Temples decked up for Sivaratri celebrations

Atmakuru: All set for celebration of Sivaratri festival at Siva pilgrimage centres in Nallamala forest region in Srisailam Assembly constituency. The temples are decorated in all respects for the festival occasion. The temples reverberate with people chanting Om Namah Sivaya.

The important Siva temples in the region are: Rudrakoteswaram, Sapta Maheshwaram, Sangameshwaram, which is located at the confluence of seven rivers, Kolanu Bharati, only temple for Goddess Saraswati in Andhra Pradesh, Omkaram, Mahanandi and Nagaluti Veerabhadra temple.

At Rudrakoteswaram, Lord Siva gave darshan to over one crore sages observing penance. The temple is located just 20 km away from Atmakuru. Lord Siva was stated to have retreated to hills at Guptamaheswaram as he was tired of fulfilling the wishes of the devotees. Gupta dynasty rulers have built two temples here. 

The legend associated with the Sangameshwara temple is that the eldest of the Pandavas Dharmaraju had installed a Siva Linga made of neem tree at the confluence of seven rivers. At Kolanu Bharati temple, Saint Adisankaracharya installed Srichakra.

The primordial sound of OM is reverberated through the Nallamala forests. Sages, who heard the pious sound installed a Siva Linga and worshiped Lord Siva in the form of Siddeshwara. The Mahanandi and Veerabhadra temples date back to Krita Yuga. 

At Mahanandi shrine, people worship the bull, carrier of Lord Shiva. The Kshetrapala of Srisaialm–Veerabhadra is worshipped in Nagaluti
temple.