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SRISAILAM
- MALLIKARJUNA SWAMI |
Visit to the temple :
The devotees are to first visit the Sakshi Ganapati
temple, where they announce their names after praying him and then proceed further.
The Lord sitting in a squatting posture is expected to be keeping a record of the visiting
devotees to the main temple by jotting them on to the tablet with him.
The massive fort walls of the Mallikarjuna swamy temple
welcome one into the prakara with Shivite symbols engraved in the stone. A cluster of
shrines including the Sahasra Linga, PanchaPandava temples and VataVriksha and a Sheesh
Mahal are seen enclosed in a courtyard. Close to the mukhamantapam is the main temple.
Behind this is the Shivaji Gopuram.
Mallikarjuna Swamy temple enshrines
a linga that rises barely six inches above the ground and is encased in a beautiful silver
Rudrakshmantapam. The linga is said to be swayambhulinga or the self-emanated linga and
not installed by anyone.
Then is to be visited the temple of
Bhramaramba Devi, considered to be one of the Shakti peetas. Here, the form of Shakti
is an idol, with a gold cover and many precious jewels, earrings Bearing navaratnas being
one of them, installed on a low base. The most striking feature here is that any devotee
irrespective of the caste and creed is allowed to touch and worship the idol.
After seeking their blessings, one goes to
visit the Sikhareswaram, the highest peak of the Nallamalai hill. Devotees have a
look of the temple Shikhara for redemption form rebirth. It is also said that though the
temple is visible to everyone, the Shikara is not to everyone.
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