Ramalingeswara Temple

 The temple is built by Kalyana Chalukas in 11^th century CE who declared independence after the downfall of the Rastrakutas. The inscription on the pillar dated to 1014 CE in front of the temple registers the gift of a village named Kovvuru for the maintenance of the temple and endowment made for running a Vedic school and for feeding the students.

Architecture:

The temple is an example of Bhumija
form. On plan it star shaped from its bottom to the top seeming as if evolved from
the ground. There is a Torana arch which acts as entrance gateway. There is a
shed that house the temple car (Ratha) on the south side of the entrance gate.

The main shrine consist of
Garbhagriha, an Antharala and Mukhamandapa. The Garbhagriha walls are designed
with numerous projections on the outer side and the Vimana over its top is
formed by storied superstructure designed with projections on the edges, the
Garbhagriha and the Vimana together forms as star shape. The antharala is a
small rectangular room connecting the garbhagriha with the Mukhamandapa. There
is a small superstructure over antharala known as Sukanasi which is projected
from the Vimana.

The Mukhamanda is an open
pillared hall with three porches on the east, north and south side connected by
steps to enter. The four central pillars of the mukhamandapa are the most
attractive architectural members of the temple for their peculiar fluted
design. The pillars belong to the Vardhamana and Chitrakantha type having vyalas
at the top as bracket figures. There is a low elevated platform connecting
these four pillars forming the Rangamandapa. The ceiling of the rangamandapa is
formed of two squares place one over the other and topped by a roof slab.  

There are two small subsidiary
shrines containing Lingas on the west side behind the main shrine consisting
garbhagriha, arthamandapa and small stepped pyramidal superstructure. There is
an inscribed deepastambha infront of the main shine.

Art & Sculpture:

The temple displays the
sculptural features of the Kalyani Chalukyas. The main Linga in the garbhagriha
is made out of granite and highly polished. There is an icon of Ganesha in the
mukhamandapa depicted in seating pose with four arms.

The central four pillars made
out of black stone are beautifully carved with numerous sculptures on different
sections of the pillar from the top to bottom on all the faces. The sculptures
include the carvings of Surya, Devi, Siva, Nataraja, Dancing Ganesha, Saraswati,
Mahisasuramardini, Varaha killing Hiranyaksha, Narasimha killing Hiranyakasipu,
Bhiskatana murti, Bhu-Varaha, the carvings of Elephant and Horse riders,
musicians, dancers, yali and also a miniature prototype of the temple. The
other pillars in the mandapa also consist of similar type of sculpture carved
on their side faces.

The Life-size Dwarapalakas
depicted with four arms standing in cross-legged pose are more attractive. The
doorframe of the Antharala is decorated with a pair of male and female figures
on either side on the lower section. The lintel of the doorframe has Gaja-laxmi
sculpture and the beam above this lintel has carvings of Siva attending by
females. The monolithic Nandi in the mukhamandapa is highly polished and
ornate.

The Torara decorated with flat
makara design with buds at regular intervals on the underside. The granite
block placed above the Torana arch has beautiful carving of Nataraja depicted
with eight arms and dancing on dwarf demon on the east face and the sculpture
of Gaja-laxmi on the west face.

The temple consist of several
sculptures found in the temple premises, now placed in the museum hall lying in
the south of courtyard  and  on platforms arranged beside entrance gate.

The Major days celebrated in the temple are the Sivaratri and Kartika-purnima. All other auspicious days as per the Saiva agamas are performed in the temple.

6AM – 6PM