Trilinga Kshetras

The word Telugu is believed to have been derived from trilinga, as in Trilinga Deśa, "the country of the three lingas". According to a Hindu chronicle, Shiva descended as linga on three mountains which marked the boundaries of the Telugu country, namely Kaleswaram in Telangana, Srisailam in Rayalaseema and Bhimeswaram, also known as Draksharamam, in Coastal Andhra. It was also believed that the word Telangana derived from Telingana, Telinga, Trilinga.

Bhimeswaram

Srisailam

Kaleswaram

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Locations of Trilinga Kshetras

In Andhra Kaumudi, a Telugu grammar book, it was mentioned that Andhra Vishnu, having built an immense wall connecting the three mountains with the Mahendra hills, formed in it three gates, in which the three-eyed Ishwara, bearing the trident in his hand and attended by a host of divinities, resided in the form of three lingams. Āndhra Viṣṇu assisted by divine angels having fought with the great giant Nishambhu for thirteen yugas killed him in battle and took up his residence with the sages on the banks of the river Godavari, since which time the Telugu country has been named Trilingam.

Temples

Kshetram	Presiding Deity	District	Region	State
Kaleswaram	Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy	Jayashankar Bhupalpally	Telangana	Telangana
Bhimeswaram (Draksharamam)	Bhimeswara Swamy	East Godavari	Coastal Andhra	Andhra Pradesh
Srisailam	Mallikarjuna Swamy	Kurnool	Rayalaseema	Andhra Pradesh