| Kurmanathaswamy Temple | |
|---|---|
Srikurmam Temple | |
 The vimana of the main temple | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Srikakulam district |
| Deity | Kurmanathaswamy (Vishnu) Kurmanayaki (Lakshmi) |
| Location | |
| Location | Sri Kurmam |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| Country | India |
| Geographic coordinates | 18°16′12″N 84°00′24″E / 18.2700°N 84.0066°E |
The Kurmanathaswamy temple, also known as the Kurmanatha temple, Srikurma or Srikurmam temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Kurma – the second avatar of Vishnu. It is located in Srikurmam village, Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, India. According to Prapannamrutam and earliest inscription of the temple, In saka 1035 CE Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of Eastern Ganga Dynasty of Odisha converted this temple to a Vaishnava khetra from a Siva temple.The temple was Built before 11th-century CE in a fusion architecture of kalinga Architecture and Dravidian Architecture. The temple's perambulatory were constructed by Eastern Ganga Dynasty king Anangabhima Deva III, and it is dedicated to Vishnu as Kurmanathaswamy and his consort Lakshmi as Kurmanayaki. The temple has century old Orissan Pattachitra style mural paintings in side wall of pradakshina mandapa.[1][2][3]
Srikurmam is the only known pre-14th-century Indian temple that is dedicated to the Kurma avatar. The sanctum of Kurmanatha temple has both a tortoise image and the anthropomorphic Vishnu with Lakshmi. The temple was an important centre of Vaishnavism in the medieval period along with Simhachalam. Later Naraharitirtha, a disciple of Madhvacharya, was instrumental in making Srikurmam the seat of Vishnavite religious activities.[4] The temple has two dhvajasthambas, 108 ekasila (single-stone) pillars, with none resembling each other. These bear numerous inscriptions. A tortoise park has been built within the temple to honor and conserve the adult and young star tortoises. The temple has primarily Vaishnava iconography and murals, but also reverentially includes Shaiva (Ganesha, Shiva) and Shakti (Lakshmi, Durga) icons.
Srikurmam follows both Shaivite and Vaishnavite traditions of worship. Four daily rituals and four annual festivals are celebrated in Srikurmam, out of which the three-day Dolotsavam is the major one. Gajapathi Rajus of Vizianagaram are the trustees of the temple, which is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The Indian postal department issued a stamp featuring the temple on 11 April 2013.
- ^ Pathy, Dinanath (2001). "PI -15 Srikurmam Temple murals". Essence of Orissan Paintings. Architecture. New Delhi: Manjit Singh,Harman Public House. p. 34.
- ^ Suryanarayana 1986, p. 177–178, 310.
- ^ Patel 1992, p. 201–204.
- ^ Krishna Kumari 1990, p. 97.