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Shrishailam
Name of the Temple |
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Location |
- It is on the right side of the River Kriṣhṇa in Karnūl District of Āndhra Pradeśh, South India.
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| How to reach there? |
- By Air : The closest airport to Śhrīśhailam is the airport in Haidherabādh, around 200 km. From the airport take the Śhrīśhailam Highway 5 heading south.
- By Train : The nearest railway station is located in Markāpur, around 86 km from Śhrīśhailam. From the Markāpur railway station take the road heading north-west to reach Śhrīśhailam.
- By Road: Śhrīśhailam is about 232 km from Haidherabādh.Śhrīśhailam can be reached through Bangaluru Haidherabādh Highway 44 and from Chennai through the National Highway 16.
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Rulers/builders and Time Period |
- Epigraphically, evidence reveals that the history of Śhrīśhailam begins with the Śhāthavāhanas who were the first empire builders in South India.
- The earliest known historical mention of the Hill - Śhrīśhailam, can be traced in Pulumāvis Nāsik inscription of 1st Century A.D.
- The Śhāthavāhanas, the Ikṣhvākus, the Pallavas, the Viṣhṇukuṇḍins, the Chālukyas, the Kākathiyas, the Reddi Kings, the Vijayanagara Emperors and Chhathrapathi Śhivāji are among the famous emperors who worshipped God Mallikārjuna Swami.
- Prathāparudhra of Kākathiya Dynasty strived for a lot for the improvements of this Kṣhethram and granted Paragaṇas for its maintenance.
- Gaṇapathidheva has spent 12000 Golden Nāṇyas for the maintenance of the temple.
- The period of Reddi Kings is the Golden Age of Śhrīśhailam though almost all rulers of the dynasty did celebrated service for this temple. In 14th Century Prolaya Vema Reddi of Reddi Dynasty constructed stepped path-way to Śhrīśhailam.
- The Second Harihararāya of Vijayanagara Empire constructed the Mukhamanṭapam of Swāmi shrine and also a Gopuram on Southern Side of the temple.
- In the 15th Century Sri Kriṣhṇadhevarāya Constructed the Rājagopuram on Eastern side and Sālumanṭapas on both sides of the temple.
- The last Hindhu King who strove hard for the improvement of the temple is Chhatrapathi Śhivāji who constructed a Gopuram on northern side in the year 1667 A.D
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Deity/Deities |
- The deities who reside in the temple of Śhrīśhailam are Mallikārjuna Swāmi and his wife Bhramarāmba. They are the incarnations of Lord Śhiva and his consort Pārvathi.
- The Śhiva linga that is worshipped in the temple is believed to be one of the twelve Jyothirliṅgams that the country has.
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Architecture Style |
- The temple, whose popular name is Śhrīparvatha, is bounded by a great fortress-like wall that is 20 ft high, 6 ft wide and 2120 ft in circumference. Built in 1520 AD, the wall has 3200 stones, each weighing over one ton, and is decorated with fine relief carvings displaying images from Hindu mythology.
- A cluster of minor shrines within the temple enclosure include the Sahasra Liṅga, Panchapāṇḍava temples and Vaṭa Vrikṣha.
- At Śhikharam, the highest of the Śhrīśhailam hills, is Śhikhareśhwara Swāmi, a temple dedicated to Lord Śhiva.
- Another beautiful temple is Śhrī Gaṇapathi temple, dedicated to Lord Ganeśha.
- The sculptures in the temple are excellent. A total number of about one hundred and sixteen inscriptions can be found in and around the temple.
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Other Special Features |
- Heroic legends from the Mahābhāratha and Rāmāyaṇa are sculpted in stone on the temple walls and the Mahābhāratha epic refers to Śhrīśhailam as Śhrīparvatha , the blessed hill .
- You can hear the buzzing of a bee through a tiny hole in the Bhramarāmba temple, where Pārvathi, in the form of a bee, slew the demon Mahiṣhāsura.
- The prominence of this Dhivya Kṣhethram is highlighted by the fact that while performing our daily household rituals we specify place of location of our existence with reference to Śhrīśhailam.
- The unique feature of this kṣhetram is the combination of Jyothirliṅgam and Mahāśhakthi in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind.
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Any Other/Remarks |
- A number of legends have grown round Śhrīśhailam and its principal deities. Among them the most significant one is that Parvatha, son of Silada Maharṣhi is said to have performed penance, pleased Śhiva and made him agree to live on his body. This Parvatha assumed the shape of big Hill Śhrīparvatha and Śhiva lived on its top as Mallikārjuna Swāmi. This celebrated mountain is also named as Siridhan, Srigiri, Sirigiri, Sriparvatha and Srināgam. It has been a popular centre of Śhaivite pilgrimage for centuries.
- According to one story Chandrāvathi, the ruler of Chandraguptha Paṭṭaṇa situated near Śhrīśhailam on the opposite bank of the river Krishna ran away from her father who made amorous advances to her. She went up the hill and settled down there with few servants. One day she found that one of her cows standing above a natural rock formation resembling the Śhivaliṅga and shedding its milk over it. The princess in a dream was informed that the piece of the stone was a self-manifested Liṅga of God Mallikārjuna and took to worshipping it. This story is mentioned in the Skandha Purāṇa. Two sculptures of the Prakāra Wall of the temple also represent this story.
- According to another story Śhrī, the daughter of a Riṣhi did penance, pleased Śhiva and got her name associated with the name of the Hill (Śhailam) which thereafter came to be known as Śhrīśhailam.
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Special Reference to Performing Arts |
- Śhrīśhailam Temple has secured its name in several ancient texts and Purāṇas. The origins of this temple have been lost in antiquity.
- The Skandha Purāṇa has a chapter called Śhrīśhaila Kāṇḍam dedicated to it, which points to the ancient origin. This is confirmed by the fact that saints of the past millennia have sung its praises.
- It is said that Ādhi Śhankara visited this temple and at that time he composed his Śhivānanda Lahari.
- It gained prominence in the twelfth century due to the Śharaṇa movement and Vachana Sāhithya headed by Basavaṇṇa. According to legend, one of the Śhrīśhailam caves is said to be the place where the most famous poet and social reformer Akka Mahādhevi achieved salvation.
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Bibliography |
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