Kailasanatha Temple (Kanchipuram) , Tamil Nadu

The Pallava kings of ancient Tamil Nadu in Kanchipuram built Kailasanatha temple. These Pallava kings ruled from their capital city Kanchi or Kanchipuram (75 km from Chennai). They were great patrons of art and architecture.

The Kailasanatha temple is one of the earliest structural temples of the Pallavas. This temple was built of blocks of sandstone. The temple was dedicated to Lord Siva. During the reign of Narasimhavarman II, better known as Rajasimha (691-728 A.D.), the Kailasanatha temple was constructed. This temple has its main sanctum facing the east side. The rear wall of the temple has a sculpture of Somaskanda (Lord Siva and Uma with son Muruga in the centre), which was always seen in Siva temples of the Pallava age. There is a large sixteen-sided `Siva linga` in the temple shrine here. This linga was polished of granite, about eight feet in height in front of this sculpture, which was placed here at a later date. There is a rare feature here, which is very narrow, winding circumbulatory (pradakslrina) passage around the sanctum. It is very difficult to enter and walk through as it has very low height.
Unique feature of the Kailasanatha temple is that it was built almost entirely of sandstone with only few parts like the foundation being in solid granite to bear the weight of the big structure. The shrine is situated just in front of the main entranceway to this temple and this is unique feature of it. No other Tamil shrines are situated like this. This shrine of the Kailasanatha temple blocks the view of the main sanctum. This small shrine was built by Mahendravarman III, a son of Rajasimha, and named after him as Mahendravarmeshvara griham.
There is a `Somaskanda` panel in the Kailasanatha temple, which is said to be the original image worshipped here. There is a linga on the rear wall, which belonged to a later age. The row of fifty-eight miniature shrines on all four sides of the courtyard of this temple-complex facing the main temple is very remarkable feature of the temple. All these shrines here are of square shaped and are of sandstone. There are very gorgeous sculptures found inside the inner wall and on some of them the `Somaskanda panel` can be found. There is small gopuram at the entrance of the temple.
The Kailasanatha temple has many attractive sculptures, which portrays the different manifestations of Lord Siva like Dakshinamurti, Lingodhbhavamurti, Gajasamharamurti and many others. These sculptures also depict Siva in various dance poses; speak of the skill and deftness of the Pallava sculptors and master craftsmen. There is a large stone image of Nandi can be seen at a short distance to the east of this temple on a square platform. This massive Nandi sculpture is about six or seven feet in length and faces the main temple. It is ornamented with carvings of bells and jewels and there are four pillars with the Vali motif, one on each corner of the platform. This indicates that probably there was once a roof over it.







The various inscriptions of the Kailasanatha temple provide a lot of information about the history of the Pallavas, especially of the reign of its patron, king Rajasimha. This temple gives a good idea of the history, archaeology, temple architecture and iconography of the South Indian history and culture.

Chidambaram Natarajar Temple Tamilnadu

Srikalahasti Temple Andhra Pradesh

The Kalahasti temple is dedicated to Kalahasteswara worshiped as Vayu Lingam. The Vayu Lingam, represents the element wind out of the five elements of Agni, Vaayu, Aakasam, Jalam and Prithvi. This temple is renowned for performing Sarpadosha (Rahu Ketu) Nivaarana Pooja.

This temple was constructed in the 12th century by the Chola king, Rajarajendra. Vayu incarnated as Lord Shiva and is worshipped as Kalahasteeswara. This is an important temple dedicated to Lord Siva. This temple`s main idol is the vayu (air) linga. There is a lamp burning inside the inner sanctum that constantly flickers despite the lack of air movement inside. The vayu-linga can be seen moving despite the doors being closed. The sanctum has no windows, the lamp flames keep moving despite no air movement. The linga is white and is considered Swayambhu - self-manifested.

Kalahasti is surrounded by two hills. The Durgamba temple on the north hill and the shrine of Kannabeswara on the south hill, in memory of the Sage Kannappa, who offered an eye to the Lord. There is also a temple dedicated to Subramanya on one of the hills. A river flowing in the north washes the foot of the temple. The main linga remains untouched by human hands, even the priests do not touch it. Abhishek (bathing) is done by pouring a mixture of water, milk, camphor and panchamrita. Sandal paste, flowers and the sacred thread are offered to the utsava-murti, and not the main linga. It has an enormous, ancient gopuram over the main gate, which is 36.5 metres (120 feet) high and the entire temple is carved out from the side of the hill. King Krishnadeva Raya built this temple in1516. The temple is very ornate with elaborately designed pillars, altars, etc.

The temple occupies the area between the riverbanks and the foot of the hills and is known as Dakshina Kailasam. The three gopurams are remarkable in their architecture. A hundred-pillared mantapam is another important feature of this shrine. The tower was established nearly a thousand years ago. The various stupas and temple testify to the antiquity of the place.

Legend: As the legend goes, the town got its name because of the temple named after Sri (spider) Kala (serpent) hasti (elephant) after the three ardent devotees of Lord Siva. These three animals attained divinity by worshipping Lord Siva. The spider was Vishwakarma`s (architect of the deva ganas) son Oornanabha. He was trying to replicate Brahma`s creation and thus annoyed Brahma who cursed him to become a spider. Siva himself cursed the snake. The elephant was god Pramadha cursed by Siva`s wife, Parvati, when he intruded on their privacy. The Siva linga here is an amalgamation of the three animals.
The spider as devotion wanted to spin webs in the shape of temples and mantapams. The morning dewdrops would make the cobwebs look like pearl houses and sunrays would make them shine like rubies. But these would break and crumble with the wind. The spider would connect the threads and weave the web all over again. One day Siva, to test the spider`s devotion, burned his webs with a lamp from his shrine. The enraged spider swallowed the flame and sacrificed its life. Pleased with his devotion, offered the spider a boon, Siva merged the spider unto Himself. And so one can still see the spider on the Linga.

The serpent worshipped the linga with precious gems. An elephant, would bathe in the nearby Swarnamukhi River, push the precious gems away and worship the linga with leaves and flowers from the forest. On the next day the snake, would find her precious offerings pushed away, would get enraged. The serpent pushed away the leaves and flowers and worshipped the linga with the precious gems it brought from underground. One day the snake got upset and kept a watch hiding under the leaves waiting to catch the mischief-maker. The elephant also lost its temper finding her offerings pushed away. One day it came early and was pleased to find the flowers undisturbed. It went and took bath and brought fresh flowers and leaves. While the elephant was clearing the previous day`s leaves and flowers, the snake got into the elephant`s head through its trunk, causing unbearable pain. The elephant ran helter-skelter with pain and banged its head on a mountain. He died; the snake was also crushed to death. Lord Siva took them into his fold.
The main linga is shaped like an elephant trunk, with tusks on each side and a figure of the spider at the bottom. If you look at the linga from above it looks like a snake with five hoods. The spider is call "Sri," the snake "Kala," and the elephant "Hasti." The three names are combined together in the name Srikalahasti. The spider is said to have a web above the linga to protect it from the sun and rain. The elephant would get water with its trunk and bath the linga (perform abhisheka) and the snake would perform worship.

There are ever so many stories about Srikalahasti. As the legend goes, the Siva Linga, which is in Srikalahasti, actually belongs to Vali (Sugreeva`s brother) of Ramayana. Once, on his way to some place (being an ardent devotee of Siva, he carried the linga wherever he went), Vali stopped near a lake for morning abulations. He placed the Linga on the ground and went to take bath in the lake, before worshipping the Linga. After the pooja, when Vali tried to lift the Linga to proceed with his journey, he could not budge it from its place, however hard he tried. He came to the conclusion that Lord Siva was enamoured by the beautiful big lake and hence did not wish to leave. He spotted a mountain nearby, uprooted it and dumped it in the lake, which flowed as the present Swarnamukhi River. Even then the Linga would not budge. So Vali had to give up his efforts and proceed, leaving the Linga there.

The main temple is dedicated to Lord Siva, the destroyer among the Trimurties. The linga here is one of the Panchabhuta lingas (made up of the five elements) - wind, water, fire, earth and ether. The linga at Srikalahasti is Vayulinga or one made of wind. Jala linga is made of water, at Jambukeswara; Jyothir linga is made of fire, at Arunachalam; Aksha linga is made up of ether, at Chidambaram; and Prithvi linga, is made of earth, at Sivakanchi - the four elements of the universe.

The skillful Yadava architecture of the temple is such that the flame flickers continuously in the sanctum sanctorum, indicating the presence of wind near the deity. The shaft of air in the sanctum sanctorum is considered as the Linga or the main deity - Vayulinga, there is another idol, Srikalahastiswara Linga - on to which are embedded the images of a spider, snake and elephant - which is offered puja and rituals. The Tondaman emperor and later the Pallava rulers contributed to the growth of the temple. After Pallavas, the Cholas remodeled the temple premises and built huge walls around it. The temple complex is a maze of structures. The temple has four major entrances each with a huge tower above.

There is an Alms Tower - Bichchala Gopuram. It is a small tower constructed by the Yadava kings by collecting alms and hence the name. The huge compound has a large flower garden, rooms for making garlands, eating places and a place for Vasanthotsavam (festival of colors) during Holi in the names of Chookkeswara and Meenakshi. In the compound, there is an underground temple for Ganesh and an entrance leading to the Kannappa Hill. Since entrance is dark, it takes a while to go to Kannappa Hill and come back. The Kannappa Gudi is a single cell temple, with the icon of Kannappa, on the eastern side of the main temple. Here Kannappa offered his eyes to Lord Siva. The Sivalinga is outside the temple under a tree, commemorating the whole episode.

Durgamba Hill - is 800 meters high on a hillock to the north of Sri Kalahastiswara temple, housing a small shrine of Durgamba. A flight of steep but broad steps, lead to the temple.

Thiruvannamalai Temple - Place of Lord Shiva

Thiruvannamalai, a town of about 1.5 lakh people and a district head quarters is one of the numerous temple towns in Tamilnadu. Even in this state filled with many such places, Thiruvannamalai stands out. The gigantic Arunachaleshwara temple complex set against the backdrop of the majestic Arunachala (red mountain) hill attracts devotees and tourists in thousands. The whitewashed Raja gopuram at 218 feet is one of the tallest temple towers in the state. It may not be as colourful as the Madurai one, but is every bit as impressive with its scale.

While the temple, impressive as it is, is just a part of what makes Thiruvannamalai special. It is the holy Arunachala mountain, considered an embodiment of Lord Shiva himself that adds to the flavor of the town. It has been and continuing to attract countless saints / sadhus over the centuries . The more famous of the sadhus, Ramana Maharishi amongst the earliest, with their international followers brought a different dimension to TVmalai. Crisscrossing foreigners in their cycles and sundry sadhus (real and fake) jostling for space with the devotees give a unique feel to the town. A massive afforestation effort has even managed to green this grey mountain and climb up the hill is a nice trek.

Where it is Situated ?

"The Arunachaleswar Shiva temple in Tiruvanamalai situated at the foot of the Arunachala hill, is one of the largest (25 acres) and oldest temples in all of south India. The era of its founding is unknown; the complex grew over several millenia; and the large towers, called gopurams, were erected between the 10th and 16th centuries. The tallest gopuram is over 60 meters tall and has 13 stories..."

* "The hill temple Arunachaleswara temple is one of the largest shrines in South India, sprawling 25 acres. It is dedicated to Lord Siva and one of the 12 Jothilingams in India. The giant 200 ft Gopuram towers over the giant gateway..."

* "The ancient and vast Arunachaleswarar Temple as it stands today is the result of several centuries of building, alteration and extension. A Nandi faces the main shrine in each of its five prakarams. The outermost prakaram houses the thousand pillared hall and the Shiva Ganga tank and is pierced on four sides with colossal Gopurams..."

* "...When we observe the general structure of the temple, we notice that there are five small gopurams on the inner boundary and four big gopurams on the outer boundary. The inner gopurams are known as Kitti gopurams. There are two gopurams in the East and one gopuram each for the other three directions. The first of the two Eastern gopurams is called Kili gopuram. There are indications that this was built in the 11th century. The gopurams built during this period have no more than five stories. The Kili gopuram was built by Veera Rajendra Chozhan around 1063 A.D. He is referred to as Maharaja Thiribuvana Chakravarthigal in the inscription.This name was also given to the gopuram. The Kitti (smaller) gopurams, except the top of the western one, were built by the Hoysala King Vallala Maharaja III. His name is given to the biggest Kitti gopuram which is in the East..."

An interesting legend...

In India there are three major categories of pilgrimage temples dedicated to the god Shiva: the Jyotir Lingams; the Svayambhu Lingams, and the Bhuta Lingams. Located in five south Indian temples, the Bhuta Lingams are sa to be places where Shiva manifested himself as the natural elements. The temples and their respective elements are Chambaram: ether, Sri Kalahasti: wind, Tiruvanaikka/Jambunath: water, Kanchipuram: earth, and Tiruvanamalai: fire. Chambaram is also associated with the heart, Tiruvanaikka with the stomach, and Tiruvanamalai with the chest.

An interesting legend, told in the excellent book Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition by Alan Morinis, tells how the sacred hill of Arunachala came to be associated with the fire Lingam of Shiva. Mourning the loss of his wife Sati, Shiva was wandering nude in the forests of Daruvana and was seen by the wives of certain sages. The women were aroused at the sight and desired to unite with him. The jealous sages cursed the god's linga (phallus) to fall off. As it touched the earth it grew to immense size like a great shining column. The gods Brahma and Vishnu saw it when its top had reached upwards beyond the clouds and its lower end was buried deep in the earth. They deced to investigate. Taking the form of a boar Vishnu dived into the depths of the primeval ocean to reach the base of the column, and Brahma taking the form of a swan flew up to its top. When they returned Vishnu honestly confessed that he could not find the foundations, while Brahma boasted that he had reached the summit. At this moment Shiva appeared, denounced Brahma as a liar, praised Vishnu for his honesty, and declared that the column could not be measured because it was his Linga. At the request of Vishnu, Shiva left part of his Linga in its 'tejas', or fire form, on the Arunachala hill.

The Arunachaleswar Shiva temple in Tiruvanamalai (Tiruvanamalai is the Tamil word for the Sanskrit Arunachala), situated at the foot of the Arunachala hill, is one of the largest (25 acres) and oldest temples in all of south India. The era of its founding is unknown; the complex grew over several millenia; and the large towers, called gopurams, were erected between the 10th and 16th centuries. The tallest gopuram is over 60 meters tall and has 13 stories. The central temple enshrines images of Shiva as Lord Annamalai and his consort as Unnamalai. Every year during the Hindu month of Kartikai (November-December), the great Deepam festival is held to celebrate Shiva's manifestation as the light of Arunachala. For ten days the whole city of Tiruvanamalai is alive with celebration, processions, dancing and singing. On the final day of the festival, the eve of the full moon, a huge beacon fire is lighted atop the hill in commemoration of the fire left by Shiva. Many thousands of pilgrims flock to this exciting festival from all over southern India. Arunachala hill is consered a miraculous healing place, especially for ailments of the lungs and barrenness in women. The hill of Arunachala is also a symbol of spiritual knowledge and several great sages have lived here, including Arunagirinathar, the author of the Tiruppugal, and Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950).

Access
Thiruvannamalai is 107 km from Kumbakonam and 185 km from Chennai.The nearest Airport from Tiruvannamalai is Chennai which is 182 k.m. Tiruvannamalai is situated in between Katpadi and Viluppuram Junctions on the railway line. It is well connected by road with various parts of country.

Guruvayur - The Gods own city

Small town in Thrissur District not far from the sea. There is no sea breeze, the sand has long been hidden under paving stones, and we can’t hear the roar of the ocean. All eyes, ears and hearts are drawn inward, to what is for many of us the centre of the universe. Life here revolves around the Sri Krishna or Guruvayurappan Temple.

The small idol, made of black bismuth, a magnetic stone, represents Mahavishnu carrying his conch, discus, lotus and mace. The pujas conducted here are said to be laid down by Adi Shankara. They are performed by celibate priests who, for the duration of their tenure (six months at a time), do not leave the premises. Much of this worship is carried out behind closed doors, and the silence and mystery enhances the effect of the sudden, radiant glimpses of the deity.
The temple is crowded nearly all year round and is a favourite stop on the way to Sabarimala. All this makes a good darshan quite an achievement, but the long, hot wait, the cutters-in, the unholy jostling, the confused stumble at the last, are all forgot ten in one timeless moment that leaves everyone with beaming faces.
In short
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Dedicated to the deity Lord Guruvayurappan, the temple at Guruvayur is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Kerala, South India. Come and experience a special form of happiness as you get a darshan of Lord Guruvayurappan or Lord Krishna at the temple at Guruvayur, Kerala, and South India. The Guruvayur Temple is said to be the second Dwarka and according to a very popular local legend when the real Dwarka got submerged under the sea, a devotee of Lord Krishna saved this idol from drowning and this idol of Lord Krishna was established at the Guruvayur temple.

Another legend propagates the fact that the idol of Lord Guruvayurappan mirrors the form in which the deity appeared to the mortal parents of Lord Krishna just before he took birth. Locals believe that Lord Brahma prayed at the Guruvayur Temple and the tradition of serpent worship is very rampant here. The popular festivals that are celebrated at the Guruvayur Temple are Astami Rohini, Chembai music festival, Ekadsi and Ulsavam.
How to Reach Guruvayoor Temple

By Air
The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport located at a distance of 80 kilometers.

By Rail
Guruvayoor has an independent railway station just a few kilometers from the temple. Else, one can access the temple from the Thrissur railway station, which is just an hour's drive from here.

By Roads
Guruvayoor is well connected by a wide network of roads to all major towns and cities of Kerala and is easily accessible.

Sabarimala- Swamiyaee Saranam Ayyappaa

The south Indian state of Kerala, only 10 degrees above the equator, is a land of steep mountains thickly covered with splendid tropical forests. The early people of this region, of a Dravidian ancestral stock, lived amongst the trackless valleys and roaring streams in small tribal groups. Farming little, they hunted in the teeming forests, and their primary deity, Ayappa, was a youthful forest god. Various legends explain the birth of Ayappa (also known as Dharmasasta). One begins with Shiva roaming the mountain kingdoms of the Himalayas. There he sees a lovely maiden and, overcome with desire, he makes passionate love with her. But the maiden is married to another man, a tribal chieftain who vows revenge on the god. The tribal chieftain retires to an ice cave in the high mountains and practices austerities for a thousand years. Through these austerities he gains great psychic powers and finally goes forth to punish Shiva. From the heights of Mt. Kailash, Shiva sees the tribal chieftain approaching. The chieftain looks like a terrible demon and Shiva, overcome with fear, calls on the god Vishnu for assistance and protection. Vishnu manifests himself as a beautiful damsel, seduces the demon chieftain, and destroys him. But then Shiva, once again overcome with sexual desire, sees the radiant damsel (who is merely Vishnu in another form) and mates with her. Out of this union comes a baby boy named Ayappa. Embodying the qualities of both Vishnu and Shiva, Ayappa is an avatar (divinity in human form) born into the world to battle the demons of the hill tribes of Kerala. Shiva tells the magical child of his dharma-life (a life of service), and leaves him upon the bank of a mountain stream where he is discovered by a childless tribal king. Brought up by the king, Ayappa does many miracles, is a great healer and a defeater of demons. After fulfilling the purpose of his incarnation Ayappa entered the inner sanctum of the ancient temple upon sacred Mt. Sabari and disappeared. During his mythical life, Ayappa kept the company of tigers and leopards. Mystics living in the deep forests surrounding the Sabarimala Mountains have for a thousand years reported seeing Ayappa riding through the jungles upon a majestic tiger.

The shrine of Sabarimala is one of the most remote shrines in southern India yet it still draws three to four million pilgrims each year. Before beginning the multi-day walk through the mountain jungles to get to Sabarimala, the pilgrims prepare themselves with 41 days of rigorous fasting, celibacy, meditation and prayer. Finally arriving at the shrine, the pilgrims will wait in line for hours, even days, to have one or two seconds in front of the image of Ayappa. After seeing the deity, many pilgrims will complete a vow called Shayana Pradikshanam. In the Malayalam language of Kerala, Shayana means “body” and Pradakshinam means “revolution,” so Shayana Pradakshinam means “revolution with the Body.” This devotional practice is done not only in Sabarimala but also in other temples in Kerala.

The Sabarimala shrine is only open a few times each year: the Mandalam festival covering 41 days from November 15 to December 26; the Makaravilakku from January 1-14; on Vishu, the day of the vernal equinox in April; and during smaller festivals in May/June and August/September. The shrine, unlike many in southern India is open to persons of all religious callings, and there are no caste restrictions during the pilgrimage. However, women - unless they are younger than six or older than sixty - are not allowed to come to Sabarimala. This is explained by referring to the celibacy of Ayappa and the concern that he might be lured away from his shrine by a woman his age (if certain readers find this somewhat sexist, they are informed that there are particular goddess shrines in south India which men are forbidden to enter). It is said that during the pilgrimage periods no tigers are found along the forest trails leading to Sabarimala. This is explained as resulting from Ayappa’s power over tigers. Other holy places associated with Ayappa are Kulattupuzha, Aryankavu, Accankovil, and Kantamala.

Murdeshwara Temple - Uttara Kannada Dist (Karnataka)

Murudeshwar Temple

Location : Murudeshwar is around 180 km from Mangalore on the National Highway. On the route along the highway is the alluring Maravanthe Beach with the Arabian Sea roaring on the west and a serene river on the east along this route for almost 2 km.


Temple : Bounded by the shimmering sea and rolling hills, the place is a favourite picnic spot. WIth the roaring sea to the west, the towering hills to the east and the coconut and areca groves nearby, the temple attracts a lot of devotees and tourists as well. The sea is an intrinsic part of the temple scape at Murudeshwar. The sea surrounds the temple towering on the small hill called Kanduka Giri on three sides.

Two life-size elephants in concrete stand guard at the steps leading to the temple. The Murudeshwar temple has a history that dates back to a few centuries. The temple, which embodies a linga, is believed to have erupted when Ravana flung the cloth covering the atmatlinga at Gokarana while lifting it. As one ascends the hillock, there is a shrine of Jattiga seated on a horse.
The locals here have an interesting legend to relate as to how the linga came to be established at Murudeshwar. It is said that Ravana’s mother expressed a keen desire to worship the atmalinga of Lord Shiva. Ravana, the ever-devoted son, set out to Kailash to fulfill his mother’s wishes and went into penance. Lord Shiva was pleased with him and asked him what he wanted. When Ravana told him that he wanted the atmalinga, Shiva willingly parted with it. But the atmalinga came with a warning. Shiva told him that the atmalinga would fix itself at the first site on which Ravana would place it. Had Ravana established the atmalinga, he would have become the all powerful, invincible and immortal.

Golden Temple A must Visit place,Sripuram (Vellore

Second largest Golden temple of hindus attracting many foreign tourists.

This below temple photos of Sripuram- near Vellore Tamilnadu State -India-


This is the Shakthi Amma Golden temple (vellore ) tamilnadu Eagles view. (A big Star) That is the path to golden temple.

This is the path side way garden in the golden temple.
This is the main Temple entrance of Great Naarayanee. (laxmi temple)

Zoomed view of the same temple above.

Back side view of the same temple..

To Reach Golden Temple:

Just Look at this.For Real time map.. click here

After getting down at the KATPADI railway station of Vellore. You can take taxi or auto rikshaw , just ask them to take you to Hotel River view, If he asks where it is..

Tell hime Its in New katpadi Road, vellore- take this number for reservation - +91-0416-25251,/ 25108 .. Very excellent hotel to stay .

They can provide a guide if you ask them . Otherwise its so easy to visit Sripuram which is just 15 km from the bustand of Vellore..

In vellore there is one more Great Ancient Siva Temple which is surrounded by the small back water. Must visit place. Temperature is hot so plan your trip in the months of Jan and Feb.

Bheemarama , Samarlakota

Bhimaramam is located at Samalkot near Kakinada and it constitutes one of the five Pancharama Shiva shrines of Andhra Pradesh. The five pancharama temples are Draksharama, Kumararama, Ksheerarama and Bheemarama and Amararama. By some accounts Bhimaramam at Samalkot is also known as Kumararamam. It is believed that when Subramanya killed the demon Tarakasura, the Shivalingam in the demon's throat broke and fell in five different spots, which became the Panchaarama kshetras. The foremost of these is Amareswara at Amaravati where Indra and the Devas are believed to have worshipped Shiva. The others are Draksharama, Somarama at Kotipalli, Bheemarama at Kakinada and Ksheerarama or Palakollu. Legend has it that the Shivalingam here was installed by Skanda and hence the name Kumararamam. There are puranic references to Kumararamam in the Skanda Puranam. Parvati here is referred to as Bala Tripurasundari. As with the other shrines in this group, the Shivalingam is a large one, and it is housed in a three storeyed sanctum, and worship services are performed in the upper level. The temple received royal patronage from the Chalukyas (especially the ruler Bhima Chalukya). The sculptural wealth of the temple is worthy of mention. Such is the intricacy of stone work here that a black granite swing actually sways when rocked.

Ksheerarama , Paalakollu

Ksheeraramam, also known as Paalakollu is located near Narasapuram in the West Godavari belt of Andhra Pradesh. It is considered to be one of the five pancharama Shiva shrines of Andhra Pradesh. the five pancharama temples are Draksharama, Kumararama, Ksheerarama and Bheemarama and Amararama.

Several legends tie together the five Pancharama temples dedicated to Shiva.

Legend has it that Upamanyu, the son of Kaushika muni requested Shiva that he be granted the desired quantity of milk for the performance of his daily rituals and that Shiva caused the Ksheera Pushkarini tank to overflow with milk from the mythical Ksheera Saagaram (the milky ocean). Hence the names Paalakollu, Dugdapovanam and Ksheeraramam.

Legend has it that Shiva was worshipped by Rama at this shrine as in Rameswaram.


This is a large temple with a towering Rajagopuram. The white marble Shivalingam worshipped in the sanctum is referred to as Ramalingeswara Swami as well as Ksheeraraameswaraswamy.

Kumararama, Kotipalli

Someswaram or Kotipalli (Kumararama) is an important pilgrimage center in coastal Andhra Pradesh, located near Rajahmundry. Located nearby is Drakshaaraama, one of the five well known pancharaama shrines dedicated to Shiva in Andhra Pradesh.

Koti Palli or Koti Theertham is located at confluenece of the river Godavari with the sea. At the origin of the river is the Tryambakeshwar Jyotirlinga shrine in Maharashtra. The river Godavari is revered as one of the gifts of nature and is held in great regard both at its origin Triambakeshwar and at its confluence with the ocean. Thus, worship at Someswaram or Kotipalli is closely associated with a ritual bath in the river Godavari.

Someswaram is rich in legend and tradition. Shiva is worshipped here as Someswara or Koteeshwara and Parvati as Rajarajeswari. The Mahasivaratri festival is celebrated in great splendour here. Legend has it that the moon God Chandra was cursed by Daksha to lose his brilliance and that he was relieved of his curse after he offered worship to Shiva at Koti Theertham at the mouth of the river Godavari. This legend is very similar to the one held at Somnath Jyotirlinga shrine in Gujarat. It should also be noted that Draksharama - one of the pancharaama shrines, is associated with the legend of the destruction of (the vain) Daksha's ritual sacrifice.

For time immemorial it has been believed that a ritual bath in the river Godavari at Kotipalli is symbolic of a new beginning in life, a change in direction. Legends illustrating this symbolism have a common theme, that of forgiveness of heinous sins committed by repentant souls.

The most classic of these legends is that of Ahalya-Indra saapa vimochanam. This legend occurs in the grand epic Ramayana. Gowtama believed to be one of the foremost rishis of ancient India was married to Ahalya. Indra the king of the Devas lusted after Ahalya and using a ploy, diverted Gowtama and assuming the disguise of Gowtama led Ahalya in his embrace. An enraged rishi cursed his wife who petrified into a rock immediately and was absolved of her curse by Rama (incarnation of Vishnu). Indra the king of Devas was cursed with a life of disease. Legend has it that he lived through his curse and performed severe penances (at the instance of Gowtama rishi) and finally was absolved of his curse and forgiven when his penance concluded with a ritual dip in the Godavari river at Someswaram.

It is to be known that the one of the characters in this legend, i.e. Gowtama Rishi is believed to have brought the river Godavari down to the earth at Tryambakeshwar where the Godavari is referred to as the Ganga.

There are several other local legends associated with Kotippalli, all based on the theme of forgiveness of sins of lust.

A ritual bath in the river is considered special in the month of Kartika, and on Mahasivaratri day earlier on in the calendar year.

It should be noted that Bhimavaram in West Godavari district also bears a temple dedicated to Someswara and it is also considered to be Somaramam. This temple is of historic significance as it was patronized to a great deal by the Chalukyas. This temple is associated clearly with legends related to the moon God Soma. The temple tank here is known as Chandra Pushkarini. The Someswara lingam (crystal) is said to glow with differing levels of brightness depending on the phase of the moon. Ths Shivalingam is 5 feet in height and is housed in a two storeyed sanctum, with Annapurna - Parvati on the 2nd floor.

Draksharama , Draksharamam

Drakasharama is located in East Godavari district near Kakinada. Rajahmundry is the nearest airport. Draksharama constitues one of the five Arama kshetras of Andhra Pradesh, sacred to Shiva, the other four being Kumararama, Ksheerarama and Bheemarama and Amararama. Draksharama, Sree Sailam and Kalahasti together constitute the three sacred Shivalingams of Andhra Pradesh, giving it its ancient name Trilinga Desa.

Draksharama is one of the important centers of Shiva worship in Andhra Pradesh.

Several legends tie together the five Pancharama temples dedicated to Shiva.

Legend also has it that Vyasa installed the Shivalingam at Draksharama. Legend also has it that Draksharama was the site of Daksha yagna. Since it is believed that Sati immolated herself at the site of her father's sacrificial hall, no sacrificial yagna rituals are performed here.

The Bhimeswara temple at Draksharama has two prakarams. The outer prakaram is pierced with four entrances each with a gopuram. The gopuram on the west is a five tiered one. The entrance to the inner prakaram is on the south. A pillared two storeyed verandah lines the inner prakaram (tiruchutrumaaligai in the ancient temples of Tamilnadu). The sculptural work in the mukha mandapam depicts clear Chalukyan features.

There are shrines to Lakshmi Narayana, Sankaranarayana, Ganapati and the Navagrahas.








The sanctum is two storeyed. The walls surrounding both levels are beautified with sculptural work. Two flights of stairs lead to the upper level of the sanctum. Bhimeswara is enshrined in the form of a ten feet high Shivalingam in the sanctum. Shiva's consort here is Manikyamba.

Mahashivaratri and Navaratri are some of the festivals celebrated here.

History: This temple was built by the Eastern Chalukyan King of Vengi - Bhima, during very troubled times (9th -10th centuries), when his kingdom was under attack by the Rashtrakootas. Inscriptions reveal that he had to fight as many as 360 battles. Chalukya Bhima also built the Chalukya Bhimeswaram temple at Samalkota nearby. The Draksharamam temple contains as many as 400 inscriptions going back to the 11th century. These inscriptions can be traced back to the Eastern and the Western Chalukyas as well as the Cholas and Kalinga rulers.

How to reach

Air : The nearest airport to Draskharamam is in Vijayawada at Ryali Templea distance of 185 km. Rail :The nearest rail head is in Kakinada at a distance of 17 km. Road : One can easily reach Draskharam by bus from Kakinada and Rajahmundry.

Where to stay

Choultries are available at Drakshramam. Budget hotels in Kakinada and Rajahmundry.

Amareshwar / Amararama , Amaravathi

Amaravati is a historic pilgrimage center and a storehouse of ancient Buddhist sculpture. Amaravati is home to the Amareswara temple which constitutes one of the five Pancharama temples of Andhra Pradesh sacred to Shiva, the other four being Kumararama, Ksheerarama and Bheemarama and Draksharama.Amaravati is said to be a pilgrimage shrine on par with Benares. Amaravati is located about 15 miles away from Guntur near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

Several legends tie together the five Pancharama temples dedicated to Shiva.

As the name Amaravati implies, legend has it that Amaravati was once the abode of the Gods - the Devas, the yakshas and the kinnaras, who performed penances to Shiva to request him to rid the earth of the mighty demon Tarakasura. Legend has it that Shiva's son Subramanya vanquished the demon.

It is believed that the Shivalingam that shattered into five pieces was a huge one, and the biggest of the five pieces is a fifteen foot long column of white marble which is worshipped as Amareswara at the Amaravati temple (this is very similar to the Shivalingam at the Draksharama temple). Legend has it that it was installed by Indra the king of the Devas, Brihaspati the guru of the Devas and Sukra the preceptor of the Asuras.

The Amaravati temple is located on a small hillock referred to as Krouncha Shaila, alongside the river Krishna which flows for a short distance in a North-Southerly direction, although for the most part, the river heads eastwards towards the ocean. The river Krishna is held in reverence at this pilgrimage site, and a ritual dip in this river here is considered to be meritorious.

The temple has ancient origins, however the structural foundations as seen today, seem to date back to the 11th century CE. The Vijayanagar kings did provide grants to maintain the temple. However it was the local kings of the 18th century CE that provided vast endowments to this temple. The temple is decorated with four lofty gopurams in its outer circumambulatory path. Shiva here is referred to as Amareswara, Agasteswara, Kosaleswara, Pranaveswara, Someswara and Parthiveswara and Parvati - Bala Chamundi.

Amaravati was a center of Buddhist art. The Buddhist stupa and sculptures depicting the life of Buddha at Amaravati are of great beauty.

THE FIVE PANCHARAMA KSHETRAS

Legend has it that when Subramanya killed the demon Tarakasura, the Shivalingam in his throat broke and fell in five different spots, which became the Pancharama kshetras. The foremost of these is Amareswara at Amaravati where Indra and the Devas are believed to have worshipped Shiva. The others are Draksharama, Kumararama at Kotipalli, Bheemarama at Samalkota and Ksheerarama or Palakollu. Some beliefs refer to Amararama, Draksharama, Somarama at Bhimavaram, Bhimarama or Kumararama at Samalkota and Ksheerarama at Palakollu as the five Pancharama Kshetras, while some even refer to the Chalukya Bhimeswara temple at Bhimavaram as Bhimarama. It is believed that the Shivalingam that shattered into five pieces was a huge one, and the biggest of the five pieces is a fifteen foot long column of white marble which is worshipped as Amareswara at the Amaravati temple (this is very similar to the ten feet high Shivalingam at the Draksharama temple). Yet another legend links the pancharama kshetras. The five Shivalingams worshipped at these shrines are said to be a part of a single Shivalingam said to have been created by Surya or the Sun God. This original Shivalingam is said to have been held in worship by the seven rishis - Kasyapa, Atri, Gowtama, Kousika, Bharadwaja, Vasishta and Jamadagni. These rishis are believed to be present in the seven tributaries of Godavari, of which the Bharadwaja, Kousika and Jamadagni Godavaris are not in existence anymore. It is believed that the seven rishis brought water into the Godavari river from their points of origin. It is also believed that the waters from the seven tributaries constitute the water sources in the temple tank.

1) Amareshwar / Amararama
2) Draksharama,Draksharamam Kakinada
3) Kumararama at Kotipalli
4) Ksheerarama at Palakollu
5) Bheemaramam at Samralakota