Heritage · Faith · Tradition
About the Temple
Introduction
Sri Chandikamba Sametha Someswara Swamy Temple at Kolanupaka, in Alair mandal of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana, is one of the most historic Shiva temples of the Telugu lands. Here Lord Shiva is worshipped as Someswara, in a Swayambhu Linga, together with Goddess Chandikamba. The temple is famous as the place where, according to Veerashaiva tradition, Sri Renukacharya emerged from the Linga, and it is popularly called the Veyi Lingala Gudi – the "Temple of a Thousand Lingas" – after its celebrated Sahasralinga.
Renukacharya and the Swayambhu Linga
Kolanupaka is regarded as the birthplace of Sri Renukacharya, one of the founding teachers of the Veerashaiva tradition. According to tradition, he emerged from the Swayambhu Linga of Someswara, spread the Veerashaiva faith far and wide, and finally merged back into the same Linga. For this reason Kolanupaka is a deeply sacred place for Veerashaiva devotees, and a shrine of Sri Renukacharya stands within the temple complex.
History
Known in ancient times as Kollipaka, Kolanupaka was an important political and religious centre between the 10th and 13th centuries, under the Rashtrakutas, the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani – for whom it served as a second capital – and the Kakatiyas. A Western Chalukya inscription of 1125 CE and a Kakatiya inscription of 1220 CE record the importance of the temple; the later one records the consecration of the Sahasralinga. The temple shows the Chalukya style, and the Kakatiyas later expanded and renovated it, adding square pillared halls, ornate gateways and lotus-carved ceilings in the Kakatiya style.
The Nyaya Linga – a Temple of Justice
In front of the main temple stands the Pramana Mandapam, with a special Nyaya Lingam – the "Linga of Justice". In earlier times, people with disputes would come before this Linga to settle them, swearing the truth in the presence of the Lord. This rare tradition shows how the temple was once the heart of the community's life, not only of its worship.
The Temple Complex
Besides the main shrines of Someswara and Chandikamba and the famous Sahasralinga, the complex has shrines of Sri Renukacharya, Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy, Chandeshwara, Veerabhadra Swamy, Kumaraswamy and others. A site museum maintained by the Telangana Department of Heritage preserves the medieval sculptures and inscriptions found at Kolanupaka – more than a hundred Hindu and Jain sculptures and inscriptions have been identified in the area.
Festivals
- Maha Shivaratri – the main festival, with abhishekams and night-long worship (usually February–March).
- Renukacharya Jayanti – observed every year in honour of Sri Renukacharya, drawing Veerashaiva devotees.
- Karthika Masam – lamps and special worship on the Mondays of the month (usually October–November).
Visitor Information
- Timings: listed as about 6:00 am – 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm; please check locally on festival days.
- Museum: set aside time for the site museum and the sculptures around the temple.
- Combine your visit: the ancient Jain temple of Kolanupaka (Kulpakji) is in the same village.
- Etiquette: traditional dress is recommended; remove footwear before entering.
How to Reach
- By Road: Kolanupaka is near Aler, just off the Hyderabad–Warangal highway, about 80 km from Secunderabad and about 24 km from Yadadri; TGSRTC buses run to Aler.
- By Train: the nearest railway station is Aler, about 7 km away.
- By Air: the nearest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad (Hyderabad), about 107 km away by road.
Nearby Temples
About 24 km away is the great Narasimha kshetra of Yadadri, and further along the Warangal highway are the Bhadrakali Temple and the Kakatiya masterpieces of the Thousand Pillar Temple and Ramappa. Another fine Someswara temple of the same era is the Chaya Someswara Temple, Panagal.
