Pancha Kesava Kshetras

The Five Kesava Temples of the Godavari

Just as the Godavari delta is famous for the five Shiva shrines of the Pancharama Kshetras, local tradition honours five temples of Lord Kesava – Lord Vishnu – along the course of the river. Together they are known as the Pancha Kesava Kshetras or Pancha Kesavalayalu, and devotees try to visit all five as one pilgrimage.

The Five Temples

• Duvva – Sri Kesava Swamy Temple, in the village of sage Durvasa, near Tanuku
• Mandapaka – Sri Chaturbhuja Kesava Swamy Temple, the Mandavya Kshetra, near Tanuku
• Tanuku – Sri Kesava Swamy Temple, in the town said to have been the capital of Tarakasura
• Kotalaparru – Sri Kesava Swamy Temple, on the Vasishta Godavari, installed by Narada and found again through a dream
• Ryali – Sri Jaganmohini Kesava Swamy Temple, with its unique Kesava–Mohini idol

Most accounts name these five temples; one account gives Vakatippa, in Konaseema, in place of Duvva.

Each Temple, Its Own Story

Every Pancha Kesava temple has its own sacred story. Mandapaka is linked with the penance of Mandavya Maharshi; Kotalaparru with Narada and Parasara; Duvva with the sage Durvasa; and Tanuku with the legend of Tarakasura, whose broken Linga gave rise to the Pancharamas. At Ryali, a single saligrama stone shows the Lord as Kesava from the front and as Jaganmohini from the back.

The Pancha Kesava Yatra

Four of the temples – Duvva, Mandapaka, Tanuku and Kotalaparru – lie within about 25 km of Tanuku, and Ryali is in the neighbouring Konaseema region, so all five can be visited in one or two days. Vaikuntha Ekadasi and the month of Dhanurmasam (usually December–January) are especially auspicious times for the yatra.