DEVIPURAM in a nutshell:

Devipuram's focus is a 3 story building 108'x108'x54'.  There you can see all Shaktis of Khadgamala life size.  Some of them are sky-clad, implying that they have nothing to hide, they are pure shaktis. 1000 eyed Lalita called Sahasrakshi is the presence everywhere. Weekly Sri Chakra Nava-avarana puja,  havans, Daily 1000,108, names are recited and the fruits of these actions are offered to every Shakti in a special Khadgamala Arati. Devotees come to sing, dance, pray, and meditate; many come just for fun.

Devipuram is near Vizag. It is like a jewel resting in the bosom of green hills all round. Crystal clear waters come from a borewell, checked for purity and found to be like mineral water. Kamakhya Peetham and Sivalayam are on the hill nearby. Devi inspired a scientist to leave his job to build this unique Sri Chakra in the world. She is pressing him now to build a center of learning called Soundarya Lahari around the existing structure, having four acres of built-up area. It will attract talented devotees, and invoke their grace to promote abundance, beauty, harmony, peace, and wisdom all over the world. Some of us who are interested in promoting a devotional tourist center at this place have joined hands to 

1. To build Soundarya Lahari, 

2. To adopt 100 villages around to educate and empower children, adolescents and mothers, and 

3. to conduct poojas and run courses regularly and 

4. to promote spiritual tourism to Vizag.

Please visit Devipuram to experience the energy here. Nearest station to Devipuram is Anakapalle just 15 km. Vizag station is 30 km, airport 20 km.

Origins

Devipuram is an enigma to visitors. They talk about it in hushed silence and sometimes laughter. What is it? A New Age paradigm? A vision of a hoary antiquity? Or is it a call to the spirit of Woman to discover herself and unfold her potential to lead the world into compassion, harmony, peace, and love?

Whatever it is, it is unique in many ways: tranquil and exciting, with the potential for self-discovery. It is the first Pyramid Sri Chakra Meru anyone can actually walk into. It measures 108 ft square on ground, soaring majestically to 54 ft high in 3 stories. There are 100 life-sized icons of Goddesses of Khadgamala in living color. You can sit in front of each of them inside the Sri Chakra to meditate, do archana, or even homa. This is the first time You can see the deities of Khadgamala.  The Meru housing them is of King of Yantras, offering unbelievable benefits to sincere aspirants who visit the place.  Devipuram is a place with extreme potential.

Who envisioned it? How was the place chosen? Why are some icons seductively nude? For what purpose is this temple built?

A nuclear scientist by name Dr. Nishtala Prahlada Sastry who used to work in Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at Bombay was inspired by Balaji (Lord Venkateswara) to build this temple for Lalita in the form of Sri Chakra Meru. At Her instance, he performed a Devi Yagam in Visakhapatnam in 1983 when he received the place where the temple stands now. After coming here, he had seen the goddess of creativity Kamakhya Devi in a triangular pit formation in a rock boulder nearby. She showed him all the forms of deities who receive puja in Sri Chakra. She gave him many experiences of Kula pujas of yore which she likes. He recorded the yoginis and deities in the visual medium of sculpture. She guided him at every step of building the present temple.  He struggled in this wilderness for 11 years to make this temple.

Now Devipuram complex is accessible by a metal road. Facilities for pilgrims to stay and do sadhana are now available, be it for a limited period. It has become a great resource for quenching the thirst of serious Sri Vidya Upasakas who marvel at the vision behind it. Many pilgrims come here to enjoy immense peace and bliss. Tens of thousands throng the place during the festive season Oct- March. Dattatreya Sampradaya and Lalita Sahasram teach the worship of women. These are ancient traditions of India with modern relevance.

Present Programs

Not content with sharing of his spiritual visions, Dr Sastry, now called Amrita, has founded a registered public charitable Trust called Sri Vidya Trust. Helped by a band of committed youngsters, he initiated rural development activities such as: 50 night schools for dropouts in 6-14 age group, mobilizing 4000 women to run a Macts self help thrift banking project called Jagruthi, designs for low cost housing, computer assisted adult education project covering 12 villages etc.

Future Plans

This unique place is fit to be on the world map as a temple of learning, a deemed university for Indian Heritage. Education for empowerment and  Healing take the pride of place. Visitors do not come here just to get a puja done, but to learn the deeper meanings of pujas by interacting with learned gurus, and gain personal experience of Godhead by doing sadhana. We have to make facilities for this. The best of Smartha traditions have to be maintained. Other tantric traditions from East and West, North and South are not to be looked down upon. Openness, free exchange of individual views are to be encouraged without bringing in caste, color, creed, religion.  Workable religions for the New Age have to spring from here based on equality of genders, love and service to all being the key factors. Religions spreading hate and violence are not to be allowed here.

Amrita has seen a building in his meditation called Soundarya Lahari, shaped like a Yoni surrounding the present temple. It is needed to complete the formation of a Huge Siva Lingam 300ft in diameter. It will be raised on stilts, have four stories each with one acre of built up area. It will house some 144 apartments. Common areas will cater to singles and couples, Empowering Healing arts Center for Reiki, Sujok, Ayurveda, Love and Care center for old and young, Teaching Sanskrit, Tantras and Vedas, Music and Dance Convention Halls, Software Tech park to package Indian Heritage into Internationally attractive multimedia presentations, etc, etc. More details on this can be found further on.  This is the main thrust of the future development plans, the rationale of which is explained below.

Why do we want to build Soundarya Lahari at Devipuram?

General comment:

In these days of speed and tension, body needs healing, mind needs rest, and soul needs prayer. With these ideas in mind, we intend to build a facility in a peaceful rural setting, close to a unique place of prayer and healing with the following

objectives:

1.      To attract talented and compassionate people from all over the world to come, holiday, recharge their lives, interact with people having similar ideas, and contribute actions to make the surrounding rural areas a heaven on earth, proving that rural is beautiful. We need to house the volunteers and visitors in decent, hygienic, safe environment so that they will want to come back again and again.

2.      To organize regular healing and training workshops on a wide variety of subjects for empowering

        A. People who come here for short or long visits and

        B. People of the surrounding 100 villages.

3.      To provide a base for reaching out educational, medical and vocational training to surrounding rural areas as a service to poor and downtrodden.

Why should people choose to come to Devipuram over others? What attractions can we provide for the people who come there?

Chief attraction:

One of its kind Spirit of Woman Temple in the form of a great Sri Chakra Meru Temple is right here. It is located in a valley of hills with charming vistas of undulating greenery. It is a living temple of ancient traditions yet modern outlook, located in Devipuram. The entire Temple is the body of Goddess. It is the Meru, a 3 dimensional Sri Chakra. It is considered to be the genetic code of the cosmos, mind and the atom.  Womanhood is the Supreme deity here with Her varying moods charming, healing, and seducing to creating brave new worlds.

Other attractions to be made available or existing:

1.      Healing and training camps: including Reiki, Mantra Massage, Sujok,  Kundalini, Ayurveda, Tribal wisdom Herbal medicines and many more. Indoor Gym for health and fitness.

2.      Hindu Heritage Workshops with audio visual teachings on Words of Brahma: the Vedas, Words of Siva: Tantras, and Words of Gods: Sanskrit.

3.      Safe hill trekking areas within walking distance.

4.      Meeting rural Villagers in nearby areas and working with them on self identified projects like teaching children something you know, studying their culture, building roads, build a home for a poor family, poor feeding etc.

5.      Special Jataras, Shows, Pujas, Conferences and Training camps will be organized during six  month period from  Sep to March.  Navaratris of Ganapati and  Devi, months of Kartik when tens of thousands of people  throng the place, and month of Magha for Sun god, Visakhotsav, Christmas and New Year in December and January, Holi the Carnival of colors in February the equivalent of  Valentines for honey-mooners are the main highlights.

6.      Pujas: Navavarana Pujas on Fridays, Abhishekam to Mother Goddess on full moon days, Chandi homams, Deepa Yajnas for upto 100 people at a time in evenings. Light and Sound shows in the Unique Sri Chakra temple. Musical fountains on Saturday evenings. Live music and dance concerts in festive seasons.

Day-long trips: where you can have solitude plus safety:

 a.     Visit 1000 yr old scenic Simhachalam temple (1/2 hr) where 5 lakhs devotees worship the boar incarnation of Vishnu every year. Also Bojjanna Konda, a lovely Buddhist Vihara on a small hill is a nice tourist spot. Both these places can be visited in one day.

b.     A/C car- bus trips (1hr) to nearby 20 mile long natural beaches in Vizag and shopping of Indian Sarees and Handicrafts at Jagadamba Center.  Beautiful views from Kailas Nagar, Zoo are enjoyable by whole family. Clean hotels offer excellent cuisine. You may be surprised by the taste and variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods available at moderate cost.

c.     The lotus pond of  Kondakarla (1hr) with a ride in a country boat made of 2 trees.

d.     Scenic journey to Borra Caves (3hrs), of stalactites and stalagmites. Close by is the Araku Valley, a safe Tribal area where many cultural events are organized throughout the year.

Climate: High season starting from September lasting upto March, with peak around Nov- Dec.  The climate is pleasant and cool with occasional rain. Sun shines bright in December too, but it can be a little chill at times.

Types of Accommodation:

 1.      We wish to provide accommodation for Singles, Couples and Groups of families catering to varying needs of comfort and cost.

2.       Apartments for singles and couples to ensure privacy, security, attached baths and toilets, hot water. Telephone and TV standard. YTM (Yoga, Tapas, Meditation / Yantra, Tantra, Mantra) can be learned and practiced with the help of presentations on TV, both for west and east, in privacy of apartments.

3.      Groups can have shared bathrooms and toilets.

4.      All rooms to have broadband Internet connection in common areas.

5.      Food will be South / North Indian / Continental Veg.

6.      Guides communicate in: English, Hindi, and Telugu. Others on request.

7.      Travel to and from airport, railway station, can be arranged via Internet.

We seek your help in making these dreams come true. There are many things to be done. Modalities of help can be discussed if any concrete proposals come forth.