An ancient temple dedicated to Sri #Endala_Mallikarjuna_Swamy is in the village of Ravivalasa. This linga believed to be swayambhu (self-manifested), measures about 20m in height and 3m in width. According to legend, the Pandavas visited this temple during their exile and met Maharishi Markandeya here.

#rayavalasa_temple is situated in the village "Ravivalsa " in Tekkali Mandalam of #Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh state, India.

Ravivalasa is famous for its Sri Endala Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple. There is a belief that people will get rid of their skin diseases like scabies, ringworm, impetigo, and other fungal skin infections after seeing this god. 

In the Tretayuga on his return way, after Ravana's death, to Ayodhya, Rama took a rest on the SUMANTHA hills of this forest area of Ravivalasa along with his army and followers. Sushenudu who was a divine doctor in the Rama followers felt happy and wondered on seeing the Medicinal plants and barking around in this forest but the people were unhealthy and suffering. He wants to do something good for the people. He expressed his desire to stay on this hill and do TAPASSU for Lord Shiva. Rama granted permission and left for Ayodhya leaving Sushena here. Sushena worshipped Shiva years and years and used to serve the people around with the Medicinal plants. As he was not able to bear the separation of Rama, chanting Rama nama, he died on the Sumantha parvatham.

After some years, Rama sent Hunuma to inquire about the whereabouts of SUSHENA. Hanuma(Anjaneya) came to Ravivalasa hills SUMANCHA and found the skeleton/dead body of SUSHENA, thought that SUSHENA was died and buried the skeleton, put some jasmine flowers (Malle pulu), covered with deerskin, returned to Ayodhya and told everything he did. Rama after hearing the sad news came to this SUMANCHA HILLS along with Sita, Laxmana, and Hanuman. 

Hanuman lifted the deer skin to show the skeleton to Rama and Rama tried to insert his hands to uncover the buried body of Sushena under the Jasmine flowers but found the body of Sushena converted to Shiva Linga on his contact in a side heap of Malle-pulu (jasmine flowers), instead of the body of the SUSHENA. All are astonished and shocked, took a bath in the nearby pond, and started worshiping the Shiva-linga.

As they started doing the pooja the Linga began to grow till the end of the pooja. Air flowing down-warda the ling with the breeze from the medicinal plants, giving good health to the people. As it is growing Rama was not built any temple there. The name from Jasmin = Malle, deer skin = Aajinamu, so a linga worshiped with MallePoolu and covered with deer skin = Mallekajina Swami and it was modified to MALLIKAJINA Swami. The pond is Named as SEETHA KUNDAMU.

The history of the temple can be traced to the Mahabharata period. Legend has it that Pandavas while in exile visited this temple and met Markandeya Maharshi, who appraised them of the importance of the Ravivalasa shrine. Later, Arjuna did thapassu (worship) to this linga. Lord Shiva gave darshan and asked about his desire. Arjuna requested Shiva to keep his name along with Lord's name. Later on Mallikajina swamy became Mallikarjuna Swamy.

On Maha Sivaratri and Kartika Mondays, large gatherings of devotees worship this temple's deity. Tarla's family used to worship for over a hundred years to this lord (vamsha parampara dharma karthalu) before it is taken over by the State Government's Endowments department. It is strongly believed that the lord will bless people and fulfill all their desires, promote health and wealth in their lives and remove sins. Lord is worshipped by people from West Bengal, Orissa, and coastal Andhra Pradesh. 

Saiva Cult held marking Sivaratri’s eve

Dr. E. Sivanagi Reddy, Archaeologist, and CEO, of The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA), said that the earliest Sivalinga, dating to the 1st century BC, is also from Andhra Pradesh at Gudimallam village in Chittoor district and explained the origin and spread of the Siva Cult in Andhra right from the Satavahanas (1st century AD) till the Vijayanagara period in the form of Sivalinga Mukhalinga (with Siva’s faces on it) and also Siva in different aspects of iconic form as Arthanariswara, Chandrasekhara, Nataraja, and Gajasamhara Murthy. Dr. Reddy also informed that the earliest Nataraja sculpture also comes from Andhra Pradesh as seen at the Nataraja Cave, Mogalrajpuram in Vijayawada dating back to the 4th -5th centuries AD.

Tracing the origin of this highest Sivalinga at the Ravivalasa to the Ramayana Period (exact date not known), was brought under a shelter by Brindavana Harish Chandra Jagaddev, the then Jamindar of Tekkali in 1870. Since then thousands of devotees are visiting it from AP and Odisha. Satavadhani Dr. Palaparti Syamalananda Prasad, a famous expert in Avadhanam Vidya, enumerated various Saiva rituals associated with the Saiva cult over a period of time.

Another participant, Dr. Gumma Samba Siva Rao, Vice Principal, Andhra Loyola College, presented various references to the Saiva cult in Telugu Literature by reading poems from Telugu Prabandhas. Dr. Venna Vallabha Rao, Subhakar Medasani, Secretary, Amaravati Buddha Vihara, M. Tirumal Srinivas, Director, Malaxmi Infra Ventures, Dr. Valiveti Sivarama Krishna, Editor ‘Parthatejam Magazine, Dr. Movva Srinivasa Reddy, Department of History,  Andhra Loyola College, Mr. Golla Narayana Rao, Secretary, Andhra Arts Academy and students of History from Andhra Loyola College also participated in the deliberations of the symposium.