Tourism

Arasavalli is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to the Sun god Surya, located near the Srikakulam town of Andhra Pradesh, India.

The original name Harshavalli means abode of joy. It has SuryaNarayana Swamy (Sun God) as the presiding deity. Ratha Saptami is the most important festival which is celebrated in this temple. People suffering with eye and skin diseases are believed to be cured by the god at this temple. The temple is believed to have been built in the 7th Century AD by the Kalinga rulers Devendra Varma of Orissa.

This temple is a testimonial for the architectural skills of Vishwakarma Brahmin sculptors. It is believed that the Orissa Vishwakarma Brahmin sculptors also called as Maharanas in Orissa have planned the architecture and sculpted this engineering master piece. The temple is built in such a way that the Sun rays fall on the feet of the God twice a year in the months of February and June during the early hours of the day. The rays fall on the feet of idol for a few minutes through the five entrance gates of the temple remin closed.

The five idols installed in one place in the temple viz., 1.Aditya 2.Ambica, 3.Vishnu, 4.Ganesha, 5.Maheswara are worshiped by different devotees.The Sun God is depicted as riding on a Chariot drawn by seven horses driven by Aruna. All these figures are exquisitely carved out of a single black granite stone. Sundays during the five months from Magha masam are considered sacred. Every Sunday people from different places from Andhra & Orissa come here for worshiping the Sun God. This temple was build in the Orissa style of temple architecture.