Srisailam

Srisailam (Telugu: శ్రీశైలం) is a holy town and mandal, situated in Nallamala Hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is on the banks of River Krishna, about 212 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 212 km from Hyderabad and 132 km from Nandyal, is a multipurpose dam built across River Krishna and caters to the irrigation and power needs of the state

Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple

The Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple located in Srisailam is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.

History

The origins of this temple have been lost in antiquity. The Skanda Purana has a chapter called Srisaila Kandam 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 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, slayed the demon Mahisasura.
It gained prominence in the twelfth century due to the 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 achieved salvation.

Darshanams

S.No	Name of the Darshanams	Time	Amount	Entry for
1	Suprabhatha Darshanam	5.00AM	Rs.300.00	Couple or Single Person
2	Mahamangala Harathi	5.50AM	Rs.200.00	One Person
3	Athiseegra Darshanam	6.30 AM to 1.00 PM & 6.30 PM to 9.00 PM	Rs.100.00	One Person
4	Special Queue Line Darshanam	6.30 AM to 1.00 PM & 6.30 PM to 9.00 PM	Rs.50.00	One Person
5	Free Darshanam in general Queue	6.00 AM to 3.30 PM & 6.00 PM to 10.00 PM
6	Mahamangala Harathi (Evening)	5.00 PM	Rs.200.00	One Person

Sevas & Poojas

S.No	Name of the Sevas & Poojas	Timings	Cost of ticket	Pooja Articals and Prasadams	No. of Pilgrims allowed
1	Special Abhishekam to Sri Swamy Varu in Garbhalayam	6.00AM to 1.00 PM & 6.00PM to 8.30PM	Rs.600.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
2	Abhishekam to Sri Vurdha Mallikarjuna Swamy	6.00AM to 1.00 PM & 6.00PM to 8.30PM	Rs.250.00	-	Couple or Single
3	Ganapathi Abhishekam	7.00AM	Rs.720.00	-	Couple or Single
4	Ganapathi Homam	7.00AM to 7.30AM	Rs.720.00	-	Couple or Single
5	Rudra Homam	7.30AM 8.30AM	Rs.1500.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
6	Kumkuma Puja to Ammavaru (At Srichakram)	6.00AM to 1.00PM & 6.00PM to 8.30PM	Rs.500.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
7	Kumkumarchana to Sri Bhramaramba Devi in the Mandapam	6.00AM to 1.00PM & 6.00PM to 8.30PM	Rs.350.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
8	Gouri Vratham	7.30AM	Rs.720.00	-	Couple or Single
9	Chandi Homam	9.30AM	Rs.1500.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
10	Navavarana Pooja	6.30AM	Rs.1516.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
11	Kalyanotsavam	7.15PM	Rs.1100.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
12	Sarvaseva Pathakam (All sevas will be performed in this Seva)	4.30AM	Rs.5000.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
13	Laksha Bilwarchana (at Swamivari Temple Garbhalayam)	6.00 AM to 12.30 PM	Rs.5116.00	Who Performed the Seva they have to contact the temple authorities two days advance and they have to get the bilwam leaves.	Couple or Single
14	Bilwarchana ( Sri Vrudhamallikarjuna swami)	6.00 AM to 12.30 PM	Rs.3116.00	Who Performed the Seva they have to contact the temple authorities two days advance and they have to get the bilwam leaves.	Couple or Single
15	Laksha kunkumarchana (at Sri Chakram)	6.00 AM to 12.30 PM	Rs.5116.00	Who Performed the Seva they have to contact the temple authorities two days advance.	Couple or Single
16	Mahanyasa Purvaka Rudrabhishekam	6.30 AM to 9.00 AM	Rs.2116.00	Who Performed the Seva they have to contact the temple authorities two days advance.	Couple or Single
17	MAHA MRUTYANJAYA HOMAM (AT VRUDHAMALLIKARJUN SWAMY)	8.30AM TO 9.30AM	Rs.1516.00	Provided By The Temple	Couple or single
18	NAVAGRAHA HOMAM (AT VRUDHAMALLIKARJUN SWAMY)	9.30 AM TO 10.00AM	Rs.508.00	Provided By The Temple	Couple or single
19	CHANDRALINGABHISHEKAM (AT CHANDRALINGAM)	6.30 AM to 1.00 PM & 6.00 PM to 8.30 PM	Rs.108.00	-	Couple or single
20	BALARISTA POOJA (AT KUMARA SWAMY )	9.30AM TO 10.30AM	Rs.316.00	-	Couple or single
21	SARPA DOSA NIVARANA POOJA (AT KUMARA SWAMY)	10.30AM TO 11.30AM	Rs.316.00	-	Couple or single
22	MAHA MRUTHYANJAYABHISHEKAM (AT VRUDHAMALLIKARJUN SWAMY)	11.30AM TO 1.30AM	Rs.2116/-	Provided By The Temple	Couple or single
23	SHASRALINGABHISHEKAM (AT SHASRALINGESWARA SWAMY)	6.30AM TO 1.00PM & 6.00PM TO 8.30PM	Rs.250/-	Provided By The Temple	Couple or single
24	SURYALINGABHISHEKAM (AT SURYALINGAM)	6.30AM TO 1.00PM & 6.00PM TO 8.30PM	Rs.250/-	Provided By The Temple	Couple or single
25	Go Pooja		Rs.120.00
26	Godanamu		Rs. 2516.00
27	Nagaprathishta		Rs. 5116.00
28	Suvarnapushparchana		Rs. 1000.00	Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single
29	Preparation of Ammavari Bogam Prasadam (Per Kg)		Rs. 216.00
30	Namakaranam		Rs. 51.00
31	Annaprasana		Rs. 51.00
32	Akshrabhyasam		Rs. 51.00
33	Radhotsavam (Only Monday)	7.00 PM to 7.30 PM	Rs.520.00		Couple or Single
34	VahanaSeva	7.00 PM to 7.30 PM	Rs. 520.00		Couple or Single
35	Pallaki Seva	7.00PM to 7.30 PM	Rs. 220.00		Couple or Single
36	Ekantha Seva	9.30 PM to 10.00 PM	Rs.120.00	Prasadams Provided by the Temple	Couple or Single

The important annual festivals celebrated in the temple are

Mahasivaratri Brahmothsavams

The Mahasivarathri Utsavams are being celebrated as Brahmothsavams in the month of Magham (the 11th month of Indian Lunar Calendar) which falls usually in the month of February/March. This is a festival of seven days with Panchahnika Deeksha. The Mahasivarathri day (29th day of Magham) is the most important day of the festival. The important events of the celebrations are Ankurarpana, Dhwajarohana, Vahana Sevas to God and Goddess, Lingodhbhavakala Maharudrabhishekam to God, Pagalankarana, Kalyanothsavam, Radhothsavam and Dhwajavarohana.

Ugadi Celebrations

Dasara Celebrations

Kumbhothsavams

Kumbhothsavam is the most significant festival of the temple of Srisailam in which various offerings are made to Goddess Bhramaramba Devi. This festival celebrates on the first Tuesday or Friday (which ever first comes) after full moon day of Chaitram, the beginning month of Indian Calendar.

Sankranthi Uthsavams

Arudrothsavam

Kartheeka Masothsavams

Sravananamosothsvams

Monthly Festivals

Legends

A number of legends have grown round Srisailam and its principal deities. Among them the most significant one is that Parvatha, son of Silada Maharshi is said to have performed penance, pleased Siva and made him agree to live on his body. This Parvatha assumed the shape of big Hill Sriparvatha and Siva lived on its top as Mallikarjuna Swamy.
According to one story Chandravathi,the ruler of Chandraguptha Patana situated near Srisailam on the opposite bank of the river Krishna ran away from her father who made amorous advances to her 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 Sivalinga and shedding its milk over it. The princess in dream was informed that the piece of the stone was a self-manifested Linga of God Mallikarjuna and took to worshipping it. This story is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. Two sculptures of the Prakara Wall of the temple also represent this story.
According to another story Sri,the daughter of a Rishi did penance, pleased Siva and got her name associated with the name of the Hill( Sailam ) which thereafter came to be known as Srisailam
Visiting Places near by Srisaila Devasthanam

(All these visiting places can be visited by APSRTC Buses in Srisailam Hill and frequently the buses take the pilgrims to the places)

Accommodation

The Devasthanam is having 25 individual cottages, Pathaleswara Sadan with 23 Deluxe Suites, Sivasadanam guest house with 100 rooms, T.T.D Guest House with 10 rooms,Chandeswara Sadanam with 22 rooms and a dormitory Choultry consisting of 7 Halls.
Devasthanam has also constructed a modern complex with 112 suites named as Gangasadan and Gowrisadan
Besides this there are 40 private choultries consisting of about 1200 rooms and they are also providing accommodation to the pilgrim.
The Department of Tourism is maintaining Punnami Guest Houses consisting about 50 suites.

Free Accomodation

The Devasthanam has constructed pilgrim sheds at Pathalaganga Road and at Filter Bed with number of toilets and with drinking water facilities. They are being given to the pilgrims who came through Tourist Buses.
In addition to the above Devasthanam accommodation, 1553 Rooms are available in various private choultries. A statement showing the above details is annexed.

Gateways

Tradition, literature as well as epigraphical sources state that the sacred hill of Srisailam has four gateways in the four cardinal directions namely,

Tripuranthakam is in Prakasam District in the east where God Tripuranthakeswara Swamy and Goddess Tripurasundari Devi are presiding deities.
Siddhavatam is 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.
Alampur is on the bank of the river Tungabhadra in Mahaboobnagar District in the west where Navabrahma Alayas, a group of nine temples of the Chalukya period, are. This Kshetram is also the seat of Goddess Jogulamba, one of the eighteen Mahasakthis.
Umamaheswaram is 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:

Eleswaram: Located in Mahaboobnagar District now submerged in the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in the northeast with Eleswara Swamy and Katyani as presiding deities.
Somasila: Located on the bank of the river Penna in the southeast with Skanda Someswara as the presiding deity.
Pushpagiri: Located in Kadapa District in the southwest with Santhana Malleswara as presiding deity.
Sangameswaram: Located at the confluence of the River Krishna and Tungabhadra in Kurnool District in the northwest and submerged at Srisailam Dam with Sangameswara as presiding deity. This temple has been re-built at Alampur.

Other places of interest

Akka Mahadevi caves

During the 12th century A.D. this cave appeared to have attained its present name 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 worshiped 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 Dam 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 (270 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 multipurpose facility for water supply and irrigation.
Due to the construction of Srisailam Hydro Electric Project across river Krishna, nearly 102 villages in Kurnool and Mahboobnagar districts 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. It 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 was inaugurated on 26 May 2010. It was built at Srisailam by Karnataka Veerashaiva Reddy Samaj. In the adjoining ashram, one can 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. It lies 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 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). KSRTC from major cities/towns include Hyderabad, kakinada, 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 Warangal, Podili, and Hubli. The nearest major towns are Narsaraopet and Kurnool.

Rail

The nearest railway stations are Markapur (62 km), Vinukonda (120 km) and Kurnool (190 km) on the Guntur–Hubli section. The nearest major railway stations are Narsaraopet, Kurnool and Nandyal.

Air

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport serving Hyderabad and located 195 km from Srisailam is the nearest international airport

Om Tat Sat

(Continued...)

(My humble salutations to the great devotees , wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )

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Holy Pilgrimage – AP State –(Sri Sailam)