We Hit the Road.
This is My First experience of Writing journey on the bike about 550 odd km. We begin our journey in the morning by 6.30. My idea is to cover the distance as soon as possible to keep away from the sun’s heat. Usually during summer i.e., from April to June the temperature goes above 40 degrees. In the afternoon it’s hard to drive on the high ways and ghat roads. The heat squeezes you like anything. But roads are good.
Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy Temple is located at a height of 450 meters. It is in Andhra Pradesh and popularly called “Srisailam”. From Hyderabad it is about 225 km.
King Harihara Raya in 14th century built this temple with the architectural style of Vijayanagar.
The Temple is surrounded by the walls known for its sculptures and Pathalaganga (river Krishna) passing through the shrine. Srisailam is one of the 12 ‘Jothirlingas’ in India and the symbolizes the holy “Linga of Fire”.
Blaise my friend is a good pillion rider. He has the Camera (Olympus 4x). I take a bed sheet & a pet water bottle. Our trip is for 2 days covering srisailam, saileshwaram and Umamaheshwaram.
After riding for about 80 km our first halt is at Kalva kurthi. We have our breakfast in Udipi hotel and filled our bike with petrol.Drive again for 20 km, I stop at Dindi Dam. Blaise took some photos of dam.
Our Journey to Saileswaram
This is the First ghat road to Srisailam. Mununoor check post, (first check post to srisailam 130km from Hyderabad) we stop the vehicle and buy a mazza 600ml bottle. During rides I prefer liquids to food. After driving for about 30 km we come to the check post of saileshwaram Wild life sanctuary. From Hyderabad it is about 160 km. It is open for 5 days in a year, i.e., in the month of April during chaitra shrudha pornami and Hanuman Jayanthi.
Appended above is the picture of the entrance to Saileshwaram temple. From here, one has to travel 20km to reach the Shrine. As one can see, there is a toll gate collecting a fee of Rs 10 for road maintenance.
When I visited this place earlier (about 3 yrs ago) It was not easy travelling on this road. It was a deserted road with trees all around.
Travelling for 15 to 16 km on this road, one can see small huts of local forest tribe. If we happen to lose our way on this road there will be no one to guide us home.
A Funny Incident
We cruise for about 10km towards saileswaram and see a white Maruthi (800cc) coming from the opposite side. About four people are sitting in the car. They are frightened by some kids of local tribe who were begging for money.
The time is 11.00. I parked the vehicle near a tent took our belongings without wasting the time and started to walk to the temple.
The Path
As one can see from the picture below, walking to the temple is not at all easy. There is no road at all. We follow the rocky path that every tourist follows and walk downwards through the forest. Walking for around four kms, we come to our destination, The Temple
The Picture of the waterfall which is attached below is just beside the Temple.
We spend more time and energy walking upwards.
We have a cool and refreshing bath which made us forget the tiresomeness of the journey.
After the darshanam we come back to the place where our bike is parked. Needless to say,
We spend more time and energy walking upwards.
Riding with Blaise
Blaise is a good Pillion rider. He says that he used to drive Bajaj scooter. But doesn’t know how to drive a bike. While returning from the temple I stop the vehicle in the forest to take some photos.
For km we could see only the trees. We click photos from different angles.
The above picture shows Blaise driving confidently like any other rider. But it took him a lot of time to balance the Bike and place his feet steady on the foot-rests. It also took me a lot of effort to capture the right Frame.
We park the vehicle on the road and walk in the jungle and sit under trees for some time. While conversing casually, I say to Blaise if we sleep for one night in the jungle with no tensions, no work target etc., the joy we experience would be beyond description. I say, “Live like a Tarzan”. He simply smiles but says nothing.
I always feel that we need time to earn money not for living just like others. Throughout our lives we don’t actually know what we are missing in our life. But the Truth is that it is difficult for us to live without the shelter. We always encircle ourselves within four walls. We cannot live without them.
The Main Temple
We come to Srilsailam at 6.00 pm and take a room in a satram (lodge). As soon as we enter the room I want to have a shower. After a refreshing shower, I come out to see that Blaise has fallen sleep on the chair waiting for me. (See the Picture Below.)
After a hectic journey for about 260 km. We are damn hungry. So we decide to take the supper and for Darshan the following day.
In the morning we come to temple. We see that free darshanam there is a big queue. Some people are taking special tickets by spending Rs 50 and Rs100 for a more quicker darshan. I feel strange that after traveling for a couple of hundred kilometers for a holy place, we try to take a short cut to visit god and worship him.
Deities in the Temple
- Vrudha Mallikarjuna Swamy,
- Mallikarjuna swamy temple,
- Bhramaramba Devi temple (Shakti peetha),
- Veerabhadra Swamy Temple,
- Ardhanareeswar,
- Lingam temple built by Pandavas,
- Sanagalabasavanna (Nandhi),
- Tri fruit tree,
- Nityakalyana mandapam,
- Sri Rama and Sita Devi’s sahasralingams,
- Addala (Mirror) Mandapam,
- Gundam,
In the Gundam we can see the Mallikarjuna swamy gopuram shrine in the water.
Places worth visiting outside the Temple
- Sakshi Ganapathi
- Hatakeswaram
- Tiger sanctuary,
- Reservoirs,
- Hydroelectric project 12 gates
- Sikharam
- Phaladhara- Panchadhara
- Kailasadwaram
- Bheemuni Kolanu
- Istakameswari Temple
- Caves Of Akkamahadevi
- Bhramaramba Cheruvu
- Guptha Mallikarjunam
After the darshanam come to Shikaram or the View Point (8 KM) from Srilsailam.
Located at a huge altitude, from the Shikaram, one can see The main temple. It is a custom to view the temple from the space created while touching both the ears of the nandi with the thumb and the middle finger.
We come back to the satram pack our luggage and ride to Umamaheshwaram from Srilsailam, a distance of 145 km.
Umamaheshwaram is located in the nallamala forest range.
The Temple is about 200meters high from the road level. From the top of the temple it is a good place for watching birds and the beauty of the forest. The Temple cuts into a huge hill. This place is popular for its Mysterious papanashanam where one can always find water. The temple built in 12th century by kakatiyas.
Post Script: I am Thankful to my partner Blaise for accompanying me and making the trip a memorable one. I also thanks to my friend Raghavendra help me at that time, I write this article.
