Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple Srisailam
Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple also known as Srisailam Temple is located in the dense forest of Srisailam hill top, Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. According to Jyotirlinga Slokam, it is said to be described in the second position. History of this location has been bought from the ancient inscriptions of Pulumavis Nasik of 1st century A.D. It has been worshipped by many races of Sathavahanas and preceding kings.
Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple is also mentioned in the ancient religious literature of Skanda Purana. It is also stated in the religious scripts of Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is said that the sacred “Nandi” who is known as Lord Shiva’s vehicle performed meditation with devotion then Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Devi Bhramaramba (Lord Shiva and Parvati) appeared and blessed him.
Goddess Parvati killed the demon Mahisasura. As a miracle, we can still hear the buzzing sound of a bee from a minute hole in Brahmaramba temple. During ancient days, there were four major gates to enter Srisailam called Tripuranthakam, Siddhavatam, Alampur, and Umamaheswaram. Emperors thought that this holy place was a sacred place and had spent a colossal amount only for its maintenance. Ganapathideva spent around 12,000 golden nanyas for its maintenance.
Every emperor who ruled this place tried much for its maintenance. Prolaya Vema Reddy constructed steps as a pathway, the second Harihararaya of Vijayanagara Empire constructed Gopuram and Mukhamantapam on the southern side of the temple, Sri Krishnadevaraya constructed Rajagopuram on the eastern side, Chatrapathi Shivaji constructed gopuram on the northern side.
The literature states that it is a must to visit Sakshi Ganapathi Swamy while visiting Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple since he will act as a witness for the visits of devotes.
Apart from the religious factor, Srisailam is loaded with a large amount of natural beauty and other religious places to visit. I have depicted a few other temples to visit making Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple the center.
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Contents
Significance of the Srisailam Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple:
Dedicated god of the temple: Lord Shiva is known as Mallikarjuna Swamy at Srisailam, owing to a beautiful legend. Mallika refers to jasmine and Arjuna is another name for Shiva. The name signifies their eternal union. It is believed that Parvati in the form of a bee (Bhramara) worshipped Shiva here.
Shakti Peetha: Bhramaramba Devi in Srisailam Temple is considered as one among the 18 and 51 Shakti Peethas in India. It is said that the neck of Goddess Sati fell here, which thus made it a sacred site. It is dedicated to Goddess Bhramaramba, another name for Parvati, who is worshipped here jointly with Lord Mallikarjuna (Shiva). It is situated in the Nallamala Hills and is, hence important both in Shaivism and Shaktism traditions12. According to the legend, the Goddess Bhramaramba took the form of a bee and killed the demon Arunasura.
Ancient History: Temple has a rich antiquity and dates back to ancient times of the eras. It is a place referred to in most of the scriptures concerning Hindus as a central center of pilgrimages for centuries. In its architectural presentation, distinctive styles based on various dynasties of the region-the Chalukyas, Cholas and Vijayanagara-Empire are seen.
Spiritual Significance: It is said that the temple is a seat for mighty spiritual forces. Therefore, the very place is taken as extremely auspicious for deriving some divine benedictions and religious practices. Various kind of requests are made by people towards Lord Mallikarjuna and Goddess Bhramaramba in the temple to receive divine benedictions.
The belief is that the prayers of the devotees here are granted. It is a religious place, but much more than that; it remains culturally important as well. This temple complex reflects the architectural wisdom of ancient India, and most art enthusiasts and historians go here for this reason.
Temple Festivals: Maha Shivaratri at the temple of Srisailam is performed in great fervor and devotion. Thousands gather there for this festival which is also popularly known as the divine wedding of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati1. Lingodbhava Maha Rudrabhishekam, Nandi Vahana Seva, and Kalyanotsavam are the major rituals2.Festival Celebrations: The temple witnesses grand celebrations during festivals, particularly the Maha Shivaratri festival, which is celebrated with great fervor. Devotees from far and wide gather at the temple to offer prayers and participate in various rituals and processions.
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Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple Timings:
Morning Timings:
Temple opens: 4:30 AM
Suprabhata Seva: 4:30 AM to 5:00 AM
Abhishekam and Alankaram: 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM
Nijabhishekam: 6:00 AM to 6:30 AM
Darshanam (General): 6:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Afternoon Break:
The temple remains closed for darshan from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Evening Timings:
Darshanam (General): 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Ekantha Seva: 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Temple closes: 9:30 PM
Official Website:
For Srisailam temple room booking online and other details visit: Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Devasthanam
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Places to visit near Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple:
Akka Mahadevi Caves: They are ancient caves and bear the name of this famous mystic poet and philosopher, Akka Mahadevi. These are religious caves and also hold historical importance since they are 10 kms from Srisailam.
Sikharam: It is considered the highest top of the hills among Srisailam mountains. Devotees love to climb this tip to have panoramic views of natural beauties. Nature lovers try to reach this point before 10.00 A.M.
Pathala Ganga: It is believed to be the spot where Krishna merges with Tungabhadra at the bottom of the dam. Although water look greenish sometime, Devotees take bathe in the sacred waters of Pathala Ganga and then proceed to enter the temple of Srisailam.
Srisailam Dam: During rainy season, dam authorities lift all the gates of this hydroelectric projects. Water flowing with high pressure gives magnificent look and makes it a sight-seeing destination as you can see the reservoir itself and engage in boating activity.
Sakshi Ganapathi Temple: Unlike other Lord Ganesha temples this temple can be seen before visiting the temple although we have Ganesh idol in the main temple this temple is considered as special and is among the holy shrines near the entrance of Srisailam town. But it is said that even Lord Ganesha keeps a record of devotees visiting Srisailam. So the word ‘Sakshi’ or witness gets attached to the name.
Mallela Theertham: It is a stunning waterfalls, falling about 58 Kms. This calm and invigorating place is situated amidst thick vegetation and rocky granite cliffs.
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How to reach Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple:
By Air:
Nearest Airport: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.
Distance: approximately 210 kilometers.
By Train:
Nearest Railway Station: Markapur Road Railway Station.
Distance: approximately 85 kilometers.
By Road:
From Hyderabad: approximately 212 kilometers.
From Bangalore: approximately 470 kilometers.