Why Pithapuram called as Pada Gaya..? Whose feet are there to be called as Pada Gaya..?

Paadagaya is one of the important ashtadasha peethas, which is situated at Pithapuram in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.

In olden days, Kritayuga there was a demon king namely GAYASURA.

By his austere penance and sacrifice he got kingship on heaven and rules the three lokas (Swarga, Marthya, Patalam) 

He was ruling three lokas by the result of sacrifices made by sages. 

Defeated by GAYASURA, lord INDRA and others deities approached Trimurthies for restoration of their position. 

Trimurthies in the guise of Brahmin visited GAYASURA. 

They gathered material, sages and deities and requested GAYASURA to commence yaga.

The GAYASURA extended his body from Gaya in Bihar State to Pithapuram in Andhra state and asked them to start the yaga. 

They started the yaga on his chest.

The yaga was intended to finish in seven days, counting everyday, from early in the morning, after six days, the deities prayed lord ESHWARA to spoil the yaga. 

So lord ESHWARA came in the form of a cock and made the sound "kokkurokko". GAYASURA thought the yaga was over and moved his body.

Then they were ready to kill GAYASURA as he soiled their sacrifice. 

GAYASURA used to fulfill the desires who asked him by virtue of his kind and charitable qualities. Even sinners used to get rid of their sins and reached heaven. 

GAYASURA recieved them warmly and worshipped them with utter respect. 

He asked them to tell him the cause of their arrival.

Then they told to offer a sacred place to perform the yaga. 

They asked to give his body as a saved place to perform the yaga and he agreed. 

GAYASURA accepted for this without even saying another word.

Pleased with GAYASURA'S actions, the Trimurthies asked him to request them a boon.

He told them that he don't have any personal desires. 

But for the benefit of the world, he request Lord VISHNU to be at his head, Lord BRAHMA to be at his navel and lord EESHWARA to be at his feet in the form of the cock, permanently.

These three places should be treated as holy places, and if anyone performed shraddha karmas in these three places, their forefathers would reach salvation without rebirth.

Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh became famous as Pada Gaya the primal deity of lord Shiva in the form of a cock. 

This is also a shakti peetham with the goddess named as PURUHUTIKA DEVI. 

This is the history of Pithapuram.