Shiva Purana
Kotirudra Samhita — Mallikarjuna Mahatmya; Kartikeya narrative and description of Mount Srisailam
Srisailam · Andhra Pradesh
Shri Bhramaramba-Mallikarjuna Temple, Srisailam
Shri Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga / Bhramaramba Shakti Pitha — the Kailash of the South
अन्य नाम: Srisailam Temple · Mallika-Arjuna · Dakshina Kailash · Shiva of Nallamala
- 12 Jyotirlingas
- 18 Maha Shakti Pithas
- Among the few temples where Jyotir…
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
- 12 Jyotirlingas (second — 'Shrishaile Mallikarjunam')
- 18 Maha Shakti Pithas (Bhramaramba Shakti)
- Among the few temples where Jyotirlinga and Shakti Pitha exist together
01
मूल विग्रह
मुख्य देव एवं स्वरूप
Shri Mallikarjuna (Shiva) — the second Jyotirlinga; and Shri Bhramaramba Devi (Parvati — foremost of the 18 Maha Shakti Pithas)
Mallikarjuna Shivalinga and Bhramaramba Devi murti — within the same temple complex
सम्प्रदाय: Shaiva + Shakta — a rare combined Jyotirlinga and Shakti Pitha site
02
स्थल-पुराण
कथा, इतिहास एवं महत्व
Skanda Purana
Shrishaila Khanda — detailed account of the Srisailam region; the Mallika-Arjuna manifestation narrative
Mahabharata
Vana Parva — reference to the Pandavas' visit to Srisailam; the 5 Pandava-installed lingas
Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya — 'Shrishaile Mallikarjunam' — the second line
संत एवं परम्परा
- Kartikeya (Skanda) — in displeasure over the marriage incident, left Kailash and resided on Mount Krauncha at Srisailam; to placate him, Shiva and Parvati manifested here in the Mallika-Arjuna form; tradition: Shiva visits on Amavasya and Parvati on Purnima to meet Kartikeya here
- Shri Rama — per sthala-parampara, the installer of the Sahasra-linga (1000 lingas)
- The Pandavas — visited Srisailam during their exile and installed 5 Pandava-lingas
- Adi Shankaracharya (8th-9th century) — established the temple in the second line 'Shrishaile Mallikarjunam' of the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra; per tradition, composed the Shivananda Lahari and Bhaja Govindam here
- Akka Mahadevi (12th century) — Kannada poet-saint; practised austerity on the Krishna bank near Srisailam (Akka Mahadevi caves)
ऐतिहासिक घटनाक्रम
- 100Approximately the 1st-2nd century CE — Satavahana-period inscriptions confirm the temple's antiquity; an early site of worship — Wikipedia Mallikarjuna Temple Srisailam
- 7007th century — construction of the Mallikarjuna garbhagriha (the oldest portion of the present temple) — Wikipedia + Behind Every Temple
- 135014th century — courtyard expansion and major gopuram construction under the Reddy dynasty (Anavema Reddy, Anapota Reddy) — Wikipedia Mallikarjuna Temple Srisailam
- 140015th century — extensive expansion by the Vijayanagara emperor Harihara I (and his successors); main enclosure wall 183m × 152m × 8.5m tall; multiple Dravidian-style mandapas — Wikipedia + Sanatan Vasudev Kutumb
- 20268-18 February 2026 — Mahashivratri Brahmotsavam (the 11-day annual principal festival); ~1.5 lakh+ devotees on Mahashivratri (15 February Sunday) — The Hans India + YKTV
03
नित्य उपासना
दर्शन समय एवं आरती
04:30 से 21:00 तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम 13:00-18:00 (midday rest — sanctum closed)
Suprabhata / Morning Darshan04:30-06:30
First aarti of the day; crowd-free darshan
Mahamangala Aarti and Abhisheka06:30-12:30
Maha-nivedana / Rajbhog12:30-13:00
Sandhya Aarti + Rudrabhishekam18:00-21:00
The principal evening ritual; temple closes at 21:00 (multi-source agreement)
04
दर्शन
दर्शन के प्रकार
Sarva Darshanam (Free)निःशुल्क
Darshan of the main Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba is free.
VIP Special Darshan₹500
₹500 per person for VIP special darshan.
Sparsha Darshan₹500
₹500 per person for a special ticket allowing devotees to perform abhisheka by directly touching the Jyotirlinga. Timings: Tuesday-Friday 14:00-15:00 and 18:30-19:30 (extended on weekends and during the Shravana month). Online booking required.
Special Pujas and Abhishekam
Online booking for Rudrabhishekam, Mahanyasa, Sahasranama-puja and similar rituals.
05
उत्सव
प्रमुख पर्व एवं उत्सव
Mahashivratri Brahmotsavam (11-day)Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi (February)
Srisailam's highest annual festival — the 11-day Brahmotsavam (including Shivratri day). The Pagalankarana ritual — the Prithvi Venkateshwarlu family has, generation after generation, observed strict deeksha for 365 days, weaving one measure of cloth daily, to prepare the ceremonial vastras adorning the vimana-kalashas and mandapas; offered in complete darkness on Shivratri night. 2026 — 8-18 February (main day: 15 February Sunday).
Ugadi (Telugu New Year)Chaitra Shukla Pratipada
The Andhra-Telugu tradition's new year; special pujas
Shravana MonthShravana
Shiva upasana through the entire month; special Rudrabhisheka every Monday; extended Sparsha Darshan on weekends
Kartik PurnimaKartika Shukla Purnima
Tradition holds that Devi Bhramaramba visits Kartikeya on this night; special Shakta puja
Vijayadashami / DussehraAshwin Shukla Dashami
Special Navaratri puja of Devi Bhramaramba and Vijayadashami rituals
06
आस्था
मनोकामना एवं फल
By Adi Shankaracharya's Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra, 'Shrishaile Mallikarjunam' — the second Jyotirlinga; darshan of all 12 destroys the sins of seven births and grants moksha
स्रोत: Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra (Adi Shankaracharya)
Joint one-site darshan of Mallikarjuna (Shiva) and Bhramaramba (Shakti) — possible at only a few temples; particularly significant for marital harmony, progeny and finding a suitable spouse
स्रोत: Skanda Purana Shrishaila Khanda
Mount Krauncha at Srisailam — Kartikeya's abode; particularly significant for the wish for sons and for children's health
स्रोत: Skanda Purana + Shiva Purana
Devi Bhramaramba — foremost of the 18 Maha Shakti Pithas; principal tirtha of any Shakta yatra
स्रोत: Devi Bhagavata Purana + Shakta tradition
07
जप
मन्त्र एवं स्तोत्र
- Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra — 'Shrishaile Mallikarjunam'
- Shivananda Lahari100-verse stotra to Shiva — the principal Mallikarjuna-stuti stotra
- Mallikarjuna Ashtakam
- Mahamrityunjaya MantraPrincipal mantra of Rudrabhishekam
- Om Namah Shivaya — Panchakshara Mantra
08
तीर्थाटन
समीप के तीर्थ एवं परिपथ
Patala Ganga1.5 किमी
The ghat on the Krishna river at Srisailam where devotees bathe; tradition of a sacred bath before the main Mallikarjuna darshan. Accessible by ropeway or footpath.
Sakshi Ganapati Temple3.5 किमी
Ganesha temple where devotees' Mallikarjuna pilgrimage is witnessed — tradition holds that proof of the pilgrimage is offered here before Mallikarjuna. Essential before the Srisailam darshan.
Shikhareshwar Swamy Temple7 किमी
The highest Shiva temple in the Srisailam region; per tradition, the shikhara darshan grants freedom from rebirth
Hemareddy Mallamma Temple4 किमी
Temple of the 16th-century regional Shiva-devotee saint Hemareddy Mallamma; a major tirtha of the Telugu-Kannada Shaiva tradition
Akka Mahadevi Caves25 किमी
The penance-site of the 12th-century Kannada poet-saint Akka Mahadevi; a natural cave (over 10 lakh years old); Shiva-linga and meditation site
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR)5 किमी
India's largest Tiger Reserve — 3,727 sq km (core + buffer); 75 tigers per the 2022 census; 700+ species including blackbuck, python, king cobra and peacock
The second Jyotirlinga — 'Shrishaile Mallikarjunam' (extolled in the second verse of Adi Shankaracharya's Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra)
12 मंदिर
Bhramaramba Shakti Pitha — foremost of the 18 Maha Shakti Pithas; extolled in Adi Shankaracharya's Ashtadasha Shakti Pitha Stotra
18 मंदिर
Central; full 2-day yatra plan
The Shaiva-Shakta dham among the 4 principal southern tirthas
09
मार्गदर्शन
यात्रा एवं संपर्क
- पता
- Shri Bhramaramba-Mallikarjuna Swamy Devasthanam, Srisailam — 518101, Nandyal District, Andhra Pradesh
- हवाई अड्डा
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (HYD) — ~217 km; Kurnool Airport (KJB) — ~181 km
- रेलवे
- Markapur Road (MRK) — ~84 km (nearest); Nandyal (NDL) — ~160 km; Kurnool (KRNT) — ~180 km
- उत्तम ऋतु
- October-February best; temperatures 18-30°C. March-June extremely hot (35-42°C); July-September monsoon (the Nallamala hills are lush). Peak crowds at Mahashivratri Brahmotsavam (February).
84 किमीMarkapur Road Railway Station
160 किमीNandyal
180 किमीKurnool
181 किमीKurnool Airport
198 किमीNalgonda
217 किमीHyderabad
264 किमीVijayawada
470 किमीTirupati