How a Stone Revealed Lord Ganesha: The Folklore of the Kanipakam Temple in Andhra Pradesh

Swayambhu Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy Vari Devasthanam is one of the famous temples of Lord Ganesha located at Kanipakam in Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh. According to Local 18 Andhra Pradesh, there is an interesting folklore that tells the historical record of Swayambhu Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy Vari Devasthanam. Legend has it that three brothers made a living by farming in Viharapuri village. They are known for their honesty but are born with different disabilities. The eldest is blind, the second is mute, and the last is deaf. At that time, Viharapuri was suffering from severe drought. As a result, the people suffered from hunger. Many of them even starved to death due to lack of food. It was at this time that the three brothers began digging wells on their land to grow crops.

After digging some depth, the brothers bumped their farm implement against a large rock. When it hit the rocks, they tried to remove it with shovels. According to legend, blood immediately spurted from the stone and fell on the brothers. At that moment, a miracle happened and their disability disappeared. The brothers told the whole village about this. Hearing this, the people in the village ran to look at the well and saw the idol of Ganesha. Immediately, all the villagers banged coconuts in front of the statue to show their respect for the statue. Then they began to worship that lord.

In another miraculous turn, the water in these coconuts started flowing away and continued to drain away for an acre (Kani). This is how Viharapuri got its name Kani Parakam, which eventually evolved into Kanipakam. Later, the name gradually became Kanipaka. According to historical facts, this famous temple along with Kanipaka and other temples was built during the reign of the Chola kings. 65 years ago, believers presented silver armor to the temple. They donated clothes to the temple in 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2007.