Annavaram Sri Veera Venkata Sathyanarayana Swamy
Annavaram is on NH5 connecting Chennai and Howrah in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is famous Hindu temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple. Annavaram Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Temple is located on a hilltop called Ratnagiri.
Meruvu, the lord of the hills and his consort Menaka did great penance and had two sons by the grace of Lord Vishnu. They name One as Bhadra and the other Ratnakar. Bhadra pleased Lord Vishnu with his devotion and penance and became Bhadrachalam on which Lord Sri Rama had permanently settled. Ratnakara desired to emulate his brother and pleased Lord Vishnu by his penance and became Ratnagiri hill on which Lord Sri Vishnu settled on him as Lord Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy.
The temple was built in 1891 by Sri I.V. Ramanarayana, a zamindar, as said to have been commanded by the Lord in his dream. The idol was traced from the hill and placed at the current spot which we now know as Annavaram.
The Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayanaswamy temple is the main temple on the Ratnagiri hills. There are also a temple of Sri Rama and the shrines of Vana Durga and Kanaka Durga nearby. The temple of gramadevatha”Nerellamma” a village deity is in the village at the foot of the hill.
Anna means food in the local language and the place was known for distribution of food, and thus named as Annavaram. Another derivative was from Anina varam, possessing boon from the lord, would have also given the name.