English: Manthani is now a remote small village in Peddapalli district of northeast Telangana. In historic Telugu and Sanskrit texts, it is called Mantrakuta and described as a major religious center with many temples and a large population. This may be, in part, because Manthani is on the southern banks of the Godavari river. These banks and now the farmlands of Manthani have many ruins and littered parts of 10th to 13th-century Kakatiya era Hindu and Jain temples, a legacy of the violence during and after the Islamic invasion of the Deccan region. Along with the scattered broken sections of the demolished temples, the standing interior sections of the temple are defaced or with head, limbs chooped off. Outside the temples, signs of natural erosion as well as vandalism or intentional destruction are visible. Many broken intricately carved sections survive and are littered in this area, like many other parts of Telangana and the Deccan region.

The Gautamesvara temple, also spelled Gautameshwara or Gowthameeshvara or similar phonetic equivalent, is one of seven major ruins found in Manthani area. It is close to the banks of Godavari, along with a few other temples. Some ruins are farther inland towards the contemporary village.

The Gautamesvara temple was built during the Kakatiya rule. This is confirmed by the several inscriptions found here.