Gudimallam Parasurameswara Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tirupati Airport, the second-largest in Andhra Pradesh, is 15 km from Tirupati city centre. The temple is about 24 km south-east of that city.

• By train

  Tirupati railway station, in the city, is among the busiest stations in India.

• By road

  National highways NH 16, NH 71, NH 140, NH 716 and NH 565 pass through Tirupati district, where the temple lies in Yerpedu mandal.

Why devotees come here

Parasurameswara Temple stands in Gudimallam village, about 24 km south-east of Tirupati city in Andhra Pradesh. Its linga is datable to the second or third century BC, and a standing figure of Shiva is carved on its front.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here as Parasurameshwara. The legend of the temple connects it to Parasurama, an avatar of Vishnu. Devotees believe the linga depicts the trinity. The linga is carved from hard dark brown local stone, and Shiva stands in high relief on its front in a standing pose.

The existing building is usually dated to the later Chola and Vijayanagara periods. An inscription of Vikramachola's time records a complete rebuilding of the temple in 1126 AD. The earliest inscription belongs to the reign of Nandivarma Pallava and is dated 802 AD. The Archaeological Survey of India has protected the temple since 1954.

The sanctum has a square plan set inside an apsidal structure, so the inner shrine curves behind the linga. The linga stands in the garbhagriha, the inner sanctum. The vimana over the shrine is built of brick and is hollow inside. Its shape resembles a linga nut, which is why it is called the lingakruti vimana.

Tips for your visit

• The official site has a Sevas and Darshan page, which needs a browser with JavaScript switched on.
• Look for the standing figure of Shiva on the front of the linga before you turn to the shrine's brick vimana.

Questions people ask