Appikonda Beach Visakhapatnam (Vizag) Located within the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits, between the picturesque Yarada Beach and Tikkavanipalem beach is an ancient Somalingeswara Temple that is also known as the Appikonda Beach Temple. At a Distance of 30 kms from Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Appikonda is a fisherman’s village, it is having a very old Shiva temple and a big festival takes place around the temple every year during Shivaratri days. The beach isn’t frequented by tourists because it is way from Vizag town.
History of Appikonda Beach Visakhapatnam (Vizag)
Appikonda, also known as Kapilakonda, is a small village located at distance 18 km from vizag on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The place has gained a religious significance because of the existence of the Shiva temple. The major attraction of the temple, a life size bull carved out of black stone. It also contains inscriptions dating back to 12th Century AD, with a mention that this village was granted by a commander-in-chief of the Cholas for the upkeep of worship in the temple.
These inscriptions mention that a commander-in-chief of Cholas continued this village so that devotees could still worship within the temple. The temple complex houses four shrines that house four Lingas and boasts a life-size sculpture of Nandi the bull carved from a single large black granite stone. While the main department has given the main temple a modern twist, two of the smaller temples have been reduced to rubble and the fourth is in ruins.
The rough-cut stone temple was built between 1070 AD and 1120 AD by the kings of peninsular India, during the reign of Kulottunga Chalukya-Chola and is often referred to as a Chola monument, although the later Cholas, including Kulothungas, were of the Eastern Chalukya dynasty and were Cholas only from their maternal side. Much has been said about the Dravidian influence, in architectural terms, on the Appikonda Temple, but the porticoes and mandapams are not unique to the Chola style of architecture and are more Nagara-Dravidian in style.
Appikonda was also one of the first major Brahmin settlements, where the large tracts of land were not just allotted to the upkeep of the temple but also to Brahmins, chiefly Advaitis (followers of shankaracharya) and has for more than 800 years continued to remain a Brahmin stronghold. Appikonda was a Mokhasa traditionally held by a Brahmin family, which lost rights over it only after 1952.
Like most Shiva beach temples, the Appikonda temple also. especially the main mandapam, also had stone sculptures and inscriptions representing the Shiva-Ravana Appikonda temple, especially the main mandapam, had stone sculptures and inscriptions representing the Shiva-Ravana myth, when Ravana was unable to wear the atmalinga of the Lord Shiva to Sri Lanka beyond the ocean thanks to Lord Ganesha’s intervention, but has now been completely wiped out by the modernization efforts of the endowment department. Enjoy the beauty of the sea and the Casuarina and Cashew trees on the coasts. A good picnic spot for enthusiasts.
Entry Fee and Timings Appikonda Beach, Visakhapatnam (Vizag)
There is no entrance fee to visit Appikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam and its tourists can visit it at any time during the week.
How to Reach Appikonda Beach Visakhapatnam (Vizag)?
Located at a distance of 19 km from the city center, Appikonda Beach maintains good road connectivity with Visakhapatnam (Vizag) and its neighboring cities. You can drive your own vehicle or choose to hire a taxi to travel in comfort. For your convenience, the APSRTC operates several buses.