Munivaatam Falls of the Papi Hills
Taken by my son, Aakash, November, 2010, during a bike trip of about 2400 km from Kadapa to Hyderabad, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada and Vizag, Araku and the Borra Caves
At Perantalapalli, a remote tribal village, on top of a hill is a Shiva temple established by Sri Balananda Swamiji in the year 1927. He worked for the development of the locals Konda Koyas and Konda Reddies. The temple and the ashram ‘Sri Krishna Munivaatam’ has given the falls its name. The idol of Shiva here has a serpent shade over it. History has it that Balananda Swamy while travelling down the river from Rajhmadry to Bhadrachalam, stayed for the night at Perantalapalli. As he enjoyed the moonlit night on the sandy banks of River Godavari, a lady appeared before him and lead him to a spot where a hooded Shiva idol rested in a thicket of bushes next to a flowing stream. He decided to construct a temple at that spot. Since no priest would perform pooja in this remote place, the local tribes took over. Eating meat and hunting are not allowed in the vicinity of the temple. Complete silence is a prerequisite during the visit. In 1969, David Adam, a young British national, became a disciple of the Swamiji and has lived in Perantalapalli till recently.
© Nalini Hebbar/saycheese/2009-all rights reserved
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