SRIKALAHASTI

The holy town of Srikalahasti is the Mandal headquarters of the Srikalahasti Mandal, and is considered an incredibly holy place. The name of the town – SriKalahasti – is derived from the symbolic creatures Sri (spider), Kala (snake) and Hasti (elephant) who are all associated with Lord Shiva according to Hindu mythology.

The most beautiful aspect of the city of Sri Kalahasti is the famous Vayu Linga Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, where Vayu Lingam represents “wind”. The spirituality of Sri Kalahasti blends in seamlessly with the serenity of its natural surroundings, creating a spiritual ambience that is sought after by thousands of people. This is one of the primary attractions of this town.

There are several beautiful places to explore when you are visiting the Temple city of Sri Kalahasti. Some of the most popular places are the Srikalahasteeswara Temple, also known as the “Kailash” of  South India, the picturesque Veyilingala Kona Waterfall – which means “the valley of a thousand lingas”, the Sri Subrahmanya Swamy Temple which is famously dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Bharadwaja Tirtham, and the Sahasra Linga Temple where 1,000 Shiva Lingams are carved out of a single rock.

Srikalahasti is, however, not only famous for its temples and spirituality. When you are in town, you can also engage in other outdoor activities as well. The lush green mountains, the cascading waterfalls and an undulating terrain present the opportunity for many adventurous sports such as boating, trekking, paragliding, and other interesting water sports. You can try your hand at kayaking and windsurfing as well.

Since the city of Sri Kalahasti lies almost at a sea level at an elevation of 69 metres, the climate of this region is mainly tropical. Rainfall is moderate to heavy during the summers, which is followed by the monsoons. Rainfall is scarce during the winter months, which is between October to February. The average temperature remains at around 28.8 degrees Celsius throughout the year.