The Srikalahastisvara temple, which originated in the 7th century C.E., is one of the oldest and most important temples in India in general and South India in particular. Siva manifested Himself here in the form of vayu-linga, one of the five elements of nature. The name of the god, Srikalahastisvara, is derived from his devotees who got salvation here. It is unique that not only the human beings but also animals and creatures got moksha at this place. The consort of the god is worshipped in the form of Gnanaprasunamba. The darshan of god and goddess by a devotee gets prana (Vayu) and buddhi (Jnana), respectively. Since the 12th century C.E., the Mrityunjayesvara shrine has been in existence in the second prakara of the main temple; it can give remedy to all planetary disorders. Thus Srikalahasti became an important and popular place in India to get rid of planetary curses by worshipping Rahu and Ketu.
The Cholas and their successors belonging to different dynasties made significant contributions to the architectural and economic growth of the temple. The Vijayanagara rulers made liberal donations in the form of kind and cash, land and villages for various offerings and conduct of festivals to the god and goddess. The temple has beautiful sculptures and paintings. The Sivaratri celebrations draw thousands of devotees to the temple. Besides this, Srikalahasti has also been a famous center for Kalamkari art and Kai-kal sarees since medieval times, and they are still being continued on the traditional lines. It is also famous for wooden carving images and toys. All these aspects, legends, and the uniqueness of the temple with its architecture and sculpture have been discussed here with beautiful illustrations.
