AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Story of Ganagapura Ashrama and it's importance

Ganagapura Ashrama is great event in history that will be etched in the annals of Dattatreya's Avatara story. His Holiness Jagadguru Avadhoota Datta Peethadhipati Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidanananda Swamiji, verily the incarnation of Dattatreya is leading us to the Kumbhabhisheka of a historic first Datta temple in the great pligrim town of Ganagapura. Sri Bhaskaram Thimmappayya Dixit informed that Sri Swamiji first visited Ganagapura on Ashadha Shuddha Ekadashi in the year 1972. It was here perhaps Sri Swamiji communicated with Narasimha Saraswati and Dattatreya Bhagavan to commence the propogation of Datta's teachings and Datta Tattva. Thereafter, Sri Swamiji established the first ever Datta temple in Sri Swamiji's life in Mysore Ashrama in 1978. Thereafter started Sri Swamiji's "Datta global mission". Sri Swamiji established 16 Datta temples, nine more Datta temples for the Nava Nathas, Datta Rameswara, Datta Kashi and many more Datta temple with other names. There are dozens of Datta Paduka Kshetras. New Ashramas with Datta temples were built in many countries across the world. The centers abroad were named as "Datta Yoga Centers". Millions of people started chanting "Jai Guru Datta - Sri Guru Datta". A hitherto mystical divinity of Dattatreya was brought to the worshipping public's general arena. Sri Swamiji created "Datta Kankana" - a copper bracelet with Datta Yantra (without Beejakshara) in 1982. Datta Vastra followed next year. In 1986, blessed by Sri Swamiji, devotees produced "Sri Datta Darshanamu - a 35 mm feature film on the life of Dattatreya. This movie was translated to Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati. Sri Swamiji popularised the "Anagha Vratam", which can be done by anybody who wishes to worship Dattatreya & Anagha Devi 
Sri Swamiji composed thousands of Bhajans/Kirtans on Dattatreya, set them to tune and sung them in his majestic voice. Inspired by all this, Lakhs of people started to sing Bhajans on Datta. In 2002, Sri Swamiji established Anagha Datta Kshetra in Peethapuram. This was the center of Swami Sripada Vallabha. Now in 2011, Sri Swamiji is inaugurating this Vishwaroopa Datta Kshetra in the land of Swami Narasimha Saraswati - Ganagapura. 
The story of Ganagapura Ashrama too is auspicious. 
About eight years ago, Sri.Umesh Giri a Yoga practicant who had a small Ashrama in Ganagapura approached Mysore Ashrama with an intention to sell his place as he intended to move to the Himalayas. Sri Swamiji blessed us to proceed. With that small piece of land started the story of this Ashrama. Sri Swamiji's Vamana Avatara ensured that the Ashrama grew and grew and to our bewilderment grew to this size. In 2005, Sri Swamiji was travelling in Greece and one morning, Sri Swamiji said that the whole night, Narasimha Saraswati was visiting him and gave instructions for an Ashrama to be built in Ganagapura. Sri Swamiji further said that even the design of the temple was discussed in that meeting. 
Upon returning to India and at a later visit to Ganagapura, Sri Swamiji drew initial sketch of the circular temple. The temple had a inner circular temple where the idols would be placed. The outer circle would give chance for devotees to do Pradakshina. Sri.Madhusudan, architect from Hyderabad finalised the temple / ashrama scheme as directed by Sri Swamiji.

Allagadda, a small sculpting village in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh has found in Sri Swamiji a benefactor of arts. Sri Swamiji spotted Subramanya Sthapathy, a young but passionate sculptor to undertake the project. The Agama principles of "Gajaaya" were invoked to finalize the features of this circular temple. The bold "wow" factor of the design was to replace the traditional temple tower with a 18 feet tall monolith Dattatreya statue. Sri.DR Rao and family came forward to undertake the project. And today we have superlative temple with many historic firsts - They are:
First ever Marakata stone Datta idol
First ever circular Datta temple
First ever 18 feet monolith Datta statue
First ever temple to replace temple tower with a statue. 
We the devotees who are participating in this event are extra lucky that we can claim in future to have participated in this sacred and mega program. 
The salient features of the temple are
The circumference of the external circular stone wall is 192 feet. It measures 16 feet wide. 
The circumference of the interior circular stone wall is 96 feet. It measures 12 feet wide. 
The main pillar contain idols of Ganapathy & Varuna on east
SripadaVallabha and Narasimha Saraswati on north and Lord Rama and Hanuman on south. 
The Circular temple has four entrances on four directions. 
On the south east (Aagneya) exterior wall are the statues of Anasuya, Vinayaka & sage Atri. 
On the south west wall are the statues of emperor Yadu, Anjaneya & Prahlada. 
On the north west wall are statues of Indra, Kumaraswamy & Dharmakeerthi. 
On the north east wall are statues of Kartaveerya, Venkateswara & Parasurama. 
Jaya and Vijaya statues guard the eastern entrance. 
Other statues else where in the temple are Datta, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Saraswati & Ganapathy. 
On the base of the exterior wall are scene of marching elephants. 
In the Pradakshina hall there are 27 large back lit images from the life story of Swami Narasimha Saraswati. The text of Datta Stava, Sadguru Stava, Guru Ashtaka & Sri Guru Gita have been carved on granite and fixed inside the Pradakshina passage. 
Outside, on the north east of the temple is a shrine of Sripadavallabha Swami and on the South east is a shrine of Sri Narasimha Saraswati Swami. 
Three meditation huts facing the temple have been built to facilitate meditators to sit and meditate gazing at the Datta statue.

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