TEMPLE_AT PRESENT

After ending of jamindari system the temple was completely ignored. Only in some occasions i.e., in the dacade of 1940-50, Sannuthi munaswamy chetty, Keelapatla renovated the Mukha mantapam of the temple and contributed their services in cash and kindto perform daily pujas in  the temple. After in the decade of 1970-80, the temple committee headed by Sannuthi Venkatappa chetty and villagers   renovated the temple, did repairs to the sanctum sanctorum(garbhagudi), installed new Dwajasthambam and performed mahasamprokshana to the temple.
After that with the efforts of S.Lakshmana moorthy, the Ex. M.P.P. of Gangavaram mandalam, the funds were sanctioned from the government to construct new Galigopuram. Recently with the help of the donors, he constructed Maha prakaram, pushkarini with mantapam and so many attractive idols in and around the temple.
At present the temple is under the trust board committee headed by Sri B.Mohan reddy, advocate, Palamner. The temple require some more developments i.e., new construction of gopurams for both sanctum sanctorums of Sri Konetiraya Swamy and Sri Mahalakshmi, Kalyanotsava mantapam, Yagasala, Vantasala etc.

NOTE: The information posted above is collected from the senior citizens of the village orally. Any corrections or sugesstions are invited.

ABOUT KEELAPATLA

Sri Lakshmi Konetiraya swamy temple is situated in Keelapatla village formerly Punganur taluk at present in Gangavaram mandal nearer to Palamaneru, Chittoor Dt., Andhra Pradesh. The temple is very spacious with large prakara including biggest galigopuram, pushkarini(koneru), madhya matapam(middle tower), antharaalayam(garbhagudi) seperately for Sri Konetiraya swamy and Sri Lakshmi devi.

As per mythological literature, it is came to known that the idol of Sri Konetiraya swamy was established and worshipped by Brughu maharshi with repentance due to the incident happened at the time of his visit to the vaituntam to select yagnaboktha.

As per historical evidences, the temple was constructed by the Kings of Pallavas approximately in ninth and tenth centuries. The temple was constructed in styles of Pallava and Chola cultures. Later on the temple was maintained by many rulers like Vijayanagara emperors, Arcot nawabs, Tippu sultan, etc... The rulers of Vijayanagara emperors and Britishers allotted hundreds of acres of land in and around the Keelapatla village as mirasies to perform day to day worship and festivals like Brahmotsavams, Sankranthi parveta, Rathasaptami, Ugadi, Vaikunta Ekadasi. The brahmotsavams will be performed nine days grandly. Thousands of the people from different places gather for this ocassion.
The Lakshmi Konetiraya swamy is famously known as Lord Venkateswara. The temple situated in Tirumala and the Temple situated in Keelapatla  have so many similarities and there was a footpath from Keelapatla to Tirumala, for that evidence there are still some rest mantapas in this forest area. In the fifteenth century annamacharya praised Lord Venkateswara in his so many krithis in the name of Konetiraya. Later on, The temple was maintained by the jamindars of Punganur and Bangarupalyam and the jamindars of these two often visited the temple and some times they conduct some official meetings in the temple premises.
The temple had four security posts(buruzulu) on four sides of the temple and had aswasala(shelter for horse), gajasala(shelter for elephants) and agadtha around the temple. It seems that the temple have a rich heritage and culture in the so called dynasties. Another great aspect of this village is, there was banyan tree in olden days and its prop roots spreaded over to seven miles.