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{{short description|Shiva temple in Tirupati, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Sri Gnanaprasunambika sametha Srikalahasteeswara Temple
| image =Sri Kala Hasti.jpg
| image_upright = 1.2
| alt =
| caption = An aerial view of the town and the temple
| map_caption = Location in Andhra Pradesh
| map_type = India Andhra Pradesh
| coordinates = {{coord|13|44|58|N|79|41|54|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name =
| country = India
| state = [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| district = [[Tirupati district|Tirupati]]
| locale = [[Srikalahasti]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Srikalahasteeswara ([[Shiva]]),<br />Gnana Prasunambika Devi<ref name=templehistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.srikalahastiswaraswamy.webs.com/|title=Srikalahasti Temple History|access-date=17 March 2016|archive-date=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215142632/http://srikalahastiswaraswamy.webs.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> ([[Parvati]])
| festivals= [[Maha Sivaratri]]
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Aguilar |first1=Rafael |last2=Torrealva |first2=Daniel |last3=Moreira |first3=Susana |last4=Pando |first4=Miguel A. |last5=Ramos |first5=Luis F. |title=Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions: An Interdisciplinary Approach |date=2018 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9783319994413 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ypqDwAAQBAJ&q=Ranganathaswamy%7CThiruvarangam+Temple+dravidian+architecture&pg=PA929 |access-date=26 February 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
| number_of_temples =
| number_of_monuments=
| inscriptions =
| established = 5th century CE
| creator = [[Rajendra Chola I]]
| website = [http://www.srikalahasthitemple.com Srikalahasti]
}}
The '''Srikalahasti Temple''' is located in the town of [[Srikalahasti]] in [[Tirupati district]] in the state of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]]. [[Shiva|Siva]] in his aspect as Vayu is worshipped as Kalahasteeswara. The temple is also regarded as ''Rahu-Ketu kshetra'' and ''Dakshina Kailasam''. According to regional tradition, it is said to be the site where [[Kannappa]] was ready to offer both his eyes to cover blood flowing from the [[linga|Shivalinga]] before [[Shiva]] stopped him and granted him [[moksha]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devadiga |first=Disha |date=2022-01-31 |title=Srikalahasteeswara temple – The Kashi of South |url=https://blog.templesofindia.org/post/srikalahasteeswara-temple-the-kashi-of-south/ |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Temples of India Blog |language=en-US}}</ref>

Srikalahasti temple, situated 36 km away from [[Tirumala - Tirupati|Tirupati]], is famous for its [[Vayu]] Lingam (Wind Lingam), one of the [[Pancha Bhoota Stalam|Pancha Bhuta Sthalams]], representing the wind. The temple is about 3Km from Sri Kalahasti(KHT) railway station.

==Legend==
In primordial times, the wind-god [[Vayu]] performed penance for thousands of years to the ''Karpoora Lingam'', the [[lingam]] of [[Shiva]] made of [[camphor]]. Pleased with Vayu's penance, Shiva manifested before him and bestowed him three boons. Vayu was blessed to present everywhere in the world in form of air and want to be an integral part of every being in form of [[Prana#Vāyus|vayus]]. Further, The linga that Vayu worshipped was named as the ''Vayu Lingam'' after him and was declared to be worshipped by various beings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srikalahasthitemple.com/ |title=Official Wesbsite of Srikalahasti Temple|access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref>

Another legend narrates that Shiva's consort [[Parvati]] adamantly asked him to teach her the secret of the [[Om Namah Shivaya|Shiva Panchakshari Mantra]]. Angry with her behaviour, Shiva cursed her to discard her divine form and assume a human form. Parvati fell to the Earth. To atone, Parvati performed penance at Srikalahasti and pleased Shiva. Shiva granted her a heavenly body, a hundred times better than her previous divine form, apologised to her and later taught her the secret lore. Parvati is therefore worshipped as Gnana Prasunambika Devi in the temple.

Cursed to become a ghost, Ghanakala prayed at Srikalahasti for 15 years and after chanting the Bhairava Mantra, Shiva restored her original form.

[[Mayura]], [[Chandra]] and [[Indra]] were cursed to become a spider, snake and elephant respectively. They sought atonement after taking bath in the river Swarnamukhi and praying at Srikalahasti.

Shiva appeared before the sage [[Markandeya]] in Srikalahasti and preached that a Guru alone could make esoteric teachings and, therefore he is [[trimurti|Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva]].

==History==
[[File:ViewofSrikalahasti.jpg|thumb|The temple in reconstruction, view from Kannappa Hill near the river (2016)]]
Around the 11th century CE, the Chola emperor [[Rajendra Chola I]] king renovated the temple and constructed the main structure.<ref name="History of Temple">{{cite news|title=History begin|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/blow-to-history/article445404.ece|access-date=1 March 2017|work=The Hindu|date=4 June 2010|last1=Subramaniam|first1=T. s.}}</ref> [[Kulottunga Chola I]], contrived and built the beautiful gopurams, located at the entrance facing south, during the 11th century CE. Inscriptions of [[Rajaditya Chola]], [[Rajaraja Chola I]], [[Rajadhiraja Chola I]], [[Kulottunga Chola I]], [[Kulottunga Chola III]] are found across the temple. The temple received contributions from various ruling dynasties like [[Cholas|Chola Dynasty]], [[Reddi kingdom]] and [[Vijayanagar Empire]]. The {{convert|120|ft|m}} high main [[gopuram]] and the hundred pillared hall with intricate carvings was commissioned during the regime of the Vijayanagara [[Krishnadevaraya]] during 1516 CE.<ref name="Ram" />

The main gopuram, built by king [[Krishnadevaraya]], collapsed on 26 May 2010.<ref name="newgopuram">{{cite web |title=Rajagopuram at Srikalahasti Temple to be opened on January 18 |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2017/jan/13/rajagopuram-at-srikalahasti-temple-to-be-opened-on-january-18-1559179.html |access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=27 May 2010 |title=Srikalahasti temple tower crashes |newspaper=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Srikalahasti-temple-tower-crashes/article16041193.ece |access-date=14 March 2017}}</ref> As per the Archaeology Department, the temple tower stood on a foundation that had a depth of only one-and-a-half feet and had a thin crack 25 years before it collapsed which expanded as years passed by.<ref>P Neelima (27 September 2010). [https://web.archive.org/web/20121103135619/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-09-27/hyderabad/28217585_1_srikalahasti-temple-rajagopuram-boulders "Srikalahasti 'rajagopuram' an architectural wonder,"] ''The Times of India''</ref><ref name="Blow to History">{{cite news |last1=Subramaniam |first1=T. s. |date=4 June 2010 |title=Blow to History |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/blow-to-history/article445404.ece |access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref> The Rajagopuram was reconstructed in its original form at the same location with a budget of 45 crores and was consecrated on 18 January 2017.<ref name="newgopuram" />

==Architecture==
[[File:Shri Kala Hasti Temple.JPG|thumb|250px|The shrine of Goddess Jnanaprasunambika located parallel to the Shiva shrine]]
The presiding image of Shiva in the form of [[Linga]] is made of white stone (believed to be the solidification of camphor) in a tall cylindrical shape resembling an elephant trunk. The stone is divided into 5 segments representing the 5 hoods of a snake. Horizontally, the lingam is divided into three parts, the top representing the snake, the middle representing the tusks of the elephant and the bottom having the carving of the spider. The lingam is lit by many lamps in the sanctum. Miraculously, the lingam never caught fire even though camphor is a flammable substance. The temple faces south, while the sanctum faces west. The temple is located on the foothills of a hill, while there is also a belief that the temple was carved out of the monolithic hill. There is a rock-cut shrine of Shiva's son [[Ganesha]], {{convert|9|ft|m|abbr=on}} below the ground level. Vallabha Ganapathi, Mahalakshmi-Ganpathi and Sahasra Lingeswara are some of the rare images found in the temple. There is a large shrine of Jnanaprasunambika, the consort of Kalahatisvara. There are smaller shrines in the temple for Kasi Viswanatha, [[Annapurna (goddess)|Annapurna]], [[Surya]], Sadyoganapathi and Shiva's second son [[Kartikeya]]. There are two large halls namely Sadyogi Mandapa and Jalkoti Mandapa. There are two water tanks associated with the temple namely, Surya Pushkarani and Chandra Pushkarani.<ref name="Ram">{{cite book|title=Hindu Pilgrim centres|last=Harshananda|first=Swami|isbn=978-81-7907-053-6|year=2012|publisher=Ramakrishna Math|location=Bangalore, India|edition=2nd|pages=53–7}}</ref>

==Religious importance==
[[File:View of Srikalahasti temple.jpg|thumb|160px|left|Ghat leading to [[Swarnamukhi]] River]]
The temple is revered as one of the [[Pancha Bhoota Stalam]] where the presiding deity is worshipped as [[Vayu]] linga (the embodiment of air).
This temple is considered the "[[Mount Kailash|Kailash]] of the South".<ref name="othernames">{{cite web|title=Sivaratri Brahmotsavams begin|url=http://www.srikalahasthitemple.com|access-date=1 March 2017|publisher=Srikalahasteeswar Temple administration}}</ref> Saivaite saints of the first century sang about this temple. This is the only temple in India which remains open during Solar and lunar eclipses, while, all other temples are closed.<ref name="rahukethupooja">{{cite news|title=Temples, barring Srikalahasti, closed for lunar eclipse|newspaper=The Hindu|date=5 April 2015|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/temples-barring-srikalahasti-closed-for-lunar-eclipse/article7069413.ece|access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref> This temple is famous for the Rahu-Kethu pooja. It is believed that performing this pooja will ward the people from astrological effects of Rahu and Kethu, the demigods which cause eclipses.<ref name="rahukethupooja" />

As per Hindu legend, Kalahasteeshwara was worshipped at this place by [[Brahma]] during all four [[Yuga]]s. [[Arjuna]], the [[Pandava]] prince during [[Mahabharata]] is believed to have worshipped the presiding deity. The legend of [[Kannappa]], who was a hunter and turned into an ardent devotee of Shiva accidentally, is associated with the temple.

The temple also finds mention in the works of Nakeerar and the [[Nalvar]]s, namely, [[Appar]], [[Sundarar]], [[Sambandar]] and [[Manickavasagar]] in the canonical works of Tirumura.<ref name="Ram" /> As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 275 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seventh Thirumurai|url=http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/songview.php?thiru=7&Song_idField=7001&padhi=100+&button=%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95|publisher=Thevaram.org|last=Sundarar|access-date=30 November 2015}}</ref>

==Culture==
The temple follows the [[Shaivism|Shaivite]] tradition.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} [[Maha Shivaratri]] is the most important festival when [[lakh]]s of devotees offer prayers to seek the blessings of the Lord. Mahashivaratri [[Brahmotsava|Brahmotsavams]] are celebrated in par with Maha Shivaratri for 13 days during which the processional idols of Shiva and Parvati will be taken on [[Vahana]]ms in a procession around the temple streets.<ref>{{cite web|title=Srikalahasti gears up for Mahasivaratri Brahmotsavam|url=http://www.srikalahasthitemple.com|access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|20em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Srikalahasteeswara Temple}}
* [https://templeknowledge.com/about-srikalahasti-temple/ Srikalahasti]

{{Tirupati district|collapsed=true}}
{{Shiva temples}}
{{Hindu Temples in Andhra Pradesh}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Pancha Bhoota Stalam]]
[[Category:Devi temples in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:5th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:12th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Chola architecture]]
[[Category:Pallava dynasty]]
[[Category:Vijayanagara Empire]]
[[Category:Pallava architecture]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Srikalahasteeswara temple - Revision history

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