SRI RADHA GOVINDA SWAMY TEMPLE

SRI RADHA GOVINDA SWAMY TEMPLE

At Meliaputti Near Patha Patnam

Brief History of the Temple

Sri Radhagovinda swamy Temple, an Architectural masterpiece ,  is situated in the village Meliaputti in Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh. It is constructed by Smt. Vishnupriya Maharani, wife of Sri Veera Veerendra Pratap Rudra Gajapati of Parlakimidi Estate during 1810, in an acre of land covered by S.No.342,on the banks of River Mahendratanaya. The cost of Construction was about Rs 2 lakhs in those days, spent from her Stridhanam and it was completed in 10 years as per her dreams and ambitions. It is just about 10 kilo Metres from Parlakimidi , 20km from Tekkali and 32 km.from Palasa Railway Station.

The Andhra Pradesh Government had taken over the Parlakimidi Estate on 25-03-1954 under the Estate abolition Act, 1948. This Temple was not taken over by the Government as it was their personal and private property, declared by the Commissioners of Hindu Religious Endowments Board, Madras vide their proceedings No.617/A in O.A.No 291/1928 Dt 1.11.1928. This was prior to the independence of some parts in odisha and the state of present Andhra Predesh from the combined structure in the composite state of Madras.

This Temple is a contemporary Temple of those temples at puri and Konark in the Northern Part of India. Its sculptural glory is not known to many outside people. It is one of the most beautiful Temples in Srikakulam district, A.P. This Temple was built in a pucca Odisha architecture. The beautiful carvings on the temple walls are supposed to convey  the message of the four Vedas. The dome is decorated with 108 lotus flowers, and each flower has its own unique shape.

The Dolo festival of Sri Radhagovinda swamy will be held in the month of March every year for about 7 to 9 days. It starts with the procession of the Deities in the village streets and later on brought to the Magha Mandapam , a place where Kama Dahana programme is performed. Thousands of devotees used to visit the Temple during the festival days to fulfill their ambitions,  by having Darshan of the Deity in the Temple. Sri Krishna chandra Gajapathi, Maharajah of Parlakimidi and the first chief Minister of Odisha , have allowed the public for their entrance in the temple after 1956 only on limited timings by undertaking a written commitment from the village elders for preventing untoward incidents, during procession of the Deities in the Village.

Sri G.N. Gajapathi, present Maharajah of Parlakimidi, and former M.P. of the Berhampur Lok Sabha Constituency and hereditary trustee of the above temple, is looking after the day to-day expenditure on Pujabdhis, Bhoga-rag, Krishnaastami, Dolo festival and other periodical festivals including the salaries of the staff. He formed a twenty member committee for the development of the temple.