At Arasavalli near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh stands one of the oldest and most revered temples of Surya, the Sun-god, in India — the Suryanarayana Swamy temple. Tradition traces its origin to the distant past, holding that it was established by Indra and later renewed by a Kalinga king; the Lord is worshipped as Suryanarayana, radiant giver of light, health, and life.
The temple is famed for a marvel of ancient design: twice a year, in the equinox seasons, the rays of the rising sun pass through the doorways to fall directly upon the feet of the deity. Devotees come to worship the Sun for healing, especially of ailments of the eyes and skin, and Arasavalli is among the most sacred sun-shrines of the land.
