The 12 Jyotir Lingam Temples of Lord Shiva in India
The Mallikarjuna Shiva Lingam
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The Mallikarjuna Shiva Lingam
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Two Lingams are actually called “Mallikarjuna Lingam”.
The “new” Mallikarjuna Lingam is placed in a silverplated Mantapam in the main Mallikarjuna shrine. It is aproximately 15 x 20 cm and 12 cm high. It is placed in a square formed Yoni apr. 75 x 75 cm and 8 -10 cm high. The main worship takes place here and thousands of pilgrims have the darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna here every day.
The “old” Mallikarjuna Lingam is placed in a smaller shrine in the temple south of the main Mallikarjuna shrine. This is the only Lingam in the temple which has no Nandi bull in front. The Lingam is big, about 20-25 cm high and 30 cm in diameter. It is marked by time and looks like the stub of a tree. It is said that this Linga is older than the main Mallikarjuna Linga.
Several other Lingams are placed in separate shrines southwest of the main temple.
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Darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna
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It is said, that those who worship Lord Mallikarjuna recieve instant good fortune and all their poverties are washed away. Devotees prevail with astral powers and after death they attain “Moksha” - enlightenment.
The most appealing feature of this temple is that anyone of any cast and creed, can touch the deity and worship here, a custom not found anywhere in Andhra Pradesh.
Worship of Lord Shiva at this shrine gives the effect equivalent to one’s performing an “Ashwamedha Yagya”, a great horse sacrifice performed in ancient times.
In Sri Sailam the Krishna river is known as “Pathala Ganga”, and is a very sacred river for pilgrims. It is abouttwo miles from the temple, with a flight of 500 stone steps leading to it.
People bathe in this river before going for the darshan of the Lord.
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| The collonade leading to the shrine in evening light |
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| The Mallikarjuna Shrine on a full moon evening |
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| The Gopurams of the Bhramaramba & Mallika Devi (Parvati) shrines The Mallikarjuna Shrine to the right |
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| Temple top crowning the Mallikarjuna Jyotir Lingam |
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| Entrance to a sacred well |
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| Sapta Matajis - "de syv mødre" |
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| Collonade with several highly revered Shiva Lingams |
Carved bords depicting the 12 Jyotir Lingams in India
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 The Mallikaarjuna Shrine |  The Bharambara Devi Shrine |
Mythology
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Mahabharata, Shiv Purana and other holy texts describe the importance of this shrine. It was to this mount Kartikeya/Muruga had exiled himself when estranged from his parents on account of their declaring Ganesh as the winner in the contest of circunambulating the world to decide who should marry first, Kartikeya/Muruga or Ganesh. To placate the frayed temper of their son, Shiva and Parvati appeared here as Arjuna and Mallika, hence the name.
When Siva and Parvathi decided to find suitable brides for their sons, Ganesha and Muruga argued as to who is to get wedded first. Lord Shiva bade that the one who goes round the world in Pradakshinam could get married first. By the time Lord Muruga could go round the world on his vahana, Lord Ganesha went round his parents 7 times (for according to Sastras, going in pradakshina round one's parents is equivalent to going once round the world (Boopradakshinam). Lord Shiva got Siddhi and Buddhi, the daughters of Viswaroopan got married to Lord Ganesha.
Muruga on his return was enraged and went away to stay alone on Mount Kravunja in the name of Kumarabrahmachari. On seeing his father coming over to pacify him, he tried to move to another place, but on the request of the Devas, stayed close by. The place where Lord Siva and Parvathi stayed came to be known as Sri Sailam. Lord Shiva visits Lord Muruga on Amavasai day and Parvathi Devi on Pournami. (from Sthala Purana)
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A place for saints ...
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Sri Sailam is associated historically with great rulers as the Chalukyan kings, Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagara, Chatrapati Shivaji and many others. They came here and performed Puja and Abishekam to Lord Mallikarjuna, constructed free lodgings and buildings and performed charitable activities.
Lord Shiva surrounded by saints throughout all ages
Several famous saints, sadhus, poets and seekers have visited this place. Traditions says that the sacred Lingam has been worshipped by Hiranya Kasipa in Kritha Yuga, Lord Sri Hari in Tretha Yuga after the assasination of Ravana. The Pandavas came to Sri Sailam in Dwapara Yuga and constructed many temples. Lord Dattatreya Siddha Nagarjuna performed penance under the “Triple beneficial tree” besides the Mallikarjuna shrine.
The three Saivaite saints Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundarar have sung in praise of the Lord at this place.
 Shankaracharya shrine in the pilgrim shelters outside the temple compound
The sanctity of this place is claimed both by the Hindus as well as by the Buddhists, as Sri Sailam had great importance in the Buddhist era. Acharya Nagarjuna resided on the Sri Sailam mountain and history tells that the mountain was called, “Nagarjuna Konda”. Tamil poets from 7th-8th century praised Lord Mallikarjuna in the book “Tevaram” as “Paruppadam”, hence the Theertham is known as “Paruppada Theertham”. Adi Shankara is said to have worshipped the deity at the temple and to have composed the “Sivananda Lahari” at this Sthalam.“Dwadasa Jyotirlinga sthrotra” of Adi Shankaracharya also mention Sri Sailam.
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Experience in the Sanctum Santorum
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My first Darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna, Tuesday the 26/19-2003, was an elevating experience. You can have a “quick” Darshan for 30 rupees and larger rituals are offered to suit the purpose of the pilgrimage.
The next morning I went to the temple in the early morning before sunrise and bought a 400 rupee “Abishekam”. An Abishekam is a Vedic offering ritual of pouring water and other substances on the idol. The perform the Puja, I received two coconuts, a Vastram (cloth), holy water, rock sugar, flowers and Bilva leaves, which is very dear to Lord Shiva. I had brought water from the Ganga river from my recent visit in Kasi and Vibhuti from the Homakunda from the newly celebrated Navatri in Hyderabad.
Inside the Sanctum Santorum it felt as if thousands of stars exploded in my head. I have been very happy visiting the Jyotir Lingams in Varanasi, Devgad and Rameshwaram and this most sacred place was no exception. Inside we sat down besides the Mantapam with the Lingam, the priest recited Vedic Mantras and the Abishekam began. We poured milk over the Lingam, the coconuts were broken and coconut milk was poured over. Next we poured water over the Lingam with a small spoon, to the recitation of Vedic mantras. After the ritual the people present there were allowed to put our foreheads on the Shiva Lingam and it was a very blissful experience. The priest anointed us with a large amount of Vibhuti on the forehead. The rest of the Pujamaterial, Vastram, sugar and the coconuts we kept as Prasadam (as a gift from the God).
After this most elevating experience I felt light as if a lot of weight had disappeared and was almost flowing around at the temple ground.
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Excurtions in the surroundings of Sri Sailam
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 Shiva Temple | |
There are several smaller temples in the vicinity of Sri Sailam city worth visiting. The local drivers will happily take you to a small Gayatri Temple with a beautiful flagpole, a snake pit in the temple ground of another small temple, a spring where the water tastes sweet like milk aso.
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Flagpole in a Devi Temple
|  Snakepit in the Shiva Temple |
The Sri Sailam area covers an area of 384 x 384 km. As a hilly river and forest area lots of waterbanks are formed by nature. Old bathing ghatts have been constructed as early as in the beginning of the 14th century. The area has nine cities, nine caves, nine banana gardens, nine Nandi bulls, medicinal plants, forests of meditation etc..
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The well where water tasting sweet like milk
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Sri Saila Sikaram & Sikareswara Temple
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Stairs to the wievpoint of
the whole area of Sri Sailam and ... |
Devotees take great importance in a darshan of the the Sri Saila Sikaram from the top of the highest hill in the Sri Sailam area. The hill is six miles from Sri Sailam and the Sikareswara Swami Temple is situated on top of the hill. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Another temple is also there, dedicated to Lord Ganesh. The temple hill is easily accessible with autorichshaw.
One of the features is a small Nandi Bull on the top of the temple hill facing Sri Sailam and the Mallikarjuna Temple. It is custom to hold two fingers on the horns of the small bull and look at the Sri Sailam through the small peephole thus formed.
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Happy Gods and Godesses at Sri Saila Sikhara
Krishna River 2 miles from the temple area with the lift to the bathing ghatts.
The Sri Sailam Dam is in the back ground.
The Sri Sailam Dam is in the back ground.
Mountain lift to Krishna River
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In Sri Sailam the Krishna river is known as "Pathala Ganga", and is regarded as a very sacred river for pilgrims. About two miles from the Mallikarjuna Temple is the bathing ghatt with the 500 steps leading to the river Krishna.People bathe in this river before going for darshan of Lord Shiva in the temple.
The bathing Ghatts are quite inaccessible. In October 2004 a mountain lift was under construction, which makes it easier for disabled to reach the riverside. A hotel has been constructed at this site in 2004.
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The Sri Sailam Dam
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| An attraction of a more mundane character is the huge Sri Sailam Dam, inaugurated by Navahal Nehru in July 1963. The dam is the pride of the area, delivering electricity to several bigger and smaller cities in Andhra Pradesh. |
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