Srimukhalingam – A Village of Temples

In our quest to explore the unknown we came across Srimukhalingam. With the limited information available with us, we did not have much expectations from the place but as it happens most of the time, it turned out to be another pleasant surprise.

Srimukhalingeshwara temple – another architectural gem in Andhra Pradesh located in an isolated village of Srimukhalingam, near Srikakulam.

Srimukhalingam Temple Timings

The temple is open from morning to evening. It is closed in the afternoon.

Srimukhalingam Temple History

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in form of Mukhalingeswara, Bhimeswara and Someswara and was built in the 9th century by the Eastern Ganga kings . It is considered as one of the finest examples of Indo-Aryan style of architecture.

Srikakulam To Srimukhalingam Bus Timings

We took the bus from Srikakulam early morning. There are buses every one hour from Srikakulam to Srimukhalingam.

Being monsoon time, it was drizzling. We passed through lush green stretches field and coconut trees. There were farmers were working in the field. They reminded me of my village. Though the road was jerky, we were absorbed in the beauty of the place.

 

The bus took a tea-break at a small tea stall. I loved the tea and appreciated it. The tea-seller was so happy that he was not ready to take money from us.

We reached Srimukhalingam in about 90 minutes. As we got down the bus, we could see the beautiful temples nearby. The village was very neat and clean.

There were a couple of temples and we decided to go to the mail temple compound first. The priests dressed in white dhotis were performing their daily chores of puja. There were no travelers except us. This gave us an opportunity to see the temples peacefully.

Enjoy my Srimukhalingam Temple Photos!

The first view inside the temple –

The carvings of the temple were exquisite and most of them in pristine condition, thanks to its inaccessibility.

Lord Ganesha adorned with beautiful flowers and a clean dhoti.

Most of the sculptures were from the stories of the Shiva Purana.

The priests in the temple. They were happy and excited to be photographed. They requested us to send the pictures which we did.

Bramha, the creator –

A beautifully made outlet for abhishekam (a ritual of applying milk, honey, etc to gods)

 

There were some erotica as well.

 

Another small temple in the neighborhood…

 

One of the walls of the temple –

The ladies in the village wore jewellery typical of the place.

 

The farmers wear large hats while working in the field to protect them from sun and rain.

 

We wanted to buy these hats as souvenirs but there were no shops where we could purchase one. We asked one of the farmers if he could give one to us. He readily agreed for a small amount. They were wondering what we would do with the hats :)

The village huts reminded me of our village, which is unfortunately no more the same.

It took us about 3 hours to see the place. It was time to get back to go to another exciting place.

How to go

Srimukhalingam is 35 kms from Srikakulam. Srikakulam is well connected by Indian railway network and is at a distance of 830kms from Hyderabad and takes about 15 hours. From Srikakulam, you can hire a vehicle or take the local bus.

Where to stay

There is no accommodation in Srimukhalingam.

Where to eat

Srimukhalingam is a small village with no eating options. Do carry your food and water.

What to see around

You can combine this trip with Srikakulam, which has some beautiful temples and Salihundam, which is another amazing place. Read about the place here.

A Humble Request

As you can see, these places are untouched by tourism. These places are for us to see and enjoy but we need to do it responsibly. Lets preserve their beauty for future generations to relish.

Google map location

Tips for photographers

Interact with the locals.

Absorb the place. It's very beautiful.

You can go there by your own car. We went by a local bus and it can be time-consuming at times.

Thanksgiving

Thanks to my wife Smita for joining me for this trip.

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