Kaleshwaram is at the juncture of the rivers Godavari and its Pranahita tributary. Kaleshwaram town is on the border of Telangana and Maharashtra in Mahadevpur mandal, in Jayashankar Bhupalapally District, Telangana. Kaleshwaram town is famous for ancient Shiva temple known by the name Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy Temple.
The unique aspect of this ancient temple is the presence of two Lingams holding onto one pedestal or the Panavattam. There are three Shiva temples that cover the three corners of both Telugu speaking states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Kaleshwaram is one among those three temples and the other two are Srisailam and Draksharamam. The land surrounded by there three temples is known as Trilinga Desha.
Itihaas
In Skanda purana it is mentioned that River Godavari did penance for Bhagwan Siva, who self-manifested on the river bank as Mukteeswara Swamy. This led to an imbalance in the Universe as living creatures started attaining salvation by taking a holy dip in the river Godavari followed by the darshan of the main deity Mukteeswara Swamy.
Yama, the God of death found he was work less since the dead people were not coming to Yama loka as they were attaining salvation. He did penance for Bhagwan Siva pleading Him to retain the life cycle (ie., birth, death and rebirth). Pleased Bhagwan Siva asked him to install Siva Linga (Kaleshwara Linga) next to Mukteeswara Linga. It is believed that whoever offer prayers at this temple will be relieved from the birth cycle and attains salvation. Hence the temple called by Kaleshwara and Mukteeswara. This is the only temple where one can find two Lingas in Garbha Griha.
From the inscriptions, it is known that this temple was built during the reign of Kakatiya Rudra Deva (1158-1195 AD). It is said that Vemulawada Kakatiya rulers worshipped this deity and contributed for temple development.
The temple is located at the congregation of Rivers Pranahita, Godavari and Gupta Saraswati. There is a shrine for Goddess Saraswati and is called by Proudah Saraswati. There is a shrine for Surya Bhagavan within the complex. There are four entrances to the temple from four directions and Shiva’s mount (Vahana) Nandi (Bull) can be found in all these four directions before the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum.
Puja is performed first to Kaleshwar and thereafter to Muktheeshwar. Kaleshwar’s consort is Sree Sadapurna devi and Muktheeshwar’s consort is Sree Annapurna devi. On the top of the Muktheeshwar linga there are two nostrils and whatever quantum of water is poured, not even a drop of it comes out of it. It is believed that the Abhishek jal (water) poured on the Shiv linga comes down the earth and join the river Godavari which is located around 1 KM from the temple.
Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project at Kannepalli village is located at around 35 KMs from Kaleshwaram temple. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, which is currently the world’s largest multi stage lift irrigation project is divided into 7 links and 28 packages spanning a distance of approximately 500 km (310 mi) through 13 districts and utilizing a canal network of more than 1,800 km (1,100 mi). Telangana Tourism runs one day tour package (by bus) from Hyderabad to Kaleshwaram temple that also cover the famous Ramappa temple, Medigadda barrage and Kanepalli pump house.
Bhagwan Siva Temples in Bharat on almost same longitude
Kaleshwaram temple is one of the eight ancient Bhagwan Shiva temples that is on almost same longitude. The list of Bhagwan Shiva temples that are on almost same longitude are as under:
- Kedarnath – Kedarnath Temple (30.7352° N, 79.0669)
- Kaleshwaram – Kaleshwara Mukteeshwara swamy Temple (18.8110, 79.9067)
- Srikalahasti – Srikalahasti Temple (13.749802, 79.698410)
- Kanchipuram – Ekambareswarar Temple (12.847604, 79.699798)
- Thiruvanaikaval – Jambukeswara Temple (10.853383, 78.705455)
- Tiruvannamalai – Annamalaiyar Temple (12.231942, 79.067694)
- Chidambaram – Nataraja Temple (11.399596, 79.693559)
- Rameswaram – Ramanathaswamy Temple (9.2881, 79.3174)
Out of the above temples, there are 5 temples known as Pancha Bhoota Lingas, representing the five elements, i.e., Earth at Kanchipuram (Ekambareswarar Temple), Water at Thiruvanaikaval (Jambukeswara Temple), Fire at Tiruvannamalai (Annamalaiyar Temple), Air at Srikalahasti (Srikalahasti Temple) and Space at Chidambaram (Nataraja Temple). Kedarnath and Rameswaram Shiva temples are the two temples that are part of 12 Jyotirlingas. Whereas, Kaleshwaram Shiva temple has the uniqueness of having two Shiva lingas on one pedestal.
It is interesting to note that the above temples are separated by 2383 KMs between Kedarnath and Rameswaram and were constructed when no satellite technology was available to measure latitude and longitude of those places.
Kalwshwaram is also called Dakshina Triveni Sangamam, as rivers Godavari and Pranahita meet here along with a third, the illusionary flow of Antarvaahini. It is believed that there is another river named Saraswati flowing under the Godavari hence it is called Triveni Sangamam. Kaleshwaram is centre for Godavari pushkaras (Kumbh mela) organised once in 12 years. Kaleswaram gets a huge number of piligrms during the Karthika masam and Maha Shiva Ratri. Devotees from neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka State also visit the temple during the Maha Shiva Ratri festival.
Distance from Hyderabad to Kaleshwaram is around 270 KMs by road. On the way from Bhupalapally to Kaleshwaram (52 KMs) it is mostly forest area and while travelling, on both sides of the road one can find several monkeys. Nearest railway station to Kaleshwaram is Ramagundam (83 KMs).
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