Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Srikalahasteeswara Temple

శ్రీకాళహస్తీశ్వర దేవస్థానము

Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh · 13.7500°, 79.6983°

Shiva as Vayu Lingam (air)CholaDravidaPaadal Petra SthalamPancha Bhoota Sthalam
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
Chola core; 100-pillar mandapa 1516
patron: Cholas; Krishnadevaraya (gopuram & mandapa)

History & significance

The air-element shrine of the five-element temples — a lamp inside the windless sanctum flickers perpetually — and the great centre of Rahu-Ketu serpent-affliction remedies, drawing worshippers for kala sarpa dosha pujas. Effectively the 'Kailasa of the South' paired with nearby Tirumala.

Sthala katha — the legend

Named for three devotees — the spider (Sri) who wove webs to shade the linga, the serpent (Kala) who crowned it with gems, and the elephant (Hasti) who bathed it daily; and hallowed by Kannappa, the hunter-saint who offered his own eyes to staunch the linga's bleeding and was stopped by Shiva's hand.

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Related sites

Brihadisvara Temple
Thanjavur · India
1003–1010 CE
Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram · India
c. 1035 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai · India
current structure largely 16th–17th c.
Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola