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The
main temples and the hill adjacent to the Shiva
temple are full of carvings dating back to the Pallava and Chola periods. Apart
from the main Shiva temple, visit the Viswanatha
temple, Manikarnika temple, Dakshina
Kali temple, Subramaniaswami temple, Pandurangaswami temple, and Kannappa temple.
There
are two sacred wells, the Surya
Pushkarni and the Chandra Pushkarini, and the sacred river Swarnamukhi, a name that literally means Golden face.
The
town is famous for the traditional Kalamkari
art, so you may shop for
souvenirs.
Other
Attractions
The Sukabrahm ashrama established by Sri Vidya
Prakasananda Giri Swami, a noted Sanskrit scholar, is worth seeing. Gangammala Jatra is another popular festival celebrated in the town
in the month of December and thousands gather to Srikalahasti.Tourist Information :Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
Tourism House, Himayatnagar,
Hyderabad - 500
063
Fax: 91-40-23261801
Srikalahasti
is
a major tourist and pilgrim centre situated in the Chittoor district of
Andhra Pradesh. It is located near Tirupati, another popular pilgrim
centre.
Srikalahasti got its name from the three words 'Sri' meaning a spider,
'Kala' meaning a serpent, and Hasti meaning an elephant, as these three
creatures
are believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva at this place and attained
salvation.
Srikalahasti,
also known simply as Kalahasti or as Dakshina Kailasam, is one of the ancient
and most important Kshetras (spiritual abodes) of Lord Shiva.
It
is located on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi, which is a tributary to
Pennar, one of the major rivers in South India.
Srikalahasti has an ancient Shiva temple that finds reference in the three
ancient epics the Skanda Purana, Shiva Purana and the Linga Purana. Several
Tamil Shaivite saints have also sung hymns in praise of the deity of this
temple. It is believed that a visit to this temple will provide relief to those
who have the planet 'Rahu' in inimical positions in their horoscopes.
The
temple itself was built during the reign of Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar,
much later than the Pallava and Chola dynasties. The architectural beauty of
the prakaras, or halls within the temples, and the main entrances, are also
attractions for lovers of art, history and architecture. Three lofty Gopurams
or steeple shaped main entrances to the temple add majesty to the structure and
are architectural marvels. A huge hall with a hundred pillars each with
exquisite carvings is another attraction within the temple.
Kalahasti
is famous for its Kalamkari art, an art form which is used for painting on
cotton textiles such as saris. The major festival celebrated in the town is Shivratri,
and Shiva devotees come from all over the world to celebrate this festival.
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