Srisailam Temple History

Srisailam played a dominant role in out religious, cultural and social history from ancient times.

The epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam begins with the Sathavahanas who were the first empire builders in South India. The earliest known historical mention of the Hill Srisailam, can be traced in Pulumavis Nasik inscription of 1st century A.D.

The Sathavahanas, the Ikshavakus, the Pallavas, the Vishnukundis, the Chalukyas, the Kakatiyas, the Reddy kings, the Vijayanagara Emperors and Chtrapathi Shivaji are among the famous emperors who worshiped God Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Prataparudra of Kakatiya Dynasty strived a lot for the improvements of this Kshetram and granted Paraganas for its maintenance. Ganapathideva has spent 12000 Golden Nanyas for the maintenance of the temple.

The period of Reddi kings is the Golden age of Srisailam that almost all rules of the dynasty did celebrated service for this temple. In 14th Century Prolaya Vema Reddi of Reddy Dynasty constructed stepped path-way to Srisailam and Pathalaganga (here the river Krishna is called as Pathalaganga) and Anavema Reddi constructed Veera Siromandapam in which the Veerasaiva devotees cut off their hands, tongue, limbs with devotion to attain the realization of the God. This practice is known as Veeracharam.

The second Harihararaya of Vijayanagara Empire constructed the Mukhamantapam of Swamy shrine and also a Gopuram on Southern side of the temple.

In the 15th Century Sri Krishnadevaraya constructed the Rajagopuram on Eastern side and Salimantapas on both sides of Chatrapathi Shivaji who constructed a Gopuram on northern side in the year 1667 A.D.