Srisailam Temple:
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently made a significant discovery at the Srisailam Temple, uncovering several copper plates and other ancient inscriptions in the temple’s Ghantamandapam.Srisailam Temple, or Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, worshipped here in the form of Mallikarjuna Swamy.
- It is located at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.
- It is surrounded by the forests of the Nallamala Hills, overlooking the pristine waters of the Krishna River.
- According to Hindu mythology, the temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, divine manifestations of Lord Shiva spread across India.
- The Goddess Shakti is worshipped as Bramarambha in the temple and has a shrine dedicated to her.
- This ancient temple built in the Dravidian style with lofty towers and sprawling courtyards is one of the finest specimens of Vijayanagara architecture.
- Though the exact origins of the temple are not available, the Satavahanas of the 2nd century AD have referred to it.
- The Kakatiyas and the Vijayanagara kings have made several endowments here.
- The unique feature of this temple is the combination of Jyothirlingam and Mahasakthi (in the form of Bhramarambika) in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind.
- The great religious leader Aadi Sankara is said to have visited this shrine and composed his immortal Sivananda Lahiri here.
