SREE MALLIKARJUNA SWAMY, SRISAILAM, ANDHRA PRADESH

SREE MALLIKARJUNA SWAMY, SRISAILAM, ANDHRA PRADESH

Srisailam, the abode of Sree Mallikarjuna Swamy and his consort Sree Bhramaramba sits on a plateau of the Nallamalla Hill range of Telugu Heartland overlooking the mighty Krishna river flowing majestically through a narrow gorge 1000 ft below.  

                                                              Krishna River

                                                   Sree Mallikarjuna Swamy

Sree Mallikarjuna Swamy at Srisailam is one of the twelve Jyothirlingas.   The divinity of Srisailam as a place of saivite worship gets enhanced since both the Jyothirlinga and Sakthipeetam are in the same temple complex, which is quite rare.   Also, they were self manifested - Swayambus.   Puranas have it that demon king Hiranyakasipu worshipped Sree Mallikarjuna Swamy in the Krita Yuga, Sree Rama and Sita consecrated 'sharsra lings' in the Thretha Yuga and Arjuna and Bhagavan Dattatreya did penance here in the Dwapara Yuga.  Adi Sankara composed his famous Sivananda Lahiri in Srisailam and the place of his penance in Srisailam is now referred as Phaladara Panchadhara. 

Legends on srisailam speak of slaying of Arunasura by Sri Parvathi in the form of Bhramara - bee - and the story of Vruddha Mallikarjuna.   Princess Chandravathi ran away to a distant hill to escape the amorous advances of her father.  She worshipped Lord Siva with Jasmine or Mallige flowers.   Lord appeared before her and granted her wish that he adorn His head with Jasmine flowers always.  Thus he came to known as Mallikarjuna swamy.

In the picture, the temple complex with details are shown.
A -  Mahadwara (Eastern Entrance)

B - Nandimandapa

C - Virasiromandapa

D - Mukahmandapa

E - Main Gopuram of siva temple

F - Sree Brahmaramba temple

                                                       Sree Brahmaramba Devi

Shakti Swaroopini Parvathi assumed the form of a bee - bhramara - and killed the demon Arunasura and made Srisailam her home after the mission was accomplished.  Also. connected with the story of Daksha Yagna and it is believed that the neck portion of Parvathi was placed here to make this place a Sakthi Peetam and one among those 51 sakthi peetams where Parvathi's body parts fell.

It is permitted here to perform poojas yourself and one has to wear the traditional dress of Panchakacham for the same.  Ekantha Seva starts at 10 pm.  Abhishekam can be performed by single person as well as family.  The temple website http://www.srisailamonline.com has more details.

There are shrines inside the temple of Ganapathi, Sahasralingeswara, Arthanareeswara, Uma Maheswara, Nava Brahma, Rajarajeswari and Kumaraswamy.  Rathnaganapathi is on the southwestern corner, Veerabhadra and Badrakali on the northwest,

                                                             Rathnagarbha Ganapathi

The temple complex has inscriptions on the details of architecture, dates and rulers associated with the temple.  Starting from Satavahanas, rulers of various dynasties have worshipped - Ikshavakus, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Reddy Kings, Vijayanagaram and Chatrapati Shivaji. 

Thevaram has been sung on 274 sivasthalas and the only north of tamilnadu sthalam to be sung with thevaram by Appar, Thirugnanasambandar and Sundarar is Srisailam  in the ancient name of Thirupparuppatham (திருப்பருப்பதம்). 

Thevaram by Thirugnanasambandar on Srisailam -

1.118 திருப்பருப்பதம் 

1271	சுடுமணி யுமிழ்நாகஞ் சூழ்தர அரைக்கசைத்தான் இடுமணி யெழிலானை யேறலன் எருதேறி விடமணி மிடறுடையான் மேவிய நெடுங்கோட்டுப் படுமணி விடுசுடரார் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.1
1272	நோய்புல்கு தோல்திரைய நரைவரு நுகருடம்பில் நீபுல்கு தோற்றமெல்லாம் நினையுள்கு மடநெஞ்சே வாய்புல்கு தோத்திரத்தால் வலஞ்செய்து தலைவணங்கிப் பாய்புலித் தோலுடையான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.2
1273	துனியுறு துயர்தீரத் தோன்றியோர் நல்வினையால் இனியுறு பயனாதல் இரண்டுற மனம்வையேல் கனியுறு மரமேறிக் கருமுசுக் கழையுகளும் பனியுறு கதிர்மதியான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.3
1274	கொங்கணி நறுங்கொன்றைத் தொங்கலன் குளிர்சடையான் எங்கள்நோய் அகலநின்றா னெனவரு ளீசனிடம் ஐங்கணை வரிசிலையான் அநங்கனை அழகழித்த பைங்கண்வெள் ளேறுடையான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.4
1275	துறைபல சுனைமூழ்கித் தூமலர் சுமந்தோடி மறையொலி வாய்மொழியால் வானவர் மகிழ்ந்தேத்தச் சிறையொலி கிளிபயிலுந் தேனினம் ஒலியோவா பறைபடு விளங்கருவிப் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.5
1276	சீர்கெழு சிறப்போவாச் செய்தவ நெறிவேண்டில் ஏர்கெழு மடநெஞ்சே யிரண்டுற மனம்வையேல் கார்கெழு நறுங்கொன்றைக் கடவுள திடம்வகையால் பார்கெழு புகழோவா பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.6
1277	புடைபுல்கு படர்கமலம் புகையொடு விரைகமழத் தொடைபுல்கு நறுமாலை திருமுடி மிசையேற விடைபுல்கு கொடியேந்தி வெந்தவெண் ணீறணிவான் படைபுல்கு மழுவாளன் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.7
1278	நினைப்பெனும் நெடுங்கிணற்றை நின்றுநின் றயராதே மனத்தினை வலித்தொழிந்தேன் அவலம்வந் தடையாமைக் கனைத்தெழு திரள்கங்கை கமழ்சடைக் கரந்தான்றன் பனைத்திரள் பாயருவிப் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.8
1279	மருவிய வல்வினைநோய் அவலம்வந் தடையாமல் திருவுரு அமர்ந்தானுந் திசைமுகம் உடையானும் இருவரும் அறியாமை எழுந்ததோ ரெரிநடுவே பருவரை யுறநிமிர்ந்தான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.10
1279	சடங்கொண்ட சாத்திரத்தார் சாக்கியர் சமண்குண்டர் மடங்கொண்ட விரும்பியராய் மயங்கியோர் பேய்த்தேர்ப்பின் குடங்கொண்டு நீர்க்குச்செல்வார் போதுமின் குஞ்சரத்தின் படங்கொண்ட போர்வையினான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.	1.118.11
1280	வெண்செநெல் விளைகழனி விழவொலி கழுமலத்தான் பண்செலப் பலபாடல் இசைமுரல் பருப்பதத்தை நன்சொலி னாற்பரவு ஞானசம் பந்தன்நல்ல ஒண்சொலின் இவைமாலை யுருவெணத் தவமாமே.	1.118.12

இத்தலம் வடதேசத்திலுள்ளது. ஸ்ரீசைலமென்றும் 
மல்லிகார்ச்சுன மென்றும் வழங்குகின்றது.
சுவாமிபெயர் - பருப்பதேசுவரர், தேவியார் - பருப்பதமங்கையம்மை.

Srisailam is connected with Adi Sankara Bhagavathpada as he had installed an Srichakra here as well he undertook penance here and composed Sivananda Lahiri.

Temple Timings:
Morning 4 AM to Afternoon 3.30 PM
Afternoon 4.30 pm to 10 PM

SRISAILAM VISIT ON 11 06 2018

SRISAILAM VISIT ON 11 06 2018

I was at Hyderabad on 10.06.2018 and from there I proceeded by bus to Srisailam and was there for half a day and returned back to Bangalore.

Sree Mallikarjuneswarar is one of the twelve jyothirlingas and people from all over India visit Srisailam and the temple devasthanam has made adequate arrangements for stay there with a no. of chatrams, which we can book online.  Besides the Sree Mallikarjuna temple along with Goddess Brahmarambara devi temple, there are other temples and places of interest in Srisailam.   Sree Sakshi ganapthy temple, Hatekeswaram, Shikaram, Phaladhara Panchadhara theertham and tribal museum are some of the places and Srisailam dam, Tiger reserve and Pathala Ganga are nearer to Srisailam.

Srisailam is at an altitude of  435 metres (1427 feet) above sea level and is blessed with natural beauty of Moutainous ranges and thick forest around and has borders with Telengana.  Srisasilam is in the Nallamall hill ranges of Karnool district of Andhra Pradesh, nallamalla meaning black hills.  I stayed in Annapoorna Satram which is only 300 metres away from the Mallikarjuna temple.   Lot of autos and taxis are avialble for the local tour.  The autos cahrge Rs.400/- for four people an hour and a half tour of Sakshi Ganapathy temple, Hatekeswaram, Shikaram and Pathasala Panchadara and comprehensive full tour to all places are available leaving the main temple of Srisailam for tourists to have darshan at their preferred time.   

The local people who live in Nallamalla hills and forests, a part of Eastern Ghats, are called 'Chenchus' and they affectionately call Sree Mallikarjuna Swamy as 'Mallanna'.  A chenchu in a traditional attire -

       

                                                           Shikaram

Shikaram the heighest peak of Srisailam is at altitude of 2380 ft and is 8 kms away from main temple of srisailam.  Skantha Puranam procalims that a mere glance of the peak of Shikaram frees one from rebirth -  Srisaila sikharam drustva punarjanma na vidyathe - and there is a temple dedicated to Shikereswara Swamy here.  The panoramic view of Srisailam can be had from this place and a steel frame of shivalinga has been erected in the peak and also a small nandhi through which people see the place.  There was a board here indicating binoculars can be had for a fees of Rs.5/- but in the morning when I went, no one was there to do that service.  Flight of steps have been made to this peak during 1398 AD by the then Reddi Kings and a small road has been made to the top which may require only to climb 20 steps.  The Reddi Kings also have a made Pushkarani here.

                                                              SHAKSHI GANAPATHI

Shakshi Ganapathi temple is 2 kms before reaching Srisailam and he is the shakshi for having visited the place.  it is believed that a visit to Srisailam goes unrecorded if one does not pray at this temple.  The temple is open from 6 AM onwards and upto 9 PM.

                                            PHALADHARA PANCHADHARA

Phaladhara Panchadhara is 4 kms from mallikarjuna temple and one has to go down 150 steps to reach the place.  As the steps have been cut out of the rocks, they are uneven and the height of steps are also not uniform.  It is said that Adhi Sanka Bhagavathpadha performed penance here and also composed the famous Sivananda Lahari.  His Holiness, the Paramacharya of Kanchi Mutt has confirmed this and there is a small temple for Adhi Sankara here and poojas performed here.  There are small streams falling at these place from the rock and locals call that as Phaladhara Panchadara - meaning Phala-forehead and Dhara stream.  The streams finally merge with River Krishna.

                                                      Hatekeswaram

                                                         Lalithambika Sannidhi  

Hatakeswaram - There are two versions for the name of the place - one version says the Lord Siva appeared to a devotee, who was a potter, in a pot, Attika (a piece of pot) and thus the place was known as Attikeswaram, which over the days has become hatakeswaram.  Another version says practioners of Hata Yoga were present here and thus the place got the name.  Lord Siva here is a small linga like the Mallikarjuna and a small Mukha mandapa also is there in the temple.

                                                      OTHER PLACES TO SEE

                                                                   Pathalganaga

                                                     Ropeway in Pathalaganga

Tribal Museum

Akkammadevi caves

Srisailam Dam

There are other places to see, which I could not make it.   The tribal museum is very near to the Mallikarjuna temple but I did not go there.  I was told Honey from the hills are sold here. Pathala Ganga is nothing but the Krishna River on the downstream of Srisailam Dam.  I could take several photographs of this place as the bus takes the route around the dam on both the banks of the river Krishna. There is a ropeway too in Pathal Ganga.  I did not see Akkamma devi caves and also Tiger reserve.   The temple of Ishtakameswari is at a distance of 21 kms from Srisailam. One day trip to Srisailam would have helped to cover all the places.

A separate blog has been written on the Mallikarjuna temple.