Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/mza9u-P14WY
References: https://warangaltourism.in/padmakshi-temple-warangal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmakshi_Temple
Location:
“Sri
Padmakshi Temple, Padmakshi Temple Road, Sri Ram Colony, Meerpet, Hanamkonda,
Telangana 506001”
Dedicated to Padmakshi
(Shri Lakshmi Devi) with many Jain imageries around, one of the most beautiful
temple in Hanamakonda situated on a hillock on the sides of a beautiful lake,
the temple originally had a Shaivite cave temple, and a Jain Shrine, and was
established in the year 1117 CE during the rule of Kakatiyas under their chief
Prola II.
There is a continuous
conflict between Jains and Hindus on the control of the temple with the Nizam
of Hyderabad in 19th century concluding it to be an original Hindu
shrine.
The artificial caves,
located to the west of the present-day temple, were probably carved before the
5th century CE, as they are almost identical to the early Brahmanical caves. A Jain shrine was probably added
during the rule of the Chalukyas of Vatapi or the Rashtrakutas.
A 1117 CE inscription
found at the temple records the construction of a Jain shrine
named Kadalalaya-basadi, and a gift of land to this shrine. The site
probably already had Jain presence by this time. Mailama, the wife of
the Kakatiya minister Betana-pergada, commissioned the
shrine. Medarasa of Ugravadi (Meda II), who held the office
of Maha-mandaleshvara, donated the land. Betana was a minister of the
Kakatiya chief Prola
II, who was a Shaivite and a vassal of the Chalukyas of Kalyani. Ugravadi appears to be the name of a historical region
comprising the present-day Mulugu and Narasampet talukas. Probably sometime after the 1156 CE, the
Brahmanical shrine replaced the Jain shrine, possibly due to the influence of
the Veerashaivas, till 19th century when the dispute
was finally settled by the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Architecture:
An impressive feature
of the temple is the four faces of the Annakonda pillar, which is a
quadrangular column made of black granite stone at the temple's entrance. The temple has rich sculpture of the Jain Tirthankaras and other Jain gods and goddesses. The
present Padmakshi herself is a Jain yakshini of Parshwanatha called
Amrakushmandini along with yaksha Dharnendra and with a huge naked image of
Parahwanatha in the middle of both. Once
a year, Lakhs of women arrive to celebrate the famous Bathukamma festival and immerse flowers in the pond
at the foot of the Padmakshi hillock.
Festivals:
Bathukamma Festival is the major festival here which
happens once a year
Timings:
Monday to Sunday: 06:00
am to 06:00 pm
Parking and
Photography:
Vehicles can go up the hill to a point and after that there
are stairs which one need to climb.
Photography is allowed. Drones can be used from outside. I
used Drone from the Siddheshwara temple hills.
How to Reach:
By Rail: The temple is around 5KMs from Warangal railway station. Being in the
city, autos and taxis are easily available
By Road: If you are in Warangal, use any local mode of transport
By Air: Nearest Airport is Hyderabad around 80 KMs