Heritage · Faith · Tradition
About the Temple
Introduction
Sri Pachala Someswara Swamy Temple at Panagal, about 4 km from Nalgonda in Telangana, is one of the finest examples of medieval Deccan temple architecture. It takes its name from its unusual Shiva Linga of green onyx – pacha means green in Telugu – and is celebrated for the richly carved pillars of its great hall. Together with the nearby Chaya Someswara Temple, it makes Panagal one of the most important heritage sites of the Nalgonda region.
The Green Linga
The presiding deity is Lord Shiva as Someswara, worshipped in a Linga made of green onyx stone, with a Nandi facing him. This green stone gave the temple its name, Pachala Someswara. Local tradition also tells that a precious emerald once lay beneath the Linga, though it has long since been lost.
History
The temple was probably built in the 11th–12th century, during the rule of the Kunduru Chodas – a branch of the Telugu Cholas who ruled the Panagal region – and of the Kakatiya king Prataparudra I (Rudradeva). Its architecture belongs to the same tradition as the neighbouring Chaya Someswara Temple, showing Chalukya features that later flowered in the Kakatiya style.
The Temple and Its Carvings
The temple has four shrines – three on the western side and one on the eastern side – which share a large rectangular mandapam. The hall is supported by about 70 pillars, each covered with intricate carvings that tell stories of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu and scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. These carved pillars are the temple's greatest treasure, and visitors interested in sculpture can spend a long time reading the stories in stone.
Panagal Museum
The Panagal Museum, an archaeological museum, was established in the premises of the temple in 1982. It holds hundreds of artifacts from the region – sculptures, inscriptions, coins and other objects – including some from the early centuries CE, when the Ikshvakus ruled the Krishna valley. A visit to the museum adds much to an understanding of Panagal's long history.
Festivals
- Maha Shivaratri – abhishekams and night-long worship (usually February–March).
- Karthika Masam – lamps and special worship on the Mondays of the month (usually October–November).
Visitor Information
- Timings: official timings for the temple and the museum are not published; please check locally before visiting.
- Combine your visit: the Chaya Someswara Temple, famous for the shadow that falls on its Linga all day, is about 1 km away.
- Etiquette: traditional dress is recommended; remove footwear before entering the shrine.
How to Reach
- By Road: Panagal is about 4 km from Nalgonda town and about 100 km from Hyderabad; autorickshaws are available from Nalgonda, which is well connected by TGSRTC buses.
- By Train: the nearest railway station is Nalgonda, about 3 km away.
- By Air: the nearest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad (Hyderabad), about 115 km away by road.
Nearby Temples
Besides Chaya Someswara, lovers of Telangana's temple heritage can continue to the Kakatiya masterpieces of Ramappa and the Thousand Pillar Temple, Hanamkonda. Pilgrims in the region also visit Yadadri.
