Thousand Pillar Temple, Hanamakonda

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/ODMxUS6IiUc

Location: "2H3F+CWR, Hyderabad - Warangal Hwy, Raganna Darwaja, Rd, Brahmanawada, Hanamkonda, Telangana 506001"

The Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreswara Swamy Temple is a historical Hindu temple located in the town of Hanamakonda, Telangana State, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thousand Pillar Temple, along with Warangal Fort and Kakatiya Kala Thoranam are added to the tentative list of World Heritage sites recognised by UNESCO.

Many Hindu temples were developed under the patronage of Ganapati Deva, Rudrama Devi and Prataparudra who were of Kakatiya dynasty. The Thousand Pillar Temple was believed to be constructed during the period between 1175–1324 CE by order of the king,The most popular place to visit in Warangal is the Thousand Pillars Temple, located at the base of Hanamkonda hill.  It was built in 12th century by the Kakatiya King Rudra Deva. Dedicated primarily to Lord Shiva, this temple is also known by the name of Sri Rudreshwara Swamy Temple.  It stands out to be a masterpiece and achieved major heights in terms of architectural skills by the ancient Kakatiya Vishwakarma Sthapathis (Architect).

One part of the temple is consistently under renovation for many years now.

What makes this temple even more attractive is its good maintenance. There is a lush green lawn that greets you as you enter the temple complex. There is also the facility of drinking water here at the temple.

One of the interesting aspect of 1000 Pillar Temple is that here the third deity is not Lord Brahma who is considered to be one of the Trinity (Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma). Here the Lord Surya is being worshipped as the third deity.

History:

It was desecrated by the Tughlaq dynasty during their invasion of the Deccan.However, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad,(Mir Osman Ali Khan) donated a grant of 1 Lakh INR towards the reconstruction of this temple.At this temple, three deities- Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya are worshipped. They are known as Trikutalayam.

Rudreswara Temple locally known as Veyisthambala Gudi (Thousand pillars temple) is one of the fine and earliest available examples of Kakatiya art, architecture and sculpture. It was built by Rudra Deva and named after him as ‘Sri Rudreswara Swamy temple with the presiding deity as Rudreswara, in 1163 CE in the style of later Chalukyan and early Kakatiyan Architecture, star-shaped and triple shrined (Trikutalaya).

Architecture

The temple is a fine specimen of architecture and sculpture with One thousand pillars. There are richly carved pillars, perforated screens, exquisite icons, rock cut elephants and the monolithic dolerite Nandi as components of the temple. Strengthening of foundations like sandbox technique, the skill of Kakatiya sculptors is manifest in adroit craftsmanship and flawless ivory carving technique in their art. The ingenuity of Kakatiya sculptors is visible in likes of lathe turned, and shiny polish in dolerite and granite stone sculpture and craftwork of Nava Rangamandapa.

There are three different shrines, one for each presiding deity. Called as Trikutalayam, these three main deities of the temple are Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya. The shrine of Lord Shiva is facing the east direction while the other two shrines are facing South and West. The shrines of Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya are connected to the main shrine of Lord Shiva via a square shaped mandapam.

On the 4th side of Thousand Pillar Temple there is a beautifully carved monolith of Nandi who is Lord Shiva’s sacred bull, on a platform. Carved out of a single stone, sculpture of Nandi presents a glimpse into the artistic fineness of bygone eras. The statue is facing east direction, which is different from other statues of Nandi that usually face west. This part is closed and is under renovation for quite some time now.

The entire structure of the Thousand Pillar Temple is in star shape. Intricately carved pillars support the structure of the temple while captivating sculptures add exquisiteness to the walls. What adds further to the beauty of 1000 Pillar Temple is the well maintained garden that surrounds it. One can also find various small Shiva Lingams in the garden.

As you enter the temple, on the both side of the entrance beautifully carved sculpture of elephants greets you. Carvings on the ceilings of the temple and its exterior walls are also equally enticing.

 

 

Timings:

Sunday to Saturday 6 AM to 8 PM.

How to Reach:

By Road: Reaching 1000 Pillar Temple is not a difficult task as it is well connected by road and is quite close to the main road. It is situated between the city of Warangal and Hanamakonda.

By Rail: Thousand Pillar Temple is around 6 km away from Warangal railway station. From the station, tourists can hire an auto rickshaw and reach within few minutes. One can also hire a taxi or travel via city buses that run regularly.

By Air: The nearest airport is Hyderabad around 160 KMs

Parking and Photography:

There is dedicated parking, but since the temple is right on the main road of the city, and the parking is very small, there is lot of congestion. It is better to travel using a local auto or cab.

Photography is fully allowed. Didn’t try drone as it’s in the main road. In case one would like to use drone, try using it early morning before the temple opens.

Sri Innavolu Mallana Devasthanam, Inavolu, Telengana

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/ODMxUS6IiUc

Location: “Sri lnavolu Mallanna Devasthanam, VG8W+G9J, Inavolu Rd, Inavolu, Telangana 506143”

Reference: https://xploringdestinations.com/inavolu-mallanna-temple/

Inavolu Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple situated at Inavolu village of Vardhannapet Mandal Warangal District and Telangana State is one of the ancient Lord Shiva temples in South India. Situated around 7 kms branching off NH163 at Inavolu cross bus stop, the temple is one of the ancient ones and offers a very peaceful and calm atmosphere. There are heavy crowds during festival seasons as evidenced by strong barricades built before the Sannadhi for managing queues. Other days, it is very calm and quiet One gets a heartful darshan of Mallanna. The temple dates back to 11th century and was built by Kakatiya rulers. It was built with 108 pillars and has a giant magnificent 24-pillared Nruthaya Mandapam on eastern side. Historical Kakatiya Keerti Toranams (Giant Rocky Entrance Gates) were initially constructed here and subsequently at Warangal fort on the north, south and east.

The temple is located in Inavolu, a village in the Hanamkonda district of Telangana. Inavolu is about 17 kilometres away from Warangal

The presiding deity Shiva lingam of the temple referred to as ‘Ardhapranavattam’ (Shivalinga with half doom). The temple has four entrance gates with rich architectural carvings that epitomizing the cultural sophistication of Kakatiya dynasty.

The temple was built by a minister Ayyanna Deva of Kakatiya Kingdom – hence the name Inavolu. The presiding deity Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy is considered as one of the incarnations of Lord Siva. Mostly the Yadavas patronise the temples built for the deity.

Architecure:

 

The temple is completely built of stones, and is a Kakatiya architectural beauty. A typical Dravidian style temple enclosed in a big compound with a main Vimana over the garba griha. The Garba Griha has a square corridor around the deity through which circumambulation is done. The temple is rich with architectural carvings portraying the Kakatiya dynasty and has four entrance gates and a Keerthi Thoranam on the main entrance. The archaeological department maintained the Mallanna temple.

 

Surprising there is no main gopuram outside, which is very rare.

 

Major Festivals:

 

Inavolu Mallanna Jathara is famous. It begins in Bhogi at the Sankranthi time and ends in Ugadi, the Telugu New Year. The devotees perform special poojas during the Jathara time.

 

All festivals are celebrated at the temple. Makara Sankranthi, Maha Shivarathri, Ugadi, Deepavali, and every Masa Shivarathri celebrated grandly. The temple is decorated with flowers, and many pilgrims visit and seek blessings from Lord Shiva. Other Grand Celebrations are

1)       Maha Shiva Rathri

2)       Ugadi

3)       Vasantotsavam

 

Timings:

Monday to Sunday: 06:00 am to 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 09:00 pm.

How to Reach:

By Rail: Nearest railway station is Pindial railway station around 7.25 KMs from the temple. Warangal is the nearest major railway station around 17 KMs from Inavolu

By Road: The temple is 28 km from Vardhannapet and Warangal. The nearest bus station is Vardhannapet; we must take autos to reach the temple.

By Air: The nearest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, with 170 km.

 

Nearby Places to visit:

• Thousand Pillar Temple
• kondeti jenni agriculture land
• Ekashila Lake & Children’s Garden
• Kush Mahal
• Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple
• Kaakatiya Kalaa Thoranam
• Bhadrakali Temple
• Warangal Fort

 

Parking and Photography

There is dedicated parking outside the temple.

Photography is allowed and do use your mobile or camera to capture the beautiful temple. Drones can be used from outside too.

Veeranarayana Temple, Kolanupaka

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/ODMxUS6IiUc

Reference: https://www.trawell.in/telangana/warangal/sri-veeranarayana-temple

Location: “Veeranarayana Temple, M2WJ+7XH, Kolanupaaka, Kolanupaka, Telangana 508101”

At a distance of 82 Kms from Warangal and 82 Kms from Hyderabad, Sri Veeranarayana Temple is an ancient temple built in 403 AD, located in Kolanupaka village in Nalgonda District.

This highly revered temple is dedicated to Shri Veeranarayana, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple architecture is good and it resembles the Chalukya style of architecture. This is an important Vaishnava temple in Warangal. It is claimed that this was an ancient Jain temple later converted to a Hindu temple.

The temple is situated at a distance of 1 Km from Kolanupaka Bus Station and 1.5 Kms from Jain Temple. It is on the way to Sri Someswara Temple which is 0.5 Kms away. It seems the temple lost its glory and currently being maintained by Archeological Department. Poojas are still being performed.

How to reach

By Road: The temple is situated around 1.5 KMs from Kolanupaka Bus Station. Bus stop at Kolanupaka road is the nearest bus stop from where both the Jain temple and the Shiva temple are easily accessible by a local transport. A diversion at the Aleru town (which lies on the Hyderabad Warangal Highway) would take one to Kolanupaka. Self is the best option with no issues with parking and easy access to the location.

By Rail: Aleru is the nearest railway station from where passenger trains are available.

By Air: Hyderabad is the nearest airport which is around 90 KMs

Parking and Photography

There is no dedicated parking, and parking is a big problem. There is hardly any place to park your car.

Photography is allowed and there is no restriction

Timings:

Monday to Sunday: 7 AM to 12 PM and 5 PM to 6:30 PM.

Nearby Places to visit:

·         Shwetambar Jain temple, Kolanupak

·         Someshwara temple, Kolanupak

·         Warangal fort, Warangal

·         Hanamkonda Thousand pillar temple, Warangal

·         Padmakshi temple at Warangal

·         Ramappa Temple, Palampet

Apart from these there are numerous temples at Warangal worth visiting

  

Someshwara Temple-Kolanupaka

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/ODMxUS6IiUc

Location: “Chalukya era Shri Someshwara, Revanasiddeshwara Temple, M2XJ+GX5, Kolanupaka, Telangana 508101”

Reference: https://www.telangana360.com/2023/09/kolanupaka-sri-someswara-temple.html

                  

Kolanupaka Sri Someswara Temple or Sri Chandikamba Sametha Someshwaraswami Someshwara Temple, or simply Someshwara temple dedicated to Shiva, is situated in Kolanupaka,  82 KMs from Hyderabad and 82 KMs from Warangal in Yadadri district of Telengana and very near to Kulpakji (Jain temple), is one of the finest examples of Kakatiyan ekakuta style, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is under complete renovation and scattered all around. It has an open museum in the outer area. Also known as Veyi Lingala gudi, meaning the temple of the thousand lingas. One of the few Shiva temples, where Lord Shiva is in human form, the temple is more than 1000 years old.

The Someshwara Temple houses an open museum where motifs and sculptures belonging to between 11^th and 14^th century are kept. One of the many Kakatiya masterpieces although in shambles, the temple has one of the most beautiful craftsmanship in the walls with deities and motifs all around. Originally built in Chalukyan style, the temple has kakatiyan workmanship too, especially as can be noted in the pillars. As per the legends, Moon worshipped Lord Shiva to get rid of his curse by Guru. Rama, Agyasthaya muni, Naradha and many others also worshipped Lord Shiva.

The main deity of the temple is Swayambhu or Someshwara swamy, known as Someshwara Lingam. Various inscriptions found in the temple suggest donations by Kings of late 11^th century and early 12^th century. A special linga: Nayalinga, is known to solve the problems of anyone on touching it.  There is a huge Saharsalinga inside one of the temple sanctums, which gives it the name of Veyi Lingala gudi, meaning the temple of the thousand lingas. 

The temples in the complex include those of Sri Renukacharya, Sri Mallikarjunaswami, Chandeshwari, Kundamamba, Kotilingeswaraswami, Kala Bhairaviswami, Anjaneya, Rudranidraswami, Veerabhadraswami, Kumaraswami and the Ekadasharudrula temple.

The temple has Ganapathi and Nataraja idols and Mahavir in yoga posture of the Chalukya period in the 12th century.

 

Architecture

The temple is originally believed to have been built using Chalukyan style with beautiful carvings and sculptures all through the walls. Inscriptions found place the construction of temple at around 1070-1126 CE with the mention of various chalukyan kings patronizing the temple by donating land, gold, cows etc.

During 11^th century, Kolanupaka was the second capital of the Kalyni Chalukyas.

The temple is enclosed in a big compound, with a central shrine or vimana enclosing the sanctum sanctorum (currently under renovation) having the main deity and Nandi. I could not find a gopuram at entrance and that is probably because the temple is under renovation, not sure though. In between the entrance and the central vimana, there is a big pillared hall with an open courtyard which is very typical of a Dravidian style of architecture. The pillars in the hall are typical chalukyan styled pillars. There is a statue of Renukacharya in the open courtyard in the pillared hall.

History and Legend:

Legends say that the temple is much older than and Shri Rama, and the saints of Narada and Agatsya worshipped at this temple. The temple as it stands now however shows a great deal of Kakatiyan workmanship, possibly owing to the additions/modifications/renovations made by them, as evident from the typical Kakatiyan era mandapa pillars that show square blocks with circular discs in many parts. The huge entrance gate is also built in the Kakatiyan style. 

Renukacharya Jayanti by Rashtra Veerashaiva Dharma Prachara Sangham festival is organized her and is well known. Talking about Renukacharya, he was the founder of the Veerashaiva sect, and not only that, he also fought for emancipation of women and provided them equal rights in all spheres of life including entry into temples.

Another Legend states, this is the birth place of ‘Renukacharya’, the great ‘Veera Saiva’ saint, who was born from the ‘Swayambu Linga’ found in this village, and was later absorbed into it after he finished preaching Veera Saivam. A statue of Renukacharya is present in the sanctum along with the Swayambu Linga. In front of the temple there is a four pillared nandi mandapa with a Kakatiyan nandi sitting inside. 

Festivals:

Renukacharya Jayanti by Rashtra Veerashaiva Dharma Prachara Sangham

 

 

 

How to reach

By Road: The temple is situated around 1.5 KMs from Kolanupaka Bus Station. Bus stop at Kolanupaka road is the nearest bus stop from where both the Jain temple and the Shiva temple are easily accessible by a local transport. A diversion at the Aleru town (which lies on the Hyderabad Warangal Highway) would take one to Kolanupaka. Self is the best option with no issues with parking and easy access to the location.

By Rail: Aleru is the nearest railway station from where passenger trains are available.

By Air: Hyderabad is the nearest airport which is around 90 KMs

Parking and Photography

There is no dedicated parking, but parking is not an issue at all

There is no restriction in photography. Use your Drones from a distance. Right now there is renovation going on, so no one will restrict you. Not sure about normal times.

Timings:

Monday to Sunday: 6 AM to 7PM

Nearby Places to visit:

·         Famous Shwetamber Jain temple at Kolanupak

·         Veeranarayana temple at Kolanupak

·         Warangal fort, Warangal

·         Hanamkonda Thousand pillar temple, Warangal

·         Padmakshi temple at Warangal

·         Ramappa Temple, Palampet

Apart from these there are numerous temples at Warangal worth visiting

Kulpakji- Shwetamber Jain temple, Kolanupaka

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/ODMxUS6IiUc

Location: “Kolanupaka Swetamber Jain Mandir, Shri Shwetambar Jain Tirth, near Shiv Mandir, Aler Mandal, Kolanupaka, Telangana 508101”

Reference: https://yadadri.telangana.gov.in/tourist-place/kolanupaka-temple/

                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulpakji

Kulpakji also Kolanupaka Temple is a 2,000 year-old Śvetāmbara Jain temple in the village of Kolanupaka in Aler City, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana. The temple houses three deities: one each of Lord Rishabhanatha, Lord Neminatha, and Lord Mahavira. The image of Lord Mahavir, carved of a green stone has been historically famous as "Manikyaswami" and Jivantasvami. The temple is about 80 km from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad-Warangal Highway NH 163. The temple is about 77 km from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad-Warangal Highway.The Kolanupaka Temple is said to be more than two thousand years old. In its present form, is more than eight hundred years old. It is believed that Jainism was prevalent in Telangana before the 4th century, and Kolanupaka was one of the prominent centres of Jainism from early times. Lord Rishabha, popularly called Adinath Bhagvan, was the first Tirthankars in the Jain religion. It is believed that the original idol of Lord Adinath, known locally as Manikya Deva, has made Kolanupaka its abode.

The temple is a living example of the architectural marvel of Jain temples across the country with rich sculptures and iconographies all through its walls. There is the main temple at the center when you enter through the main gate (recently built) and on each side there is a small temple each.

Kalchuri ruler Shankaragana had donated 12 villages to support the temple. A number of Jain antiquities have been discovered in Kulpakji. A grant mentioning a gift to a basadi during the rile of Sankaragana (9th century) has been found at Akunur. Kolanupaka flourished as a Jain center during the Rashtrakutas period.

The name Kolanupak is derivced from Kolanu means a Lake and Paka means a Hut. There used to be lots of lakes and huts and this caused to get this name.

Although photography is not allowed, the main attractions of Kulpakji are the Adinath Bhagwan’s statue (locally known as Manikya Dev) commissioned by Bharat Chakravarty, the son of Lord Adinath, the Mahavir Swami’s Unique Tortoise statue, Lord Neminath’s statue, and various other statues like eight Tirthankaras, Padmavati Devi, Lord Parshvanath, Pundrik Swamy, Adishwar Swamy etc.

 

Legend and History:

The Manikyasami image was originally worshipped by Mandodari, the wife of Ravana. It was brought here by the ruler Sankar of Kalyana according to  Vividha Tirtha Kalpa (14th century) of Jinaprabhasuri the sections Kulyapak Rishabhadeva Stuti and Kollapakamanikyadeva Tirthakalpa.

According to Śvetāmbara legends, the main temple is said to have been built by Bharat Chakravartin. Jainism was prevalent in Andhra Pradesh before the 4th century, and Kolanupaka was one of the prominent centers of Jainism from early times. The temple was recently renovated by employing more than 150 artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In April 2022, during renovation in Someshwara Temple near the Kulpakji, two 4 by 1.4 feet (1.22 by 0.43 m) sculpture of 'Maha Jaina Pada' (foot) of Jain Tirthankara was discovered.

About the temple

The interior of the temple is made by red sandstone and white marble. There are eight idols of the other Tirthankars on both the sides of the main temple. The statue of Lord Mahaveer is 130 centimetres (51 in) tall and is said to be made of a single piece of jade. Idols of Lord Simandar Swami and Mata Padmavati are installed on either side of the main temple. Kulpakji is an important pilgrimage center for Svetambara Jains of South India.

How to reach

By Road: The temple is situated around 1.5 KMs from Kolanupaka Bus Station. Bus stop at Kolanupaka road is the nearest bus stop from where both the Jain temple and the Shiva temple are easily accessible by a local transport. A diversion at the Aleru town (which lies on the Hyderabad Warangal Highway) would take one to Kolanupaka. Self is the best option with no issues with parking and easy access to the location.

By Rail: Aleru is the nearest railway station from where passenger trains are available.

By Air: Hyderabad is the nearest airport which is around 90 KMs

 

 

Parking and Photography

For normal visitors there is no dedicated parking, they can park their vehicles outside the temple. For special Jain yatris, parking is available inside the temple and they can take their vehicle inside. Outside also there is no problem in parking though.

Photography is strictly restricted and limited photos can be clicked from outside the main sanctum house.

Timings:

Monday to Sunday: 6 AM to 7 PM

Nearby Places to visit:

·         Someshwara temple, Kolanupak

·         Veeranarayana temple at Kolanupak

·         Warangal fort, Warangal

·         Hanamkonda Thousand pillar temple, Warangal

·         Padmakshi temple at Warangal

·         Ramappa Temple, Palampet

Apart from these there are numerous temples at Warangal worth visiting

 

Pandavalu Guhalu, Mylaram Caves and Ramappa Temple

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/txZ4XBu5KEM

 Apart from these places, there are other places which one should cover on way to Warangal. These include:

1)       Pandavalu Guhalu

2)       Ramappa Lake and Temple

3)       Mylaram caves

We had plans to visit Ramappa temple again (for a second time after it got the UNESCO heritage status), but couldn’t because of a President’s visit to the temple.

 

We reached Pandavalu Guhalu site too, but it was afternoon and my daughter fell sleep in the car, I had to go alone for almost 2 hours, so dropped the idea. There is proper parking available, cameras are chargeable, drones are not allowed and one must visit the caves. They are an ancient geological site and cave located near Kothapally village in Regonda mandal of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in the Indian state of Telangana.

 

 It was designated as the only geoheritage site of Telangana.

The cave known for historic rock paintings in the Deccan plateau, older than the Himalayan hills. Palaeolithic cave paintings have been found at Pandavula Gutta. The cave was first discovered in 1990 by K. Ramkrishna Rao and S.S. Rangacharyulu, officials of Archaeological Survey of India, Hyderabad. There was habitation from the Mesolithic period, i.e. 4,000-20,500 years old. Rock art paintings depict wild animals like Bison, Antelope, Tiger, as well as swastika symbol, geometrical designs as circles, squares and various ancient weapons are there. Along with the pre-historic paintings, there are many inscriptions of Rashtrakutas period. Mythologically it is believed that the Pandavas, stayed there for a while during their twelve years exile at Vana Parva.

 

We searched for Mylaram caves, but at the google location there was nothing.

Ramappa Temple, Palampet

Ramappa temple or Rameshvara temple, dedicated to Shiva, situated at Palampet village of Mulugu district, was constructed in the year 1213 CE by Recharla Rudra, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva. Recently recognized as a UNESCO heritiage site, the temple is an architectural masterpiece of the Kakatiyas. The temple is named after its architect Ramappa. The temple has been referred to as the “Brightest start in the galaxy of temples” by Marco Polo when he visited the Kakatiya empire.

Architecture:

The temple is raised on a star-shaped platform which is n resemblance to Hoyasala architecture, but the overall temple structure resembles more of a Nagara style instead of Dravidian with a tall vimana above the garbagriha and a mandapa in front. The mandapa has numerous pillars which are carved to perfection and are positioned in a way to create an effect of combining light and space wonderfully.

Although the main structure is made of reddish sandstone, the columns outside have large brackets built using black basalt. These columns represent the typical Kakatiya art in the form of yalis, madanikas, demi gods, musicians and other iconographies. Dr. Ghulam Yazdani, the world famous Indian Archeologist and Conservationist who established Hyderabad Archaeology Department under the Nizam Government, had traced the decorations and ornaments of the temple which were missing and restored them in its original positions, in the  year 1931.

The temple's chamber is crowned with a shikharam and is surrounded by pradakshinapatha. At the entrance of the temple, we can find a Nandi mandapam. An imposing Nandi vigraham stands on it.

Made out of clay mixed with acacia wood, chaff and myrobalan fruit (a family of amla), the bricks used in building the gopuram of the temple are light enough to float on water. Using this technique has made the temple light, meaning, in case of a natural event like an earthquake, the probability of it collapsing would be very low. This is very apparent, by seeing the stones inside the temple which are up and down due to the earthquake impacts but the temple still standing tall.

The temple construction was done using the sandbox technique. This is a technique where the foundation pit is filled with a mixture of sand-lime, jaggery and black myrobalan fruit. This mix acts as a cushion in case of earthquakes. The temple’s many carved pillars are positioned in such a way that when the sunlight hits these pillars. One of the pillars has a Lord Krishna carved into it. When gently hit, the pillar produces musical notes.

There are two small Shiva shrines on either side of the main temple. The dance poses, written in Nrtta Ratnavali by Jayapa Senani, appear in the various sculptures of this temple. The temple remained intact even after repeated wars, plunder and destruction during wars and natural disasters. There was a major earthquake during the 17th century which caused some damage. It survived the earthquake due to its 'sandbox technique' of laying foundation.

Many of the smaller structures were neglected and are in ruins. The main entrance gate in the outer wall of the temple is ruined.

How to Reach:

By Air: Nearest Airport is Rajahmundry around 427 KMs

By Train: Nearest major station is Warangal around 67 KMs

By Road: Ramappa Bus station is the nearest bus stand and buses ply from Warangal. By road, it is easily accessible.

Parking and Photography

 

There is dedicated parking available.

 

Photography was allowed till the time the temple was not UNESCO recognized. Not sure of the latest rules.

 

Timings:

 

Monday to Sunday: 6 AM to 6 PM.

There is no entry ticket

 

Nearby Places to Visit:

·         Pandavula Guhalu

·         Mylaram Caves

·         Bogatha Waterfall

·         Mallur Kshetram Hanuman Temple

·         Sammakka Saralamma Temple and Jampanna Vagu

·         Sri Ramlingeswara Swamy Temple

·         Shri Hemachala Temple, Mallur

·         Devinigutta temple (Kothur Village, then 1 hour walk through the jungles)

·         Laknavaram Lake

·         Ganapeshwaralayam (Kota Gullu)