Sri Venu Gopala Swami Devasthanam is an ancient Lord Krishna temple based in Hamsaladeevi village. The temple resides on the beautiful river Krishna and is amongst the 180 sacred Vishnu temples in India. The temple is 0.7 km from Hamsala deevi village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. One can witness the full glory of Goddess Rukmini and Satyabhama the two consorts of lord Krishna.
The temple is popularly referred to as Swam Temple and is a sacred place where the river Krishna one branch merges within the sea of the Bay of Bengal. The main attraction of the temple is Sagara Sangamam and Sri Venu Gopala Swami Devasthanam, where devotees seek the blessing of the lord.
The temple requires visitors to adorn a specific dress code while visiting the temple to showcase their respect for the deity. The temple authority instructs men to wear a shirt and trousers, dhoti, or pyjamas with upper clothes. As for women, a saree or churidar with pyjamas is preferred. The temple prohibits any other clothing for visitors. The local language used in the area is Telugu.
History
Hamsaladeevi temple offers a glimpse of the rich history of the Pallavas and Chalukyas dynasties. One can come across several stories associated with hamsaladeevi. As per some ancient tales, the Hamsaladeevi Sri Venugopal Swamy temple was built in a single day by gods and goddesses.
Amongst such ancient stories, two gandharavas made fun of a sage, who cursed them to become crows. Gandharavas then beg the sage for forgiveness. The holy saga feels pity for them and asks them to take a dip in the holy river. It is after the holy dip, the gandharavas come back to their original form as swans. The story is instrumental in naming the place.
Best Time To Visit
Winter season is the best time for visiting this temple. One can visit the temple from September to February. Local people celebrate Magha Poornima at this temple in February. Karthik month is also an ideal time for devotees to take holy baths in the sea.
The temple visiting time is from 6 am to 1 pm, and in the evening the temple is open from 4 to 7 pm.
How To Reach
The place offers good road connectivity with the availability of local taxis or government buses. The nearest railway station is in Guntur or Machilipatnam.