A temple steeped in enchanting tales
Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Temple is home to captivating legends that have been passed down from generation to generation, such as its role as family deity for erstwhile kings of Visakhapatnam.
Buruju Peta is home to a unique temple dedicated to goddesses. According to the goddess's wishes, the sanctum sanctorum has no roof; hence its unique name. Devotees themselves offer prayers directly to her idol, creating an intimate link with divinity.
Stories resonating through time
Over the centuries, this temple has witnessed stirring stories of devotion and miracles. According to local lore, an idol was discovered from a well in 1912 and installed into a small shrine at its original spot along a road. In 1917 during road widening, municipal authorities removed and relocated it in one corner. Plague broke out shortly thereafter and killed many; locals believed this change to be caused by shifting it, hence they installed it back where it originally stood, resulting in its subsidence and eventual return to its original spot. This further strengthening the belief that every prayer offered here will be answered - by divine intervention!
Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Temple has attracted much more than spiritual significance; its divine beauty has also attracted fame through film, documentaries and travel shows, making it an iconic landmark of Indian cinema. Pokiri features the temple in one song called Gala Gala Paruthunna featuring scenes of it as one of its locations.
Temple visitors flock to Margasira month, considered auspicious in Hindu astrology. Legend has it that the self-manifested goddess was consecrated during this month (November-December) on Thursdays.