Koneti Rayala Swamy Temple, Hindu temple in Keelapatla, Chittoor district, India
Koneti Rayala Swamy Temple is a Hindu shrine in Keelapatla Village within Chittoor District and displays a statue of Lord Venkateswara holding the symbolic objects of conch and wheel. The main figure is flanked by goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi, and the complex includes additional smaller temples dedicated to Chennakesava Swamy and Bhoo Varaha Swamy.
The sources do not record a founding date or a Pallava construction phase. They list Sathavahans, Pallavas, Renuti Cholas, Rastrakootas, Banus, Chalukyas, Pandyas, Yadava kings, Vijayanagar emperors, Matli kings, Moghul kings, Arcot Nawabs, Tippu Sultan, the British and Palegars as rulers of the area. The 15th-century saint Annamacharya names Konetiraya in many of his sankeerthanas, and the Punganuru Jamindars, a Muslim ruling house, improved the temple.
The 15th-century saint Annamacharya, called Andhra Pada kavitā Pitāmaha, names Konetiraya in many of his sankeerthanas. Muslim Punganuru Samasthanam Jamindars improved the temple, and Muslims also worship Sri Venkateswara here. The deity is held to be Kalpatharu, Chintamani and Kamadhenu.
The temple lies in Keelapatla near Palamaner, in Chittoor district. Road distances given are 120 km from Tirupati, 141 km from Bangalore, 203 km from Chennai and 471 km from Hyderabad. The old Punganur route via Kallupalli, Malleru, Melumoi and Kothapalli is still an unmetalled soil road, so approach by a surfaced road instead.
Saint Brughu, who kicked Vishnu's chest, was sent to earth to install the deity's idols in seven places; Keelapatla is one of them, and the idols stood under trees until ruling kings built temples around them. Annamacharya, the 15th-century Telugu saint, names Konetiraya in many of his sankeerthanas.
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