Place
: Srisailam in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.Location : 232 km south of Hyderabad, on the banks of the river Krishna.
Significance : The Pilgrimage Centre.
Peaceful Srisailam, 232 km south of Hyderabad is situated on the banks of river Krishna. The 512 mtrs long Srisailam dam located here is abundant with natural beauty. Situated on the border of the ancient sacred hill of Srigiri on the south bank of the Krishna river, in the Nallamalai range of Andhra Pradesh, is the magnificent temple of Srisailam. The temple complex, whose existing buildings date from the 2nd century AD, is the Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy Temple, it is one of the 12 'Jyotirlingas' in India as well as one of the eighteen most sacred goddess shrines, or Shakti Pithas. This outstanding collection of major Gods and Goddesses shrines at the same location makes Srisailam one of India's most venerated sites. Shiva is worshipped here in his form of Lord Mallikarjuna, and Shakti, his consort, as Sri Bharamaramba Devi.
The temple is the site of Mahakali in the form of Bhramaramba. It is believed, the Vrishabha, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva performed penance here. Lord Shiva appeared before him, with his consort Parvati in the forms of Mallikarjuna and Bharamaramba. A gigantic fort, with 6 mtr high wall encloses the temple.
The images of these deities, both extremely old, are enshrined in the more
recent temple built by the Vijayanagar king Harihara Raya around 1404 AD.
The temple, whose popular name is Sriparvata, is bounded by a great
fortress-like wall that is 20 ft high, 6 ft wide and 2120 ft in
circumference. Built in 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.
