Surutapalli

Surutapalli is situated on the Andhra Tamilnadu border near Nagalapuram on the way to Chennai.

There are many temples of Lord Shiva in our country. In most of the temples, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of ‘linga’. In the temple at Surutupalli, Lord Shiva appeared in the manifestation of a ‘Murthy’ in the sleeping posture.e., ‘Sayanamurthy.’ Lord Shiva receives worship in a sleeping posture.

Kalakuta SayanaKshetram

The Lord is named ‘SriPallikondeswara Swamy’. Goddess Parvathi is named ‘Sri Sarvamangala Devi’.’ Surutupalli’ is located on the banks of the holy river Aruna in Nagalapuram Mandal in Tirupati district, A.P. It is named ‘Kalakuta SayanaKshetram’ as it is the place where Lord Shiva slept and rested due to chaos after consuming ‘KalakutaVisham’ (poison) emerged from the Ocean of Milk at the time of churning.

Surakotipalli

During that time all the deities i.e. crores of ‘suras’ prayed to Lord Shiva. Hence this place was named ‘Surakotipalli’. LaterSurakotipalli was changed to Surutupalli.

At the time of churning the ocean of milk, when poison came out of it, Siva took it into his mouth and since the poison would annihilate the universe within his stomach, he kept it in his throat without swallowing.

The God’s throat turned black because of the poison. Thus, he came to be known as Neelakanta.

Lord Siva became unconscious, then Goddess Parvathi rested on his head on her knee revived him, and all the divine beings came to see him. So this place came to be known as Surutapalli – the Place of Gods. It turned out to be Surutapalli finally.

He is called Pallikondeswara Swami and also Sayana Siva.

Nowhere is Siva found other than as Linga except in this place where he is sculpted in human form.