People suffering from chronic disease, childless couples and those aspiring to get married make a beeline to the historic Sri Veerabhadra Swamy temple, in the sleepy Kuravi mandal of the district for the annual jatara on the auspicious Sivaratri. People stay here for a day or two offering special prayers and seeking the blessings of the deity.
According to local lore, the Kuravi Veerabhadra Swamy temple was said to have been built during 900 AD by Bheema Raju of Vengi Chalukya dynasty. Later the renovation of temple was taken up by Kakatiya ruler Betharaju I.
As Kakatiya kings were known to be followers of Lord Shiva, they constructed several temples across the empire and improved those already existed. Voore Gurunatha Rao, a teacher and social worker of Mahabubabad said the Kuravi temple has much significance as it attracts thousands of people from far off places. There were several stories surrounding the magical power of the presiding deity Sri Veerabhadra Swamy temple. Devotees were eagerly waiting for the festivities to begin. The ‘Brahmotsavam’ of the temple deity Veera Bhadra Swamy was scheduled to begin on February 17 and the same day ‘Kalyanotsavam’ would be held.
