Kalahasti facts for kids
Kalahasti is a special town in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It's a very important place for Hindu people. Many come here to visit a famous and very old temple dedicated to Shiva. Shiva is one of the main gods in Hinduism.
This temple is one of five important Shiva temples in South India. They are known as the Pancha Bootha Sthalams. These five temples each represent one of the five natural elements. The other four temples are in Kanchipuram, Thiruvanaikaval, Tiruvannamalai, and Chidambaram.
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The Sacred Linga
Inside the Kalahasti temple, people worship Shiva in the form of a linga. A linga is a special symbol used to represent Lord Shiva. Many old stories are told about this particular linga.
Ancient Animal Worship
One story says that an elephant, a snake, and a spider all used to worship this linga. They showed their devotion in different ways. Because of their pure worship, the god Shiva blessed them. He helped them achieve moksha, which means spiritual liberation.
The Story of Saint Kannappa
Another famous story is about a saint named Kannappa. He was incredibly devoted to Shiva. The story says that Kannappa even took out his own eyes to offer them to the linga. Shiva was so pleased by this great sacrifice. He appeared in human form and gave Kannappa his eyesight back. Today, Kannappa is honored as one of 63 important saints in Tamil Nadu.
The Vayu Linga Temple
The Sri Kalahasti temple is about 36 kilometers away from the main town. It is especially famous for its Vayudeva temple. This is the only temple in India dedicated to Vayu, who is the god of wind.
A Unique Air Element
This temple is very important because it holds the vayu (air) linga. This means it represents the element of air. There's a special lamp inside the temple's inner room. It flickers constantly, even when there is no air movement. You can also see the air-linga itself seem to move. This happens even when the priests close off the entrance to the main deity room. The room has no windows, making the flickering even more mysterious. The linga is white and is believed to be Swayambhu. This means it appeared on its own, not made by human hands.
Worship of the Linga
The main linga in the temple is never touched by human hands. Even the priests do not touch it directly. Instead, a special bathing ceremony called Abhisheka is performed. During this, a mixture of water, milk, camphor, and panchamrita is poured over the linga. Other offerings like sandal paste, flowers, and a sacred thread are given to a smaller statue, not the main linga.
Temple Surroundings and Architecture
Kalahasti is surrounded by two sacred hills. Each hill has its own special temple.
Temples on the Hills
The Durgamba temple is located on the northern hill. On the southern hill, you can find the shrine of Kannabeswara. This shrine remembers the Sage Kannappa. It honors him for offering his eye to Lord Shiva. When he tried to offer his second eye, Shiva kindly stopped him. There is also another temple dedicated to Subramanya on one of the nearby hills.
Impressive Temple Design
This temple is one of the most amazing Shiva temples in India. It has a huge, very old gopuram, which is a tall tower over the main gate. This tower stands about 36.5 meters (120 feet) high. The entire temple is carved right out of the side of a massive stone hill. King Krishnadeva Raya built this impressive structure in 1516.
The temple is managed by Saivite Brahmins. These are priests who follow the Shiva tradition. They are always neatly dressed.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Gopuram of the Srikalahasteeshwara Temple
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Swarnamukhi river and the bridge at Srikalahasti
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Sri Kalahasteeswara Institute of Technology entrance
See also
In Spanish: Srikalahasti para niños
