Draksharama

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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East Godavari district map

Draksharamam (द्राक्षाराम) is a town of East Godavari in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Draksharama is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. Bhimeswara Swamy refers to Lord Shiva in this temple.

Location

Draksharamama is located at a distance of 25 km from Amalapuram, 28 km from Kakinada and 50 km from Rajamahendravaram.

Variants

• Draksharama (द्राक्षाराम) (जिला गोदावरी, आ.प्र.) (AS, p.455)
• Draksha Ramam

History

Yashoda Devi mentions..... Arjuna I (A.D. 1252-1292) The son and successor of Jayanta, Arjuna was the first Matsya king to have issued inscriptions. His earliest inscription is from Draksharama dated A.D. 1252 and the 36th year of Tribhuvanachakravarti Rajadhiraja registering the regrant of Sankubhimapuram in Alikattananti in Oddadi.

The next record also from Draksharama is dated A.D. 1253 and the 59th year of Tribhuvana chakravarti Rajadhirajadeva. In A.D. 1269 Arjuna made gifts at Simbachalam, for the increase of his family fame and valour. Kula, Kirti and pratapa. On the 6th April 1269 A D. he granted Drubbidi named Jayantanarayana after his father to Brahmins.

The next record, dated A.D. 1281 is from Simhachalam, mentioning his minister Srirangapreggada. In A.D. 1286 Annamaraju, the younger brother of Arjuna made grants at Simbachalam. Arjuna’s records dated A.D. 1287 are at Draksharma and Simbachalam. In the latter, figures his minister Tallepreggada. In A.D. 1289, Oddadi Srirangavardhana alias Mankaditya Maharaja, the younger brother of Arjuna made gifts at Simhachalam. The last date for Arjuna is A.D. 1292, in which year he made grants at Simhachalam for the merit of his deceased younger brother Annamaraja entitled Gopalavardbana. In the same year, Jayanta son of Arjuna by Lakshmidevi, made donations at Simhachalam.

This series of inscriptions at Draksharama, Simhachalam and Drubbudi indicates the extent to which the Matsya arms under Arjuna reached In extending and consolidating the kingdom, Arjuna came into contact with the Gangas, the Cholas and the minor dynasties in South Kalinga.

द्राक्षाराम

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...द्राक्षाराम (AS, p.455) गोदावरी ज़िला, आंध्र प्रदेश का एक ऐतिहासिक स्थान है। इस स्थान से अनेक प्राचीन ऐतिहासिक अभिलेख प्राप्त हुए हैं। यहाँ से प्राप्त अभिलेखों से जान पड़ता है कि यह स्थान प्राचीन समय में महत्त्वपूर्ण रहा होगा। दुर्गम वन प्रदेश में स्थित होने के कारण इसका प्राचीन महत्त्व प्रकाश में नहीं लाया जा सका है।