people are also visiting the temple. More than a lakh people have visited the temple. My friends Shri Dayakar and Shri Surendar also supported me in inviting the famous VIPs. Presently I am being supported by around ten youngsters from the Chandippa village. My only desire is to make this temple a punyakshetra. And it should be such a punyakshetra so that all those pujas that were performed during the time of the kings should be performed once again. I wish that a trust would be started that would help poor students, patients and poor people!