Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh

Srisailam a place to visit in Andhra Pradesh is very rich in scenic attractions, ancient temples, a wildlife sanctuary and a dam. Srisailam is a holy place situated in Nallamala Hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located on the banks of River Krishna, about 232 km south of Hyderabad.Srisailam a place to visit in Andhra Pradesh

Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy (a form of Lord Shiva) and Devi Bhramaramba (a form of Lord Parvathi) is located here and it is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Srisailam Dam, located about 245 km from Hyderabad and 132 km from Nandyal, is a multipurpose dam has been built across River Krishna and caters to the irrigation and power needs of the state.

Sikharam, the highest spot in the undulated hilly regions of Srisailam, is known for its majestic natural beauty, eye catching scenarios and an amazing temple. The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is famous as Sikhareswara Swamy temple. The idol is believed to be the Lord of Sikharam. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh in Sikharam.

The famous Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy Temple located at height of about 457 meters on the southern bank of River Krishna is a major pilgrim spot in Srisailam hill town. This temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in the country. The artificial Srisailam Dam having a length of 512 meter constructed across Krishna River and the Srisailam Wildlife Sanctuary with wealthy wild life are other tourist attractions in Srisailam.

Nallamala forest ranges with densely wooded trees and diverse flora and fauna lies in the proximity to the Srisailam hills. These lusting green forest regions are ideal for adventurous trekking, hill climbing and forest exploration and research. Srisailam is the base camp for Nallamala explorations.

Other places in Srisailam to visit

Akka mahadevi caves

During 12th Century A.D. this cave appeared to have attained its present name Akka Mahadevi caves after the famous ascetic, lyricist and philosopher, Akka Mahadevi who hailed from Karnataka. It is believed that Akka Mahadevi did penance in this cave and worshipped the Sivalinga that naturally existed in the deep and dark end of the cave.The A.P. Tourism Department has arranged Motor Boats for visitors to see these caves.


Srisailam Dam is built on the Krishna River and is 512 m long. It is set amidst beautiful natural scenery – Ghats, cliffs, rocky ridges, plateaus and thick forests. It has twelve peak gates to hold a maximum water level of 885 ft (270 m). It has a live storage of 274 thousand million cubic feet. This reservoir was originally designed for hydropower generation only but was later converted to a multi-purpose facility for water supply and irrigation.

Srisailam Sanctuary

Srisailam also boasts of one of the largest Tiger Reserves in India. This sanctuary covers an area of 3568 km. The terrain is rugged and winding gorges slice through the area. This area is covered by dry deciduous forests with scrub and bamboo thickets.

These forests provide shelter to a range of animals like the tiger, leopard, deer, sloth bear, hyena, jungle cat, palm civet, bonnet macaque and pangolin.

The down waters of Srisailam Dam are home to a variety of crocodiles. The local government supports a breeding program which has been highly successful.

Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at SrisailamSrisailam

Hemareddy Mallamma Temple at Srisailam was inaugurated on 26 May, 2010. The Temple was built at Hemareddy Mallamma Kaneeru at Srisailam by Karnataka Veerashaiva Reddy Samaj. In adjoining ashram, one can also see the place where she lived with cattle. The place is visited by lakhs of pilgrims who offer prayers at this temple. The temple is situated about a half kilometer on the western side of the Mallikarjuna Temple.

Mallela Theertham

Mallela Theertham is a waterfall in the middle of the dense forest, 50 km before Srisailam, take a turn to the destination and drive on a bumpy, muddy road which is unmemorable during the rainy season and around 250 steps down the valley to the waterfall.

Transportation:

Nerest Bus station: Srisailam.
Nearest Railway stations: Markapur road, Ongole, Nandyala.
Nearest Air ports: Tirupati, Vijayawada.
By bus and train

Srisailam is about 232 km from Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, and there are buses connecting the town with Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur and Kurnool. For service from Hyderabad to Srisailam, tickets and reservations can be made at the Central Bus station. Hyderabad. The approximate travel time from Hyderabad to Srisailam is 6 hours.

From Kurnool it will take around 5 hours via Atmakur and Doranala. You can get Express buses every one hour from 5.00 am to 11.30 pm from Kurnool. For those who are planning from Chennai you can either go from Kurnool, Nellore or Tirupathi. From Kurnool there are many buses to Srisailam. You can reach Kurnool by Kachiguda express which starts from Chennai Egmore railway station.There is no railway station in srisailam. From Tirupathi also there is a frequent bus which passes through Nellore. So better go to Nellore and catch Srisailam bus from there.

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