The Jagannatha Venkateswara Swamy temple, located atop hillocks in Anantharam village, is turning into a sought-after place for nature-lovers and devotees of Lord Venkateswara. The temple, which is said to have been built in the pre-Kakatiya period, around the 13th century, is located amid wild bushes, with a charming lake at its foothills.
According to a local lore, one Anantha (Sri Nukala Ramanjaneyulu) used to climb the hillock and pray to Lord Jagannatha. With his consorts Subhadra and Balabhadra, Lord Jagannatha appeared before Anantha and received his prayers. Construction of the temple is believed to have been initiated by him soon after that. Much later, few locals installed a Lord Venkateswara idol, which came to be patronised by the public. Owing to unfriendly environs and wilderness, not many dared to visit the temple for quite some time.
With the help of local landlords, it was only in the 19th century that the temple was consecrated and developed from its neglected state. More deities were installed under the patronage of Sri. Nukala Ramachandra Reddy. The temple is now being managed by the State Endowments Departments.