Srisailam
Encyclopedia
Srisailam is a holy town and mandal, situated in Nallamala Hills of Kurnool district
, Andhra Pradesh
, India
. It is located on the banks of River Krishna, about 232 km south of Hyderabad.
Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy Temple dedicated to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy (a form of Shiva
) and Devi Bhramaramba (a form of Parvathi) is located here and it is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva
. Srisailam Dam
, located about 245 km from Hyderabad and 132 km from Nandyal
, is a multipurpose dam has been built across River Krishna and caters to the irrigation and power needs of the state.
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
has a chapter called Srisaila Kandam dedicated to it, which points to the ancient origin. This is confirmed also by the fact that saints of the past millennia have sung praises of this temple. It is said that Adi Sankara visited this temple and at that time he composed his Sivananda Lahiri
.
Srisailam is referenced in the ancient Hindu Puranas
, and the epic
Mahabharata
.
Shiva's sacred bull Nandi is said to have performed penance at the Mahakali temple till Shiva and Parvati appeared before him as Mallikarjuna and Brahmaramba. The temple is one of the 12 hallowed jyotirlingas; Lord Rama himself installed the Sahasralinga, while the Pandavas lodged the Panchapandava lingas in the temple courtyard.
Heroic legends from the Mahabharata and Ramayana are sculpted in stone on the temple walls and the Mahabharata epic refers to Srisailam as Sri Parvata - the blessed hill. You can hear the buzzing of a bee through a tiny hole in the Brahmaramba temple, where Parvati, in the form of a bee, slew the demon Mahisasura.
It also gained prominence in the twelfth century due to Sharana Movement and Vachana Sahitya
headed by Basavanna. According to legends one of the srisailam caves is said to be the place where the most famous poet and social reformer Akka Mahadevi
is said to have achieved salvation.
1. Tripuranthakam: Located in Prakasam District in the East where God Tripuranthakeswara Swamy and Goddess Tripurasundari Devi are Presiding Deities.
2. Siddhavatam : Located on the bank of the river Penna in Kadapa District in the south where Jyothisideswara Swamy and Goddess Kamakshi Devi are the presiding Deities.
3. Alampur: Located on the bank of the river Tungabhadra in Mahaboobnagar District in the west where Navabrahma Alayas – A group of nine temples of Chalukya period are situated. This Kshetram is also the seat of Goddess Jogulamba, one of the Eighteen Mahasakthis.
4. Umamaheswaram : Located in Rangapur, Achampeta Mandal,Mahaboobnagar District in the North where God Umamaheswara Swamy and Goddess Umamaheswari Devi are the presiding deities.
Eleswaram: Located in Mahaboobnagar District now submerged in the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in the North – East with Eleswara Swamy and Katyani as presiding deities.
Somasila: Located on the bank of the river Penna in South – East with Skanda Someswara as the presiding deity.
Pushpagiri: Located in Kadapa District in the South-West with Santhana Malleswara as presiding deity.
Sangameswaram: Located at the confluence of the River Krishna and Tungabhadra in Kurnool District on the North-West and submerged at Srisailam Dam with Sangameswara
as presiding deity. This temple has been re-built at Alampur.
caves after the famous ascetic, lyricist and philosopher, Akka Mahadevi
who hailed from Karnataka. It is believed that Akka Mahadevi
did penance in this cave and worshipped the Sivalinga that naturally existed in the deep and dark end of the cave.
The A.P. Tourism Department has arranged Motor Boats for visitors to see these caves.
is built on the Krishna River
and is 512 m long. It is set amidst beautiful natural scenery - ghats, cliffs, craggy ridges, plateaus and dense forests. It has twelve crest gates to hold a maximum water level of 885 ft (269.7 m). It has a live storage of 274 thousand million cubic feet. This reservoir was originally designed for hydropower generation only but was later converted to a multi-purpose facility for water supply and irrigation.
Due to the construction of Srisailam Hydro Electric Project across river Krishna, nearly 102 villages in both Kurnool and Mahboobnagar Districts located along the banks of the rivers Krishna, Tungabhadra, Bhavanasi and their tributaries were submerged.
These forests provide shelter to a range of animals like the tiger, leopard, deer, sloth bear, hyena, jungle cat, palm civet, bonnet macaque and pangolin.
The down waters of Srisailam Dam is home to a variety of crocodiles. The local government supports a breeding program which has been highly successful.
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam
was inaugurated on 26 May, 2010. The Temple was built at Hemareddy Mallamma Kaneeru at Srisailam by Karnataka Veerashaiva Reddy Samaj. In adjoining ashram, one can also see the place where she lived with cattle. The place is visited by lakhs of pilgrims who offer prayers at this temple. The temple is situated about a half kilometer on the western side of the Mallikarjuna Temple.
Mallela Theertham
Mallela Theertham is a waterfall in the middle of the dense forest,50 km before Srisailam, take a turn to the destination and drive on a bumpy, muddy road which is unmotorable during the rainy season and around 250 steps down the valley to the waterfall.
Transport
Srisailam can be reached by road from Hyderabad, there is frequent Bus service from Hyderabad to Srisailam after every half an hour, and also from Guntur
.
Road
Srisailam is very well connected by State-run bus service APSRTC (Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) And KSRTC from various major cities/towns which include Hyderabad, Guntur
, Tenali
, Narsaraopet,Gulbarga, Davangare, Shivamogga, Addanki, Hospet, Machilipatnam
, Vijayawada
, Avanigadda
, Cuddapah, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda
, Devarakonda
, Vinukonda
, Kurnool
, Ongole, Nellore
, Mahanandi
, Mantralayam
, Anantapur, Tirupati
, Chirala, Chitradurga
, Bangalore
, Markapur
, Vishakapatnam, Podili, And Hubli. The Nearest Major Towns Like Narsaraopet And Kurnool.
Rail
Air
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport serving the city of Hyderabad and located 195 km from Srisailam is the nearest International airport.
External links
Kurnool district
Kurnool District is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, located in the west-central part of the state on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. The town of Kurnool is currently the headquarters of the district...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is located on the banks of River Krishna, about 232 km south of Hyderabad.
Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy Temple dedicated to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy (a form of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
) and Devi Bhramaramba (a form of Parvathi) is located here and it is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga
Jyotirlinga
A Jyotirlinga or Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam is a shrine where Lord Shiva, an aspect of God in Hinduism is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam or "Lingam of light." There are twelve traditional Jyotirlinga shrines in India....
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. Srisailam Dam
Srisailam Dam
The Srisailam Dam is a dam constructed across the Krishna River at Srisailam in the Kurnool district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India and is the 2nd largest capacity hydroelectric project in the country....
, located about 245 km from Hyderabad and 132 km from Nandyal
Nandyal
Nandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
, is a multipurpose dam has been built across River Krishna and caters to the irrigation and power needs of the state.
Geography
Srisailam is located at 16.074°N 78.868°W. It has an average elevation of 409 meters (1345 ft).The Temple
The Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple located in Srisailam is one of the 12 JyotirlingaJyotirlinga
A Jyotirlinga or Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam is a shrine where Lord Shiva, an aspect of God in Hinduism is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam or "Lingam of light." There are twelve traditional Jyotirlinga shrines in India....
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
History
The origins of this temple have been lost in antiquity. The Skanda PuranaSkanda Purana
The Skanda Purana is the largest Mahapurana, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text is devoted mainly to the lilas of Kartikeya , a son of Shiva and Parvati. It also contains a number of legends about Shiva, and the holy places associated with him...
has a chapter called Srisaila Kandam dedicated to it, which points to the ancient origin. This is confirmed also by the fact that saints of the past millennia have sung praises of this temple. It is said that Adi Sankara visited this temple and at that time he composed his Sivananda Lahiri
Shivanandalahari
Shivanandalahari is a devotional hymn composed by Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher, on Shiva. It literally means Wave of Auspicious Bliss. It consists of one hundred stanzas of Sanskrit poetry in various chandas . It was composed by Adi Shankara while staying in Srisailam. It begins with an...
.
Srisailam is referenced in the ancient Hindu Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
, and the epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
.
Shiva's sacred bull Nandi is said to have performed penance at the Mahakali temple till Shiva and Parvati appeared before him as Mallikarjuna and Brahmaramba. The temple is one of the 12 hallowed jyotirlingas; Lord Rama himself installed the Sahasralinga, while the Pandavas lodged the Panchapandava lingas in the temple courtyard.
Heroic legends from the Mahabharata and Ramayana are sculpted in stone on the temple walls and the Mahabharata epic refers to Srisailam as Sri Parvata - the blessed hill. You can hear the buzzing of a bee through a tiny hole in the Brahmaramba temple, where Parvati, in the form of a bee, slew the demon Mahisasura.
It also gained prominence in the twelfth century due to Sharana Movement and Vachana Sahitya
Vachana sahitya
Vachana sahitya is a form of writing in Kannada that evolved in the 12th Century C.E. as a part of the Veerashaiva 'movement'. Vachanas literally means " said"...
headed by Basavanna. According to legends one of the srisailam caves is said to be the place where the most famous poet and social reformer Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi was a prominent figure of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas in Kannada, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that...
is said to have achieved salvation.
Gateways
Tradition, literature as well as epigraphical sources state that the sacred hill of Srisailam has four gateways in the four cardinal directions namely,1. Tripuranthakam: Located in Prakasam District in the East where God Tripuranthakeswara Swamy and Goddess Tripurasundari Devi are Presiding Deities.
2. Siddhavatam : Located on the bank of the river Penna in Kadapa District in the south where Jyothisideswara Swamy and Goddess Kamakshi Devi are the presiding Deities.
3. Alampur: Located on the bank of the river Tungabhadra in Mahaboobnagar District in the west where Navabrahma Alayas – A group of nine temples of Chalukya period are situated. This Kshetram is also the seat of Goddess Jogulamba, one of the Eighteen Mahasakthis.
4. Umamaheswaram : Located in Rangapur, Achampeta Mandal,Mahaboobnagar District in the North where God Umamaheswara Swamy and Goddess Umamaheswari Devi are the presiding deities.
Secondary Gateways
Besides the main gateways, there are four Secondary Gateways in the four corner directions. These areEleswaram: Located in Mahaboobnagar District now submerged in the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in the North – East with Eleswara Swamy and Katyani as presiding deities.
Somasila: Located on the bank of the river Penna in South – East with Skanda Someswara as the presiding deity.
Pushpagiri: Located in Kadapa District in the South-West with Santhana Malleswara as presiding deity.
Sangameswaram: Located at the confluence of the River Krishna and Tungabhadra in Kurnool District on the North-West and submerged at Srisailam Dam with Sangameswara
Sangameswara temple, Kurnool
The Sangameswara temple is an ancient Hindu temple in the Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located near Muchumarri at the confluence of the Krishna and Bhavanasi rivers, in the foreshore of the Srisailam reservoir, where it is submerged for part of the time, surfacing when the water...
as presiding deity. This temple has been re-built at Alampur.
Akka mahadevi caves
During 12th Century A.D. this cave appeared to have attained it’s present name Akka MahadeviAkka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi was a prominent figure of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas in Kannada, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that...
caves after the famous ascetic, lyricist and philosopher, Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi was a prominent figure of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas in Kannada, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that...
who hailed from Karnataka. It is believed that Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi was a prominent figure of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas in Kannada, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that...
did penance in this cave and worshipped the Sivalinga that naturally existed in the deep and dark end of the cave.
The A.P. Tourism Department has arranged Motor Boats for visitors to see these caves.
Srisailam Dam
Srisailam DamSrisailam Dam
The Srisailam Dam is a dam constructed across the Krishna River at Srisailam in the Kurnool district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India and is the 2nd largest capacity hydroelectric project in the country....
is built on the Krishna River
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
and is 512 m long. It is set amidst beautiful natural scenery - ghats, cliffs, craggy ridges, plateaus and dense forests. It has twelve crest gates to hold a maximum water level of 885 ft (269.7 m). It has a live storage of 274 thousand million cubic feet. This reservoir was originally designed for hydropower generation only but was later converted to a multi-purpose facility for water supply and irrigation.
Due to the construction of Srisailam Hydro Electric Project across river Krishna, nearly 102 villages in both Kurnool and Mahboobnagar Districts located along the banks of the rivers Krishna, Tungabhadra, Bhavanasi and their tributaries were submerged.
Srisailam Sanctuary
Srisailam also boasts of one of the largest Tiger Reserves in India. This sanctuary covers an area of 3568 km². The terrain is rugged and winding gorges slice through the area. This area is covered by dry deciduous forests with scrub and bamboo thickets.These forests provide shelter to a range of animals like the tiger, leopard, deer, sloth bear, hyena, jungle cat, palm civet, bonnet macaque and pangolin.
The down waters of Srisailam Dam is home to a variety of crocodiles. The local government supports a breeding program which has been highly successful.
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam is a newly created temple in Srisailam. It was originally called Hemaraddimallama Kaneeru, or "where the holy water flows...
was inaugurated on 26 May, 2010. The Temple was built at Hemareddy Mallamma Kaneeru at Srisailam by Karnataka Veerashaiva Reddy Samaj. In adjoining ashram, one can also see the place where she lived with cattle. The place is visited by lakhs of pilgrims who offer prayers at this temple. The temple is situated about a half kilometer on the western side of the Mallikarjuna Temple.
Mallela Theertham
Mallela Theertham is a waterfall in the middle of the dense forest,50 km before Srisailam, take a turn to the destination and drive on a bumpy, muddy road which is unmotorable during the rainy season and around 250 steps down the valley to the waterfall.
Transport
Srisailam can be reached by road from Hyderabad, there is frequent Bus service from Hyderabad to Srisailam after every half an hour, and also from Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
.
Road
Srisailam is very well connected by State-run bus service APSRTC (Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) And KSRTC from various major cities/towns which include Hyderabad, Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
, Tenali
Tenali
Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is...
, Narsaraopet,Gulbarga, Davangare, Shivamogga, Addanki, Hospet, Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam is a city and a special grade municipality in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south east of state capital, Hyderabad.-History:...
, Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, Avanigadda
Avanigadda
Avanigadda is a town and a mandal in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India.The population of the town was around 27000.The town is famous for its Mango crop,especially banginapalli variety only after to Nuzvid.- Geography :...
, Cuddapah, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda
Nalgonda
Nalgonda is a town and a municipality in Nalgonda district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its name is derived from two Telugu words Nalla and Konda . Nalgonda in the past is referred to as Nilagiri. During the period of Bahamani kingdom, it had been renamed as Nallagonda...
, Devarakonda
Devarakonda
Devarakonda is a census town and mandal headquarters in the Nalgonda district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.- History :Devarakonda fort was a formidable stronghold of the Recherla velama Kings,this fort now stands amidst ruins. A place worth visiting by antiquity lovers it is no more than...
, Vinukonda
Vinukonda
Vinukonda is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 52,830 at the time of the 2001 Census. Local mythology holds a hill nearby as the place where Rama was informed of his wife Sita's abduction. The name therefore literally translates to "Hearing Hill". It is also...
, Kurnool
Kurnool
Kurnool is located at . It has an average elevation of 273 metres .Kurnool lies on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. The Handry and Neeva rivers also flow through the city. The K.C...
, Ongole, Nellore
Nellore
Nellore , is a city and headquarters of Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District, formerly Nellore district.And in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Ancient name of Nellore was "Vikrama Simhapuri"....
, Mahanandi
Mahanandi
Mahanandi is a village located east of the Nallamala Hills in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a picturesque village surrounded by thick forests. Within 15 km of Mahanandi, there are nine Nandi shrines known as Nava Nandis. Mahanandi is one of the Nava Nandis. The Mahanandiswara...
, Mantralayam
Mantralayam
Mantralaya is a town in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies on the banks of the Tungabhadra river on the border with neighbouring Karnataka state. It is also called as Manchale...
, Anantapur, Tirupati
Tirumala - Tirupati
Tirupati is a major pilgrimage city located in the Chittoor district and seventh biggest city of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats at a distance of south of Hyderabad, the capital of the state, east of Bangalore, and north of Chennai.Tirupati is famous...
, Chirala, Chitradurga
Chitradurga
Chitradurga is a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Chitradurga district. Chitradurga was also known by the names Chitradurg, Chitrakaladurga, Chittaldurg. Chittaldrug was the name officially used by the British Govt.-Geography:Chitradurga is...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Markapur
Markapur
Markapur is a town and a municipality in Prakasam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the Third largest Town in Prakasam district.-Geography:Markapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 145 metres ....
, Vishakapatnam, Podili, And Hubli. The Nearest Major Towns Like Narsaraopet And Kurnool.
Rail
The nearest railway stations are MarkapurMarkapurMarkapur is a town and a municipality in Prakasam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the Third largest Town in Prakasam district.-Geography:Markapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 145 metres ....
(62 km), VinukondaVinukondaVinukonda is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 52,830 at the time of the 2001 Census. Local mythology holds a hill nearby as the place where Rama was informed of his wife Sita's abduction. The name therefore literally translates to "Hearing Hill". It is also...
(120 km) and KurnoolKurnoolKurnool is located at . It has an average elevation of 273 metres .Kurnool lies on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. The Handry and Neeva rivers also flow through the city. The K.C...
(190 km) on the GunturGunturGuntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
–Hubli section.
The Nearest Major Railway Stations Like Narsaraopet,Kurnool And Nandyal.
AirRajiv Gandhi International Airport serving the city of Hyderabad and located 195 km from Srisailam is the nearest International airport.
External links