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Srisailam (version 2)

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Srisailam
శ్రీశైలం
  • శ్రీశైలము
  • ಶ್ರೀಶೈಲ
  • श्रीशैल
Town
Srisailam Gopuram
Srisailam Gopuram
Country India
StateAndhra Pradesh
DistrictKurnool
Elevation
409 m (1,342 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total10,288
Languages
 • OfficialTelugu
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)

The town (as well as the mandal) of Srisailam (Kannada : ಶ್ರೀಶೈಲ shrīshaila , Telugu : శ్రీశైలం śrīśailaṃ ) is reputed for the shrine of Lord Mallikarjuna on the flat top of Nallamala Hills. It has played a dominant role in the Hindu religious, cultural and social history since ancient times. The epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam began with the Satavahanas who were the first empire builders in South India. The earliest known historical mention of the hill, Srisailam, can be traced to the King Vasishthiputra Pulumavi's Nasik inscription of 1st Century A.D. Srisailam or Srisailamu (Śrīśailaṁ, Śrīśailamu) is situated in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is on the banks of the Krishna River about 212 km south of Hyderabad and 179 km from Kurnool. It is spelled as Shrishailam.
There is a saying in Sanskrit about Srisailam :

" श्रीशैल शिखर दृष्ट्वा पुनः जन्म न विद्यते । "
In native script, "శ్రీశైల శిఖర దృష్ట్వా పునః జన్మ న విద్యతే ।"
"śrīśaila śikhara dṛṣṭvā punaḥ janma na vidyate ।"

Meaning "By seeing the śikhara or the peak of Srisailam, (one releases himself from the cycle of birth and death) one is not born again."

Geography

Srisailam is located at 16°04′26″N 78°52′05″E / 16.074°N 78.868°E / 16.074; 78.868.[2] It has an average elevation of 409 meters (1345 ft).

Temples

The Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple located in Srisailam is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Earlier, it was called Srigiri. The Bhramarambha Temple is also located in the same complex. It is considered as one of the eighteen Shakti Peethas in India. Bhramarambha is a very ferocious deity. Originally she was worshipped by the Chenchu people. However, during British rule, the temple was taken over by the Pushpagiri peetham forcibly with the help of the British Government ruling the Madras Presidency.

Gateways

Tradition, literature as well as epigraphical sources state that the sacred hill of Srisailam has four gateways in the four cardinal directions namely,

  • Tripuranthakam is in Prakasam District in the east where God Tripurantakeshwara Swamy and Goddess Tripurasundari Devi are presiding deities.
  • Siddhavatam is located on the bank of the river Penna in Kadapa District in the south where Jyothisideswara Swamy and Goddess Kamakshi Devi are the presiding deities.
  • Alampur is on the bank of the river Tungabhadra in Mahaboobnagar District in the west where Navabrahma Alayas, a group of nine temples of the Chalukya period, are. This Kshetram is also the seat of Goddess Jogulamba, one of the eighteen Mahasakthis.
  • Umamaheswaram is located in Rangapur, Achampeta Mandal, Mahaboobnagar District in the North where God Umamaheswara Swamy and Goddess Umamaheswari Devi are the presiding deities.

Secondary gateways

Besides the main gateways, there are four Secondary Gateways in the four corners:

  • Eleswaram: Located in Mahaboobnagar District now submerged in the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in the northeast with Eleswara Swamy and Katyani as presiding deities.
  • Somasila: Located on the bank of the river Penna in the southeast with Skanda Someshwara as the presiding deity.
  • Pushpagiri: Located in Kadapa District in the southwest with Santana Malleshwara as presiding deity.
  • Sangameswaram: Located at the confluence of the River Krishna and Tungabhadra in Kurnool District in the northwest and submerged at Srisailam Dam with Sangameswara as presiding deity. This temple has been re-built at Alampur.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census 2011". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  2. ^ Falling Rain Genomics.Srisailam
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