Names & Legend
According to the Puranas, Srisailam is where Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati chose to dwell together. It is also known as Sri Parvata, “the sacred mountain”. Pilgrims who come here bathe in the holy waters, believing that the merit is equal to that of the great Ashvamedha sacrifice.
When Lord Vishnu divided Sati’s body with his Sudarshan Chakra as Lord Shiva carried it in grief, Sati’s neck is believed to have fallen at Srisailam.
Location
Srisailam is in the forested Nallamala hills of Andhra Pradesh, in the region of Kurnool and Nandyal, above the gorge of the Krishna river. It is about 210 km south of Hyderabad. The road passes through the Nagarjunasagar–Srisailam Tiger Reserve, one of the largest in India.
The Goddess & Bhairava
The Goddess is worshipped as Mahalakshmi and, in her temple on the hill, as Bhramaramba, “the mother of the bees”, who took the form of a bee to destroy the demon Arunasura. Devotees say that the faint hum of bees can still be heard behind her shrine. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Mallikarjuna Swami, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Srisailam is thus one of the very few places where a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peeth are found together.
Pilgrims believe that worship here frees them from their burdens and from the sins of their whole life.
History & Legends
No one knows when the temple was first built. The Srisaila Khanda of the Skanda Purana is devoted to this place, which shows how ancient and important it is, and Srisailam is mentioned in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and other Puranas.
One legend says that when Kartikeya left home in anger and went to the Krauncha mountain, Shiva and Parvati followed him and settled here as Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba; they also appeared here before the bull Nandi. Lord Rama is said to have installed the Sahasra Linga (a thousand lingas) here, and the Pandavas installed the Pandava lingas during their exile.
Festivals & Worship
The Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam is the grandest festival, when lakhs of devotees come for darshan. Ugadi (Telugu New Year), Navaratri – when the Goddess is decorated in a different form each day – and the month of Kartika are also celebrated. Pilgrims often take a holy dip at Patala Ganga, on the Krishna river below the temple.
Spiritual Significance
The neck joins the head and the body, and it is the seat of the voice. Devotees believe that Bhramaramba grants clarity of thought, sweet speech and success in learning, while Mallikarjuna grants freedom from the burdens of karma. The Skanda Purana says that even a glimpse of the peak of Srisailam frees one from rebirth.
The meeting of a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peeth in one temple complex makes Srisailam a place where devotees worship Shiva and Shakti as one. The great Advaita teacher Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have composed the Shivananda Lahari here, and many saints have meditated in the caves of the Nallamala forest.
Visiting Tips
The temple is very crowded at weekends and festivals, so plan for long queues or book special darshan tickets in advance. Dress modestly, remove footwear before entering the shrine, and follow the instructions of the priests. Simple offerings such as flowers, fruit, vermilion, a red chunri and incense are traditional, and it is good practice to buy them from the stalls near the temple, which also supports local families.
How to Reach & When to Visit
The nearest airport is Hyderabad, and frequent buses run from Hyderabad, Kurnool and Vijayawada. The nearest railway station is Markapur Road. The ghat road through the tiger reserve is closed at night. The best time to visit is from October to March; the Srisailam dam and the ropeway to Patala Ganga are also worth seeing.