Srisailam Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga
Second of twelve Jyotirlingas and an Ashtadasha Shakti peetha on the Krishna river Nallamala hills.
About this yatra
Srisailam Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple, perched on the Rishabhagiri hill of the Nallamala range beside the mighty Krishna river, holds the rare distinction of being simultaneously the second Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva and one of the eighteen Maha Shakti peethas where Sati's upper teeth are said to have fallen. The Skanda Purana's Srisaila Khanda extols this kshetra, and legend recounts that Lord Kartikeya, distraught after Lord Ganesha's marriage, retreated here, prompting Shiva and Parvati to manifest as Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba to console him. The temple's massive prakara walls, built by the Vijayanagara emperor Harihara Raya II in the fifteenth century, feature exquisite stone reliefs depicting Ramayana and Mahabharata episodes. The Mukha mandapam, sixty-four lingas of Veerashaiva tradition, and the Patala Ganga ghat on the Krishna define the spiritual itinerary. Devotees uniquely receive sparsha darshan — direct touch of the Jyotirlinga — on Mahashivaratri. Our package covers Hyderabad pickup, Srisailam overnight in TTD-style guest house, priest-led Rudrabhishekam, Patala Ganga snan, ropeway descent, and visits to Sakshi Ganapathi, Hatakeshwaram, and the Akkamahadevi caves accessed by Krishna river launch. Tiger reserve buffer adds wilderness sanctity.
Best time to visit
November to February; Mahashivaratri Brahmotsavam in February-March draws lakhs
How to reach
Fly to Hyderabad (HYD) 213 km; APSRTC buses run via Markapur; nearest railhead Markapur Road (85 km).
What to expect
Jyotirlinga sparsha darshan, Shakti peetha kumkum archana, Patala Ganga snan, ropeway, Nallamala tiger reserve drive, Telugu Veerashaiva traditions.