Srisailam – The abode of one of the twelve Jyotirlingas

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Mumbai: The Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh is one of the holiest places of worship in India. It finds a mention in the twelve Jyotirlingas or the radiant sign of the supreme power.

Located at about a distance of 215 kilometers from the city of Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, Srisailam is situated atop the Nallamala hill. While on route to Srisailam, you will come across the mighty Krishna River that geographically divides the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The route from Hyderabad includes a forest area that stretches for about 80 kilometers. You will find a number of monkeys enroute to the divine place. In fact, you will find many of them within the temple premises and you will be amazed to see them playing around even as you offer your prayers to the Lord.

The temple complex has the main Jyotirlinga besides an idol of Goddess Shakti (female power) and several other Linga like – Surya Linga, Chandra Linga, Akash Linga, Jal Linga, Prithvi Linga, Agni Linga etc.

But before you visit the actual temple complex, you will find a temple dedicated to Sakshi Ganapati. The sculpture of the temple shows Ganesha holding a notebook in his left hand and a pen in his right hand. It is believed that he keeps a note of all those who visit his father’s idol at the main temple complex, thus becoming a witness to a devotee's trip to the divine place.

This temple is on the way to the main temple complex.

Government buses ply between Hyderabad and Srisailam regularly throughout the day. You can also hire a private car or a cab to reach Srisailam and it would take about 5 hours (including a halt for meals) to reach the temple.

One would need the entire day in order to visit the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga.

Just outside the main temple complex, you can find local transport to take you to the Pataala Ganga spot. You can also take a cable car to witness the Paatala Ganga or the Krishna River bed.