Located on a 457 metre high hill is the Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy temple ( Srisailam temple). It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. It is said that Vrishabha, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva performed penance here. Lord Shiva appeared before him, with his consort Goddess Parvati in the form of Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba. A massive fort, with 6 metre high walls encloses the temple. A cluster of minor shrines within the temple enclosure include the Sahasra Linga, Panchapandava temples and Vata Vriksha. The most appealing feature of this temple is that anyone of any caste and creed can touch the deity and worship here. At Sikharam, the highest of the Srisailam hills, is Sikhareswara Swamy temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and also a beautiful Sri Ganapathi temple. The nearest airport to Srisailam is Hyderabad at a distance of 237 km. The nearest railhead is Nandyal on Guntur-Hubli broad gauge line, at a distance of 158 km. AP. Tourism conducts a package tour from Hyderabad (See center page). Srisailam is well connected by state buses with all important towns in the state.

Srisailam Temple

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Srisailam played a dominant role in our religious, cultural and social history from ancient times.

The epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam begins with the Sathavahanas who were the first empire builders in South India. The earliest known historical mention of the Hill - Srisailam, can be traced in Pulumavis Nasik inscription of 1st Century A.D.

The Sathavahanas, the Ikshavakus, the Pallavas, the Vishnukundis, the Chalukyas, the Kakatiyas, the Reedy Kings, the Vijayanagara Emperors and Chatrapathi Shivaji are among the famous emperors who worshipped God Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Prataparudra of Kakatiya Dynasty strived a lot for the improvements of this Kshetram and granted Paraganas for its maintenance. Ganapathideva has spent 12000 Golden Nanyas for the maintenance of the temple.

The period of Reddi Kings is the Golden Age of Srisailam that almost all rulers of the dynasty did celebrated service for this temple. In 14th Century Prolaya Vema Reddi of Reddy Dynasty constructed stepped path-way to Srisailam and Pathalaganga (Here the river Krishna is called as Pathalaganga) and Anavema Reddi constructed Veera Siromandapam in which the Veerasaiva devotees cut off their hands, tongue, limbs with devotion to attain the realisation of the God. This practice is known as Veeracharam.

The Second Harihararaya of Vijayanagara Empire constructed the Mukhamantapam of Swamy shrine and also a Gopuram on Southern Side of the temple.

In the 15th Century Sri Krishnadevaraya Constructed the Rajagopuram on Eastern side and Salumantapas on both sides of the temple.

The last Hindu King who strove hard for the improvement of the temple is Chatrapathi Shivaji who constructed a Gopuram on northern side in the year 1667 A.D.

SRISAILAM---MALLIKHARJUNA LINGA

I VISITED SRISAILAM, MALLIKHARJUNA TEMPLE AT THE HEIGHT1500FT FROM OCEN BED, LOCATED ON THE MOUNTAIN RANGES AT NALLAMALLA FORES 2ND, ONE AMONG OF 12 JYOTHRLINGAS ON 18-8-13 TO 24-8-13, SAKTHI PEETHAM--BHRAMARAMBHA DEVI, WHERE I HAVE BEEN GRACED BY DIVINE MOTHER TO PERFORM PUJE, KUMKUM ARCHANA, IALSO TOOK PART AVISEK WITH MADHU, GHEE, WATER OF GANGA AND KRISHNA, BILLAPRATRA, FLOWERS ON CHANTING MANTRAS OF PRIEST, DIVINE DEVOTION FLOWED, SHOWERED OF BLISS,I FELT THE PRESENCE OF LORD SHIVA, CHANTING S OF LORD'S NAME OM NOMO SHIVAY IN DIFFERENT TUNES HAVE BEEN SINNING BY THE LOCAL SINGER DEVOTEES WITH GREAT JOY, OM NOMO SHIVAY CHANTING ALL WOULD LISTENING IN THE SRISAILAM THROUGH MIKE, MICROPHONE WITH TWO MILES. THE SMOKING, SARAB, GUTKA ETC ARE NOT ALLOWED, EVEN NUN CAN TAKING PART IN NAM Z, FEW MUSLIM ARE RESIDING AT SRISAILAM. BEAUTIFUL RIVER KRISHNA, CALLED PATHAL GANGA IS FLOWING, RUNNING BESIDE SRISAILAM, I TOOK BATHE. BY GRACE AND BLESSING OF MY BELOVED LORD SRI RAMAKRISHNADEV I AM BLESSED TO PAY MY REGARDS, PRONAM, PUJA BY TOUCHING THE MALLIKHARJUNA LINGS CONTINUES SIX DAYS, REALLY I HAVE BEEN OVER JOYED, I AM SO HAPPY, SO THAT I CAME TO HYDERABAD, AT RAMAKRISHNA MATH WHERE MY LORD IN BRONG ASTHADHATHU ON THORN, I PAY MY PRONAM, GRATITUTE TO HIM ONLY MY PRAYER BLESSINGS AND KRIPA. MAY LORD BLESS ALL.