Thread by @rasu667

#MahaShivaratri
#IndianHeritage

On the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri, I am compiling a list of the ancient Shivalayams I have had darshan at.

All ancient, close 2 1000 yrs old, the newer being 300 yrs old.

Starting with the 1000 yr old Lingaraja temple of Bhubaneshwar

4 of the Pancharamas,
Somarama, Ksheerarama, Draksharama & Kumararama.
The present structures are built by Chalukya Bhima between 9th & 10th century.
The shivalingas of the Pancharamas are made from a single Shivalinga belonging to Tarakasura. A fascinating sthala purana.

1. Sri Bheemeshwara Swamy. Temple built btwn 890- 918 CE by Eastern Chalukya ruler Chalukya Bhima. Bhimavaram was named after him.

Sri Shakteeshwara Swamy of Yanamadurru. Also called Sheershasana Swamy, this gudi was discovered 1000 yrs ago. Shiva & Parvati r on the same peetam

Tree temple or Sri Uma Ramalingeshwara Swamy gudi is 300 yrs old. It is Kasipatnam, 73km from Vizag
Sri Dibbalingeshwara Swamy temple of Saripalli. Built btwn 7th to 9th CE, it's style & sculpture are similar to Eastern Ganga sculpture and may have been done by them.

Sri Kukkuteshwara Swamy of Pithapuram. Known as Padagaya, it's sthala purana goes back to Satyuga. It has been a major Shiva kshetra since 4th century.

Sri Nagareshwara Swamy of Penugonda from 3000 years, it is also now famous 4 Vasavi mata who was installed in the 11th century

Sri Someshwara gudi and Sri Mukhalingam gudi are in Jalumuru district of Srikakulam. They are very close to one another.
Built by the Eastern Ganga rulers in 11th century, it has beautiful sculpture.

Punyagiri -Sri Uma Kotilingeshwara Swamy gudi is 60km from Vizag and sthala purana goes back 7000 yrs.

Sri Endala Mallikarjuna Swamy of Ravivalasa. The huge swayambhu Shivalinga which kept growing has its origins in the treta yuga.

Appikonda Someshwara Swamy gudi near Vizag is built btwn 1070 & 1120 CE during the reign of Kullotunga Chalukya-Cholas.

Panchadarla Dharmalingeshwara gudi is 45km from Vizag, built in 9th century by Eastern Chalukya-Cholas.

Of the Nava Nandi gudis, Shiva Nandi gudi is built around 6-8th century by Chalukyas

Don't know the age of Vishnu Nandi gudi, but it is ancient.

Mahanandi is a 1500 year old gudi with documented inscriptions.

The Nava Nandi temples r in & around Nandyal.

Nava Brahma temples of Alampur.

Around Jogulamba shaktipeeth r the Nava Brahma temples. Built between 6th to 9th century by Badami Chalukyas, they have beautiful sculpture. Damage by the invaders is also very extensive.

Kudavalli Sangameshwara temple is built btwn 655-87 CE but is said to be of the time of Pulikesin.
Located at the sangam of Krishna & Tungabhadra rivers at Kudavalli, it was relocated by ASI to Alampur.
It has beautiful sculpture, a trademark of the Chalukyas.

Alampur Papanasi cluster of 23 temples were also relocated from Papanasi village to Alampur.
Built between 9-11th century, the shivalinga of Papanaseshwara is a markata lingam, green in colour.
The pillars & ceiling have beautiful sculpture.

Yaganti Uma Maheshwara gudi.
Famous for the growing Nandi.
Installed by Agastya Maharishi, in 6th, 7th century, Cholas & Pallavas started building the temple, but it came to its present glory by Harihara & Bukkarayalu of Vijayanagara empire in the 15th century.

Dakhya Prajapati temple of Banpur. Around 105 km from Bhubaneswar,
built in early 13th century, it is said to be of the Eastern Ganga rulers. It has beautiful sculpture and destruction too.

Sri Someshwara temple of Kolanupaka is 800 yr old and the birthplace of Renukacharya.

Sri Siddeshwara Swamy gudi is a 3rd century gudi, 4 km from Warangal. A Swayambhu sivalingam, a place where Revana Siddeshwara did tapasya.

1000 pillar temple of Hanumakonda. Built in 1163 CE by the Kakatiyas, the temple walls are interlocked pillars. Having lovely sculpture it has damage too.

Shambulingeshwara gudi of Warangal, built in 1162, during the rule of Ganapati Deva, it is a Swayambhu sivalingam.

Ramappa temple of Palampet was built in 1213 CE by General Recharla Rudra. The only temple to be named after its sculptor, is a beauty

Ganapeshwara gudi of Ghanpur is from the Kakatiya period, in ruins. It is fr the time of the Ramappa temple.

Though I have been to 3 of the Pancha boota lingams - Tiruannamalai, Sri Kalahasti and Kanchi. It was long ago & I didn't know the significance of the temples I was going to. All these are ancient temples & so is the Kailasanathar gudi of the Pallava dynasty.

I have had the darshan at 5 jyotirlinga temples.
Somnath Mahadev, Nageshwar jyotirlinga, Grishneshwar, Srisaila Mallikarjuna Swamy

And the crown of them all, Kedarnath.

Hope I can have darshan at many more ancient gudis.

Maha Shivaratri subhakankshalu.
My Mahadev's blessings be on all his devotees.

Om Namah shivaya 🙏🙏🙏