Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy and Kamakshi Tayee Ammavari Temple at Jonnawada, on the north bank of the Pennar river about 13 km west of Nellore, is a 12th-century twin shrine of Shiva and Devi in southern Andhra Pradesh. The temple opens daily from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. General darshan is free; the temple is administered by the AP state Endowments Department. The principal festival is a ten-day Brahmotsavam dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi each year. This article covers timings, the temple’s twin-shrine plan, the festival schedule, and how to reach Jonnawada.
Daily timings
- Morning: 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Evening: 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Midday closure: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
- General darshan: free
- Special poojas: bookable at the temple counter
On Tuesdays and Fridays (the weekly Devi days), on Pournami and on festival peak days, the sanctum stays open continuously through the midday closure.
The Kasyapa legend and the temple’s twin form
The traditional account is that the sage Kashyapa came to this stretch of the Pennar to perform a yagna with three sacrificial kundas. Lord Mallikarjuna appeared from the fire in luminous form, and Kamakshi (worshipped here as a combined form of Kali and Matangi) appeared beside the lord. The temple was built to enshrine the dual presence: Mallikarjuna in his Shaiva sanctum and Kamakshi in her own adjoining sanctum, with the two deities treated as inseparable.
Inscriptional evidence dates the present temple to 1150 CE under the patronage of Manumasiddhi, a local chief on the Pennar. The temple has the Dravidian-style vimana, intricately carved pillars and tower tiers, and five gilded kalashas at the apex of the principal gopuram. It is one of the principal Devi temples of southern Andhra and is sometimes referred to as the “Kamakshi of the Pennar”.
The ten-day Brahmotsavam
The single most important annual event is the ten-day Brahmotsavam dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi. The festival is held in the Telugu month of Chaitra (March–April) and centres on a daily procession of the utsava deity through the streets of Jonnawada village. The principal vahanas include Hamsa (swan), Simha (lion), Garuda, the silver chariot, the gold chariot, and the floral palanquin. The festival closes with the Rathotsavam on the ninth day and the avabhrita snanam (purificatory bath) on the tenth day at the Pennar river ghat.
Other festival surges:
- Devi Navaratri (September–October): nine-day festival; the eighth and ninth days draw the largest crowds.
- Maha Shivaratri (February–March): observed at the Mallikarjuna sanctum.
- Aadi Krittika (July–August): the Tamil month’s Krittika day, observed in this Telugu temple as well.
- Karthika Masam (October–November): Mondays observed at the Mallikarjuna sanctum with lakshabilva archana and lamp procession.
An opinion on timing
For what it’s worth, Jonnawada makes a better off-season visit than a festival visit. The Brahmotsavam crowd is large and the village infrastructure modest; a midweek visit between November and February gives a long, unhurried darshan, comfortable weather and a pleasant walk down to the Pennar ghat. The Mallikarjuna sanctum is open and largely empty on most weekdays. For pilgrims combining this with the wider Nellore-Tirupati circuit, the temple fits into a half-day visit from Nellore city.
Reaching Jonnawada
- By road from Nellore: 13 km, about 25 minutes. APSRTC buses run from the Nellore bus stand.
- By rail: Nellore Junction is the nearest major station, on the Chennai–Vijayawada line.
- By air: Chennai International (180 km) and Tirupati (135 km) are the nearest airports.
- By road from Tirupati: 135 km, about 2.5 hours via the Tirupati–Naidupeta road and NH 16.
- By road from Chennai: 180 km, about 3.5 hours via NH 16.
Common questions
Is the temple open to non-Hindus?
Yes. The temple administration follows standard AP Endowments policy: open to all visitors during darshan hours. Photography is restricted at the inner sanctums but permitted in the outer prakara and at the river ghat. The temple is well used to South Indian pilgrim tourism and signage is in Telugu, with limited English at the main reception.
Where to stay?
Jonnawada has a small choultry run by the temple trust, walk-in only. Most pilgrims stay in Nellore city, which has a full range of mid-range and budget hotels and is a 25-minute drive away. For the Brahmotsavam, book a Nellore hotel two weeks in advance. The TTD guesthouse network in Tirupati is the next-best base for pilgrims combining Jonnawada with the larger temple circuit.
Is there a dress code?
Traditional Indian dress is expected at the sanctum. Sarees, salwar-kameez or dhotis are standard; jeans and shorts are tolerated at the outer prakara but discouraged at the inner shrine. Footwear is removed at the main gate; a covered shoe-stand is run by the temple. The river ghat behind the temple is accessible from the back gate; pilgrims who plan to bathe at the ghat should carry a change of clothing.
One limitation worth noting
Festival dates at Jonnawada follow the Telugu lunar calendar and shift in the Gregorian year. The temple’s online presence is limited; the AP Endowments Department portal is the most reliable reference for the festival calendar each year. The Pennar river ghat is seasonally affected by monsoon flow and may be inaccessible or unsafe during heavy rain periods (typically October–November); local enquiry at the temple desk on the day of visit is the safest reference for ghat access.
For background, see Jonnawada on Wikipedia and the SPS Nellore district government page on the temple at spsnellore.ap.gov.in.
