EXPLORE
Chaya Someswara Temple
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Period : 12th Century
Deity : Siva
District : Panagal
Management: Department of Heritage Telangana.
Info: Chaya Someshwara Temple is located towards the west side of Pangal is famous for its still shadow falling on the Siva Linga throughout the day and hence called as Chaya Someswara Temple. The temple architecture and arrangement of pillars is considered as an engineering marvel.
Temple was built in 12th century by
Udayanachoda of the Kanduru Chola branch who excavated the tank Udayasamudra.
There is an inscription of Kakatiya Prataparudra engraved at the entrance recording
some grants to God. Abhinava Somanathadevara.
Art
& Architecture
The
temple complex consists of Trikuta (triple shrine) temple being the main temple
and five subsidiary shrines within a prakara having an entry on Eastern side
and exist on the western side surmounted by double storied pravesa mandapas.
The Trikuta temple, with a central shrine
facing south flanked by two shrines on both side facing east and west. All the
three temples are connected with a common rangamandapa.
The Garbhagriha is square and arthamandapa
is rectangular on plan. The peculiarity of the arthamandapa lies is in the two
pillars arranged on either side of its entrance. There is a kakshasana, resting
bench like structure all around the Rangamandapa.
The doorframes are so delicately carved
with dwarapalas and sakhas and Gajalakshmi motif on the lintel. The central four
pillars are decorated with bands and intricate carvings depicted with Ramayana
themes.
The interesting aspect of the temple is
the shadow that falls on the linga entire day. The skilled architects of the
temple have successfully devised it through a special arrangement of light
coming from the opposite directions of the left side temple falls on the two
pillars of the ardamandapa, which intersect each other and finally the shadow
becomes one vertical column and falls on the Linga. It is an engineering Marvel
and no other of its kind reported from our country.
There is a temple tank towards the northeast corner of the temple built of steps all around.
The most celebrated festivals in the
temple are Maha-Sivaratri and Kartika purnima. All holy days as per the Saiva
agamas are observed in the temple.
6AM-12PM, 3PM- 8PM
