The Pancharama Kshetras – the five sacred aramas of Lord Shiva – are five ancient Shiva temples of Andhra Pradesh. Four of them stand in the green Godavari delta, and one on the banks of the Krishna river. For centuries, Shiva devotees of the Telugu lands have honoured them together as one sacred pilgrimage.
According to tradition, the asura Tarakasura held a powerful Shiva Lingam that made him almost impossible to defeat, and he tormented the Devas. Lord Kumaraswamy (Subrahmanya), the son of Shiva and Parvati, led the Devas into battle and slew him. The Lingam the asura held was broken, and its five pieces fell at five places on earth. Each piece was enshrined and worshipped, and these five shrines became the Pancharamas. Each temple also cherishes its own story of who first worshipped the Lingam there.
Several of these temples – including those at Draksharama, Samarlakota and Bhimavaram – are associated with the Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima, and some are protected as monuments of national importance. They remain living temples where daily worship continues.
Devotees traditionally try to visit all five Pancharamas, and many make the journey on a single day during the holy month of Karthika Masam (October–November), which is especially dear to Lord Shiva. Maha Shivaratri (February–March) is also celebrated with great devotion at all five temples.