KANIPAKAM temple is a popular Ganesha Temple located near Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. There we find world famous idle of Varasiddi Vinayaka Swamy. It was constructed in the early 11th century by the Chola king Kulothunga Chola. Later it was expanded further by the Emperors of Vijayanagara dynasty. Here we can observe the idol of Ganesha continuously grows in size. Generally the temples of Cholas and Vijayanagaras are normally magnificent in size but This temple was too small to be patronized by Chola and Vijayanagara kings. The construction activities of the temple are well supported by offerings given to the temple by the devotees.
The sthalapurana of this ancient temple has 1000 years history. About 1000 years back, three physically handicapped blind, dumb and deaf persons were lived by cultivating a piece of land near Viharapuri village. One day two persons were taking out water with the help of a picot and the third person was irrigating the land. After some time water was exausted in the well. One person took a spade and hit a stone inside the well and blood started flowing continuously, when the three handicapped pesons touched the water mixed with blood, surprisingly they became normal persons. After digging for some time they found an idol of Lord Sri Vinayaka in the well with an injury on the head oozing with blood. They could not take out the idol as it was growing in size,as they were digging. They informed the villagers about this surprising phenomena. People came running with cocunuts and other pooja materials to worship the Lord Sri Vinayaka. They broke thousands of Coconuts, the coconutwater was spread to an area of one and quarter acre. In the local language it is called as "Kani". That is how the place was called as "Kanipakam" since then.