Must-visit Temples in Andhra Pradesh for a Divine Pilgrimage

Sri Venkateshwara Temple is the most revered and celebrated temple of the temple town of Tirupati having tourists and pilgrims flooding in all year long. Comprising of various complexes inside the premise, the temple is known for its Vishesh Puja, held from 5:30 am till 6:30 am everyday. With the most busy months being September-October due to the Brahmostava festival, this temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, and dates back to the 12th century. This is one of the holiest and the wealthiest temples in the world and millions of devotees flock here to pay their reverence.

Srikalahasti Temple is located in Chittoor district of the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. The temple town of Srikalahasti is popular among devotees who visit the temple along with the highly revered Tirupati Temple, which is just 36 km away. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva is of immense religious importance for Hindus and was constructed in the year 1516 by Krishnadevraya, a king of the Vijayanagara empire. The elaborate structure of the temple complex is a breathtaking view right from the entrance and has intricate carvings of numerous mythological illustrations that one can explore in the divine surroundings.

Lying on the banks of River Pennar, Ranganatha Temple is one of the most revered temples of Nellore. The temple is great religious significance and is considered to be the oldest temples of the area which attracts devotees in such large number. The temple is also known for its beautiful architecture and exquisite carving. It houses seven gold pots adorned with huge mirrors within the temple premises. Addala Mandapam or minor hall situated within the complex is famous for its intricate inlay work.

The Kanaka Durga Temple is a famous shrine dedicated to the Goddess Durga. Located in Vijayawada district of Andhra Pradesh, this astounding architecture is built in Dravidian fashion. The temple is surrounded by the hills of Inrakeeladri, right along the banks of the Krishna River. The temple finds mention in many sacred texts and Vedic literature as well and is a revered temple among devotees and followers. People visit this temple every year to show their respect and devotion to the Goddess Supreme and seek her blessings. The temple has detailed timings and rules of darshans and seva opportunities which can be booked online on their website.

On the southern bank of River Krishna, is a temple, the town Srisailam is known for. The Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, is the most celebrated temple of the town and finds it roots 6 centuries in history, when it was built by King Harihara Raya of Vijayanagar. According to the legend that the temple houses, Goddess Parvati cursed sage Bringi to stand, as he only worshipped Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva, after consoling the goddess, gave him a third leg, so that he could stand more comfortably. Find the idol of sage Bringi standing on three legs here as well as idols of Nandi, Sahasralinga and Nataraja.

Penna Ahobilam is renowned for its Lord Narasimha Swamy Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. The temple complex has temples of Adi Lakshmi Devi Temple and Chenchu Lakshmi Devi. The temple was built on the footprint of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy measuring 5 feet 3 inches. It is believed that a marriage ceremony performed here leads to a happy and fulfilling marriage. Lord Narasimha is the half man, half lion form of Lord Krishna, when he came to save his devotee Prahlad, from his own father.

Yaganti, in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in India, is a popular tourist site that is famous for its temple of Sri Yagantiswamy, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the perfect way to get a feel of the Andhra Pradesh tourism. Also known as Uma Maheshwara Temple, the ancient Sri Yagantiswamy temple dates back to the 5th and 6th centuries. The temple houses the idol of Shiva and Parvathi fused together, called Ardhanareeswara. This fascinating idol is carved out of a single stone and is a marvellous idol of the deities to behold. The festival of Maha Shiv Ratri which falls around October or November each year is celebrated with great pomp and show at the temple.

Known For : Veerabhadra Temple Lepakshi Temple Nandi Bull and Paintings

Lepakshi is a small quaint village with a trail of several great kingdoms that once ruled the area. Located in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh, Lepakshi is located at a distance of 120 km from Bangalore making it a great choice for one day trip. Founded in 1535 AD by Maharaja Aliya Rama Raya of the Vijayanagara empire, Lepakshi is a trove of several fascinating archaeological sites, beautiful ancient temples and rich culture. Each structure narrating a story of its own, this enchanting village also derives its name from Sanskrit language meaning 'rise o bird' and has folklore attached to it.

Best Time: September to February

4 Lepakshi Attractions

Situated in the city of Vishakhapatnam, the Simhachalam temple is an ornate shrine which is revered to be one of the most important temples in the region. The edifice is perched atop a hill 800 metres above the sea level and is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, who is an incarnation of Vishnu himself. Simhachalam Temple is embellished with extremely detailed stone carvings and design and can be spotted from a distance. This is the only temple in the country where Shri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swami- who is a combination of the third and fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu- appears.

Chittoor is a district laden with important temples, one of them being the Kanipakkam Vinayaka Temple. Apart from Tirupati, Tirumala and Srikalahasti, the Vinayaka Temple in Kanipakkam is another reason why pilgrims flock to the district of Chittoor. Situated 56 km from Tirupati, the small town of Kanapakam is the abode of great deity Vinayaka. The temple was ideated and constructed in the 11th century CE by Kulothunga Chola I, a revered Chola king. It was then rebuilt in 1336 by the Vijayanagara dynasty rulers.

A temple town located in Guntur, Seemandhra (Andhra Pradesh). Literally translating to 'The Auspicious Hill', this place is one of the 8 important Mahakshetrams or sacred destinations in India. Mangalagiri holds huge importance in the Indian culture as it is believed that Lord Vishnu had manifested himself on the very soil of Mangalagiri and Goddess Lakshmi performed penance on the peak of the hill as well. Owing to the legends pertaining to the divine, there is a tremendous footfall of believers here throughout the year.

At a little distance from the main city area, one finds the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple dedicated to Goddess Padmavathi. One of the many sacred structures of Tirupati, this one is home to many legends and stories about the Goddess. The legend has it that while Akasha Raja of Thondamandalam was having a great yagna performed and had the earth ploughed, he found a little girl in a lotus flower, and hence the name.

The Thousand Pillar Temple is an ancient temple that is tucked away in a small town named Hanamakonda in the vibrant state of Telangana. As the name suggests, the temple has over one thousand pillars, some of which are a part or extension of adjacent pillars! These pillars are so tightly knit, they practically form the walls of the temple. Constructed in a star-shaped architecture, the Thousand Pillars Temple is a popular pilgrimage centre which welcomes more than 1000 devotees almost every day.

The magnificent structure of Ramappa Temple is situated about 77 kilometres away from the main city of Warangal, right in the heart of the ancient capital of the Kakatiya Dynasty. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is believed to have been constructed over a period of 40 years. It was built by General Recherla Rudra during the period of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva. The edifice of Ramappa Temple is an exquisite example of Kakatiya style of design and is covered in detailed carvings that depict the life in the olden times. The intricate architecture and mighty foundation has stood the test of time and is a wonderful look into the culture and history of Hyderabad.

Inavolu Mallanna Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Mallikarjun Swami who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. It was built by the Karkatiya Kings in the 11th century. The astounding temple architecture with beautiful carvings on the pillars and the walls emphasise on the religious importance the shrine had during their reign. The annual Mallana Jatra is celebrated with great enthusiasm at the temple.

Goddess Bhadrakali is one of the ten great manifestations of the Supreme Goddess of Hindu cosmic mythology and the Bhadrakali temple at Warangal is devoted to the god of rage and fury and protector of the goodness from the darkness. The temple is in a real sense an ancient one – dating back to 625 AD to the era of the Chalukyan kings or so is depicted from the in-house inscriptions. Not just history and mysticism, the magnificent temple is an attraction because of its picturesque beauty of natural rock formation and the vast lake that creates an undeniable spiritual serenity about the place.

Kolanu Bharathi Saraswathi Temple is an important pilgrim centre dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The century-old tradition of Aksharabhyasam is performed at this ancient temple. It is also considered to be the abode of Goddess Sri Bharati. The temple complex also has a Shivalinga, known as the Sapta Linga Kshetram, and a statue of Kaala Bhairav who protects the region.

Located amidst beautiful surroundings, the Sakshi Ganapati Temple is a small little shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Devotees believe that Lord Ganesha knows who visits the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. He keeps a record and shows it to Lord Shiva. Hence, devotees visit this temple first to register their visit before visiting any other temple in Srisailam. There is a modest climb of 10 steps to reach the sanctum of this temple. The most alluring part about the temple is its location as the temple nestles amongst dense woods.

Located in the scenic hills covered with dense forestation, the Nava Narsimha Temples are of great religious importance in the region. The temples are dedicated to the nine forms of Lord Narasimha and are distributed all over the hill. The temples have idols of the deity in their respective forms made of stone. Most devotees cover all the temples in one trip to the region.

Located amidst beautiful surroundings, the Sakshi Ganapati Temple is a small little shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Devotees believe that Lord Ganesha knows who visits the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. He keeps a record and shows it to Lord Shiva. Hence, devotees visit this temple first to register their visit before visiting any other temple in Srisailam. There is a modest climb of 10 steps to reach the sanctum of this temple. The most alluring part about the temple is its location as the temple nestles amongst dense woods.

Located in the scenic hills covered with dense forestation, the Nava Narsimha Temples are of great religious importance in the region. The temples are dedicated to the nine forms of Lord Narasimha and are distributed all over the hill. The temples have idols of the deity in their respective forms made of stone. Most devotees cover all the temples in one trip to the region.

Sai Baba Temple is an important pilgrim centre in the district located on the banks of the enchanting River Tungabhadra. The temple is a beautiful star-shaped structure with a traditional Shikhara in the centre on the top. The sanctum sanctorum has an idol of Sai Baba made of pristine white marble. The complex also houses a meditation hall that can accommodate about 800 people at a time.

The miraculous temple of Sri Suryanarayana in Arasavalli is said to have the power to cure ailments such as blindness, barrenness, skin diseases etc. With an enriching history and medieval Indian architecture, the temple was built by the Eastern Kalinga king, Devendra Varma in the 7th century which was later renovated in the 18th century. Considered as one of the oldest sun temples in the country, it is revered by a large part of the population.

Dating back to around 400 years, Sri Chengalamma Parameshwari Temple was built by the Chola dynasty. An intriguing aspect to note about the idol is the fact that the left portion depicts Goddess Parvati while the right portion depicts Goddess Saraswati. The goddess was initially known as Tenkali and later on, recognized as Chengali or Chengalamma, a powerful goddess in Southern India.