Nemaligundla Ranganayaka Swamy Temple
Nemaligundla Ranganayaka Swamy Temple is located in Nallamalla Forest. Temple can be reached from J. Pullala Cheruvu in Racharla Mandal, Prakasam District -Andhra Pradesh.It is believed that those who speak lies at this holy place will be punished. The main deity Ranganayaka Swamy is seen in the reclining posture.
History
Bayanna and Bayyakka couple of Chenchu tribe lived in Sand Gundam in Nallamalla hills.Their only daughter was named Ranga (Chenchulakshmi). One day her parents decided to marry her, but Chenchulakshmi (Ranga) insisted that she does not want this marriage and that she loves Srimannarayana (Lord Vishnu) and insisted to marry him.
Disgusted with the caste system, disagreed with the chiefs, left Chenchugudem and reached Nemiligundam with the intention of marrying Lord Vishnu and reveals her love towards Lord Vishnu to sage Mayura who was doing penance.
At that time ‘Mayura Maharshi’ who served Srimannarayana told her that ‘penance is the best way to fulfill your desire.Both ‘Mayura Maharshi’ and Chenchulakshmi (Ranga) undertook severe penance as she wanted to get married to Srimannarayan. Vaikunthavasu himself came to fulfill the wishes of both of them. Appreciating Chenchulakshmi’s devotion, Srimannarayana married her and settled in these peacocks as Ranganayakaswamy.
Unaware of this, Lakshmi became anxious in Vaikuntha as she could not recognize Lord Vishnu’s presence. Finally, she set out to find the Lord and finally reaches this place and found Lord Narayana has married Chenchu. When Narayana told Chenchulakshmi that she was also your sister, the happy Lakshmi found herself in peacock shells. She accepted Chenchulakshmi as her sister.
Lord Mayura took the form of a rock, who had promised that he would meet the wishes of the devotees right here due to the wish of Mayura Maharshi, who served Srimannarayana.
He also blessed the place as a prosperous Ranganayaka Kshetra. Then the Nemaligundam Ranganayaka Swamy Temple who took the form of a stone would give us a vision of the form of the protagonists. The temple was later built by the locals to glorify Srimannarayana as Ranga Swamy, who was worshiped by Mayura Maharshi.
As per the Legends, Sage Mayura Rishi performed penance here for Lord Vishnu. To perform daily Abhishekam to the Lord, Sage dug a small water pool with his nose tip. which later turned into a bigger pool. The water-pool structure is in the shape of a Peacock so the place popular by the name Nemaligundla, where Nemali means peacock and Gundla mean Pool. Sage installed Ranganayaka Swamy Idol next to this water pool. Later the temple was built by the Villagers.