Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy temple is one of the famous temple in India. It is also one of the astadasa Shakti Peeta and also an ancient Shiva kshethra from Krutha Yuga.
Once upon a time there was a demon named Gayasura. He is very great devotee to Lord Maha Vishnu. In this stream he made a great penance towards Lord Maha Vishnu. Finally Vishnu appeared him and asked him to take the boon what he wants. Gayasura asks him to make his body as so pious and everyone who sees him will get attain salvation. Lord Vishnu accepted.
With that spiritual power he often used to disturb the yagas. Devatas can’t do anything and went to Indra for his help to solve the problem. Indra worship the Thrimurthy’s for the remedy. Then Thrimurthy’s conceived a plan to kill Gayasura. As per the plan Thrimurthy’s change their getup as a Brahmins and went to Gayasura. They asked him to provide place for yaga on his body by using his spiritual powers, because there is lot of sins going on in the earth. Gayasura accepted their proposal and allow them to doing their yaga on his body. According to their plan they said to gayasura the yaga will take 7 days’ time, and don’t disturb the yaga even if he gets pain otherwise he will be killed. Gayasura accepted.
Gayasura calculated the days by the sound of cock. On the last day means seventh day lord Shiva make himself as a cock and sounds in the midnight. 
Gayasura felt yaga was completed and he wake up from the sleep. Due to his moment the yaga was disturbed. Then Thrimurthy’s got angry and broken his body into pieces. His head fell in gaya in Bihar now called as Sirogaya, his navel fell in Jajapur, Orissa now called as Nabhigaya, and his foot fell in Pitapuram, Andhrapradesh now called as Padagaya. Hence it became a Padagaya Kshethra. Gayasura impressed Trimurthy’s with his attitude and granted him a wish that the place where his body parts laid down become a holy place.According to that Gaya in Bihar,Nabi Gaya In Orissa,Jajapur, and Padagaya in AndhraPradesh,Pitapuram would become a holy places. In Padagaya Kshethra we can see a pond and Puruhuthika dev i temple. This is one of the important Ashtadasa shakti peeta. Here people always used to doing the Shradhakharma in this Padagaya. The people believes that if the Sradha karma took place in this kshethra will make peace to their ancestors.
Accomdation
Devasthana guest house is available, as well as few hotels will be there nearby temple.
Address
NH 214, Pithapuram,
East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh 533450
Contact No
08869 251455, 08869 252477, 08869252
Other Temples in the Main Premises of Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple
Sri Puruhuthika Devi Temple
Puruhuthika devi temple is one of the Astha Dasa Shakti peetas, located in the main premises. Here Sri Puruhuthika Devi blessed their devotees with four hands having Beeja, Parashu, Lotus and Madhupathra.
Sri Rajarajeswari Temple
Sri Rajarajeswari Devi is the wife of Lord Sri Kukkuteswara Swami, located in the same premises.
Sri Pada Sri Vallabha Swamy
Sri pada Sri valabha swamy is also called as Sri dattatrelya swamy. Sripada Sri vallabha swamy’s idol is worshipped separately in the premises.
Temple Pond
There was a pond in the main premises. The Devotees are take bath and getting darshana of Lord Sri Kukkuteswara.
OTHER TEMPLES IN PITAPURAM
Anaga Datta Temple of Sri Ganapathy Sachidananda swamy Ashramam
The Datta Temple is very famous and here we can see the Dwajasthambam made by stone. Inside the temple Lord Dattatreya blessed the devotees. This temple is located 3km away from Pitapuram.
Valli Devasena sametha Veera Venkata Subrahmanya Swamy
In this temple main Deity is Thrimukha Lingeswara Swamy blessed the devotees with his three faces. And the other temples in this premises are Vinayakar, Purihitha Devi, Soorya, and Kalabairava. This temple is located in the middle of the town.
Sri Kunthi Madhava Swamy Temple
Sri Kunthi Madhava Swamy Temple is very ancient temple. And also it is one of the Pancha Madhava Kshethram. The main deity is Madhava Swamy. This temple is belongs to 12th century. Inside the premises we can see Azwar sannidhi,Rajyalakshmi thayar,Andal Ramanujar Sanctums.