Destination guide
About Pithapuram
A pilgrimage town with over 1,500 years of documented history, in the East Godavari region of Andhra Pradesh.
Pithapuram lies about 20 km from Kakinada and roughly 75 km from Rajahmundry. Known in older records as Pishtapura, it was a seat of power for early Andhra kingdoms long before it became known for its temples.
Three things draw pilgrims here. It holds one of the eighteen Maha Shakti Peethas in Puruhutika Devi. It is a revered kshetra for ancestral rites at Pada Gaya Sarovar. And it is the birthplace of Sripada Sri Vallabha, revered in the Datta tradition as an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Few towns of this size carry three distinct pilgrimage traditions at once.
Temples & sacred sites
Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple
Lord Shiva as Kukkuteswara, with consort Rajarajeswari Devi
An ancient temple built around a Swayambhu (self-manifested) Lingam, revered in both the Saivite and Shakta traditions. It is the principal temple of Pithapuram, and the Puruhutika Devi shrine stands within the same complex.
- •Swayambhu Lingam sanctum
- •Sri Rajarajeswari Devi shrine within the complex
- •Major observances: Maha Shivaratri, Navaratri and Karthika Masam
- •Pithapuram appears in records as Pishtapura, with over 1,500 years of documented history
Sri Puruhutika Devi Temple
Goddess Puruhutika Devi
One of the eighteen Maha Shakti Peethas of Shaktism, traditionally counted as the 10th. It stands on the premises of the Kukkuteswara Temple, so both can be visited in a single darshan.
- •One of the eighteen Maha Shakti Peethas
- •Located within the Kukkuteswara Temple complex
- •Especially significant during Navaratri
- •Can be paired with Manikyamba Devi at Draksharama for two Shakti Peethas in one trip
Pada Gaya Sarovar
Sacred kshetra for ancestral (pitru) rites
A sacred pond revered for ancestral rites, where families travel from across India to perform pinda pradanam, tarpanam and shraddha karma for their departed.
- •A revered destination for pitru karma
- •Pinda Pradanam, Tarpanam and Shraddha Karma performed here
- •One of the Trigaya Kshetras, alongside Siro Gaya (Bihar) and Nabhi Gaya (Jajpur, Odisha) — together regarded as seats of the Trimurti
- •Busiest during Pitru Paksha / Mahalaya Paksha — book early
Sri Sripada Srivallabha Datta Temple
Swayambhu Datta (a self-manifested form of Lord Dattatreya), at the birthplace of Sripada Sri Vallabha
Pithapuram is the birthplace of Sripada Sri Vallabha, the 14th-century saint revered in the Datta tradition as an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. The temple draws devotees from across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
- •Swayambhu Datta murti at the sanctum
- •A key destination on the Datta pilgrimage circuit
- •Daily sevas including Suprabhata Seva, Abhishekam and Datta Homam
- •Special observance: Sri Pada Jayanthi
The Pancharama temples nearby
The five Pancharama Kshetras — the ancient group of Shiva temples of this region — are at Amaravathi, Draksharamam, Bhimavaram, Palakollu and Samalkot. Two of them are within easy reach of Pithapuram: Kumararama at Samalkot (approx. 12 km) and Draksharama (approx. 42 km), which is also the Manikyamba Shakti Peetha. Many families staying with us use Pithapuram as the base for that circuit.
See the full sightseeing list →Planning your visit
Temple and homam timings vary by season and by the festival calendar, and they do change — always confirm current darshan and seva timings closer to your visit. Pitru Paksha is the busiest period at Pada Gaya Sarovar, so rooms and purohits should be booked well in advance.