Pithapuram is a town located in the East Godavari district of Indian state Andhra Pradesh. It is located at 17.1167°N 82.2667°E. It is at an approximate distance of 15km from Kakinada and 19km from kathipudi. It is known as a temple town and famous for temples like Kukkuteshwara Swamy, Kunthimadhava Swamy, Sri Pada Vallabha Swamy, Dattatreya temple, Puruhutika Devi temple, and Sri Venu Gopala Swamy temple. In earlier days, Pithapuram was known as 'Pithikapuram'. Pithapuram is one of the places among Trigaya Kshetrams, one of the five Madhava temples and one of the eighteen Shakti peethas.

There was an interesting myth for the existence of lord Shiva as Kukkuteshwara Swamy is long ago, a powerful demon named Gayasura attained puruhutikashakti through his great devotion, with that power he often used to disturb the yagas of Brahmans. Goddesses and trimurthis planned to kill gayasura to get out of that trouble. According to their plan, they performed the yagam with the utmost devotion day and night on the chest of gayasura. Gayasura spread his entire body from Gaya to Pithapuram temple and his feet stretched up to Pithapuram. On the seventh day of the yagam, maheswara himself took the form of cock and voice gayasura to disturb from his sleep and he woke up, yagam disturbed. Then the angry goddesses cursed his body to break into pieces. The head fell in gayakshetra, the chest in jajipuram and the feet in front of Kukkuteshwara Swamy temple. It became a 'Padagaya Kshetram'. The place where his legs rested was a pond and this pond came to be known as Pada Gaya Sarovar which is a sacred pond.

The Huge gopuram is present at the entrance of the temple in the north. Here gopurams and sculptures are beautifully carved and designed. People believe that holy water in the Pada Gaya Sarovar relieves from all sins so all pilgrims first sprinkle this water before going to temple. Pada mudras of gayasura present beside dhwaja Stambham, Sri Chandeeshwara Swamy, Kala bhairava, Lord Subrahmanyam, Ganapthi temple, guru Dattatreya shrines and real foot prints of Sri Pada vallabhaswamy are present. Pilgrims believe that whoever takes bath in the sacred pond will be relieved from sins and pinda pradanam also performed to ensures salvation. Puruhutika Devi shrine is present at the north to the Kukkuteshwara Swamy temple. The main temple is present at the middle and huge idol of bull called Nandi present in front of the temple.

The Shiva linga is in the form of a cock's head and other shrines like Sri Rama, ayyappa, etc. also present. Abishekam, Shivaratri, kartheeka Mondays are celebrated very well. Everyday pujas are performed by the priests and Pithapuram is one of the famous places which has delighted by many pilgrims and it became more popular in Andhra Pradesh.