SRI KALA HASTHEESWAR TEMPLE
This is located in the town of Srikalahasti, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the most
famous Shiva temples in South India, and is said to be the site where Kannappa was ready to offer both his eyes to cover blood flowing from the Siva linga before the Lord Siva stopped him and granted him mukti.
Srikalahasti temple, situated 36 km away from Tirupati is famous for its Vayu linga, one of the
Panchabhoota Sthalams, representing wind. The inner temple was constructed around 5th century and the outer temple was constructed in the 12th century by the Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings. Lord Shiva in his aspect as Vayu is worshiped as Kalahasteeswara.
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The temple is also associated with Rahu and Kethu (of the nine grahams or celestial bodies in the Indian
astrological scheme). The river Suvarnamukhi takes the northerly course at Srikalahasthi almost washing the west wall of the famous temple. Inside this very large temple, situated between two steep hills Sripuram and Mummidi-cholapuram, is the Sivalinga set to represent the element of Vayu.
The temple is also associated with Rahu and Kethu (of the nine grahams or celestial bodies in the Indian
astrological scheme). The river Suvarnamukhi takes the northerly course at Srikalahasthi almost washing the west wall of the famous temple. Inside this very large temple, situated between two steep hills Sripuram and Mummidi-cholapuram, is the Sivalinga set to represent the element of Vayu. This temple is considered as the Kailash of the South or Dakshin Kailash. Saivaite saints of the first century sang
about this temple.
This temple is one of the most impressive Shiva temples in India. This temple features an enormous,
ancient gopuram (entrance tower) over the main gate. The tower is 36.5 m high. The entire temple is carved out of the side of a huge stone hill. The initial structure of this temple was constructed by the Pallava dynasty in the 5th century. The Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings also gave great help for the temple development. Like other great temples, the construction period of Srikalahasthi temple lasted centuries. Around the 10th century, the Chola kings renovated the temple and constructed the main structure. The 120 feet (37 m) high main gopuram and the 100 pillar mandapam were constructed by Krishnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara king in 1516. Temple Constructions during Chola dynasty According to R. Nagaswamy, former Director of Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, and Srikalahastiswara temple has a recorded history that goes back to a minimum of 1600 years and is closely associated with the "unparalleled devotion" of hunter-prince Kannappa to Lord Siva. "Kannappa’s devotion is an outstanding story in the Saivite literature and he is VENERATED as one of the 63 Saivite nayanmars (saints)," said Dr. Nagaswamy, who is a scholar in Tamil and Sanskrit, and an epigraphist of international repute Srikalahastiswara temple held a special appeal for the Chola kings, who lavished it with gifts and kept expanding it with additional structures and converted it into a big complex. The temple complex abounds in lithic records (stone inscriptions) of Chola kings such as Rajaditya (regnal years 947-949 CE), Raja Raja Chola (regnal years 985-1014 CE), his son Rajendra Chola (1012-1044 CE), his son Rajadhiraja (1018-1054 CE), Kulottunga I (1070-1120 CE) and Kulotunga III (1178-1218 CE). The temple is also replete with the inscriptions of later Pandyas and almost all the rulers belonging to the Vijayanagara dynasty.
While the inscriptions of the Chola and the Pandya kings are in Tamil, those of the Vijayanagara dynasty
are in Telugu. The story of Kannappa is fully told in a long inscription of the Cholas. The inscriptions of the Chola and Pandya rulers provide a wealth of information on the donations they made to the temple for its maintenance, for performing pujas and celebrating festivals. During the Chola rule, Srikalahasti fell under the revenue division of Perimbanapadi
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