Amararama Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple

అమరారామం అమరలింగేశ్వర స్వామి ఆలయం

Shiva · Amaralingeswara Swamy · with Bala Chamundika

Linga

Amaravathi, Amaravathi, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh · Shaiva tradition

It is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras; in the Amaravati sthala purana the biggest of the five pieces of the broken linga fell here.

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Darshan hours
  • 6:00 am – 12:00 pm · Morning darshan
  • 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm · Evening darshan
Getting there
Train: Vijayawada Junction (BZA)Air: Vijayawada International Airport (VGA)

Not yet confirmed: dress code, phone rules, entry for visitors of other faiths, walking distance. Ask at the temple office or enquiry counter — and if you know, tell us. hello@aalayakatha.com

Full visiting details

Sthala purana

The story of this place

2 accounts are recorded. Each is told separately, in the words of its own tradition — they are never merged.

Family note: this story includes violence or death.
Told in: The Amaravati sthala purana (as summarised by M. Krishna Kumari) and Telugu popular tradition (as retold in the press)

The biggest piece of Tarakasura's linga

Tarakasura is an asura ruler and a devotee of Shiva. He carries a Shiva linga in his throat, and while he holds it he cannot be killed.

Indra and the devas go to war with him. Kumaraswamy — Kartikeya, the son of Shiva — attacks Tarakasura and cuts him down, but the torn pieces of the asura's body keep joining together again. As long as the linga is whole, the fight cannot be finished.

The accounts differ on who supplies the remedy. In the Amaravati sthala purana, as summarised by the historian M. Krishna Kumari, Shiva himself tells the devas that the linga must be broken and that breaking it will bring about Tarakasura's death. In the version retold in Telugu popular tradition, it is Vishnu who explains it, and he adds a warning: the pieces will try to reunite, so each one must be fixed to the ground where it lands.

Kumaraswamy breaks the linga in Tarakasura's throat into five pieces. The popular retelling says he uses the agneyastra, the weapon of fire. The five pieces fall at five different places, and Tarakasura dies.

In the popular retelling it is Surya, the sun, who secures the pieces, fastening them down and raising temples over them. The scaly marks on the five lingas are explained in that tradition as the scars of the fire-weapon. The five places are the Pancharamas: Amararama, Draksharama, Somarama, Ksheerarama and Kumararama.

Amaravati's own sthala purana gives the sequel. Indra goes with the devas to the place where the biggest and first piece of the linga fell, and establishes worship for it there — at Amaravati, on the Krishna. The same sthala purana says Shiva was already living here with his attendants at Dhanyakataka, the old name of the place, as Kraunchanathudu, and that Indra and the sage Kapila worshipped Amareswara here. The other four pieces, it says, fell at the places that became the other Pancharamas.

Told differently elsewhere. This account does not agree with “The Tripuras' linga, cut in five”, given on this page too. We tell each as its own tradition tells it, and do not choose between them.

Where this account comes from

  • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 28–30 archive.org
  • Press: Swarajya, "Trilinga Desa: The Telugu States' Tryst With The Divine" (Ratnakar Sadasyula), 24 February 2017 swarajyamag.com · seen 2026-10-09
Told in: The Bhimeswara Puranamu of Srinatha (Telugu, 14th–15th c., rendered from the Sanskrit Bhimakhanda), fourth ashvasa — as summarised by M. Krishna Kumari and by the East Godavari district administration

The Tripuras' linga, cut in five

Shiva destroys the asuras of the Tripuras with the Pashupata weapon after their boons turn them against the devas. The great stone linga they worshipped survives, and Shiva cuts it into five pieces, which Indra, Soma, Rama, Kumara and the god of Draksharama's own shrine receive at five places. This is the account of Srinatha's Telugu Bhimeswara Puranamu, the sthala purana of Draksharama. Here the piece is set up by Indra at Dharanikota on the Krishna.

Read this account

Vishnu, taking the form of Mohini, shares out the nectar of immortality and favours the devas over the asuras. The asuras, led by the lords of the Tripuras — the three cities — are left out. On the advice of the sage Narada they turn to penance, and Shiva grants them boons.

Strengthened by those boons, the Tripura asuras oppress the devas, who go to Shiva for help. Shiva burns the asuras and their kingdoms with the Pashupata weapon, and from that act he takes the name Tripurantaka, the destroyer of the Tripuras.

One thing survives the fire: a huge stone linga that the Tripuras had worshipped as their tutelary deity. Shiva cuts it into five pieces, and the five are set up at five places.

This is the account given in the fourth ashvasa of the Bhimeswara Puranamu, the Telugu sthala purana of Draksharama written by the poet Srinatha, who lived at the Reddi court of Rajahmundry and rendered the work from the Sanskrit Bhimakhanda. In it, Indra sets up one piece at Dharanikota on the bank of the Krishna, where it becomes Amareswara of Amararama. Soma sets up another on the bank of the Godavari at the village of Gunupudi. Rama sets up the third at Balakota, where it becomes Ramalingeswara of Ksheerarama. Kumara sets up the fourth at Bhimavaram, the capital of the Chalukyas. The remaining piece is set up at Draksharama itself.

At Amaravati the account gives the piece to Indra, who sets it up at Dharanikota on the Krishna, where it becomes Amareswara. Dharanikota, the old fortified town beside Amaravati, is the same place the CRDA's history of Amaravati describes as a seat of Shaivism under the Eastern Chalukyas.

Told differently elsewhere. This account does not agree with “The biggest piece of Tarakasura's linga”, given on this page too. We tell each as its own tradition tells it, and do not choose between them.

Where this account comes from

  • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 17–18 archive.org
  • Government: East Godavari District Administration, "Sri Chalukya Kumararama Sri Bhimeswaraswamy vari Temple, Samalkot" eastgodavari.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

In one minute

Why Amararama Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple matters

Each line says who it comes from and how settled it is. What the labels mean

  1. It is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras; in the Amaravati sthala purana the biggest of the five pieces of the broken linga fell here.

    2 sources for: It is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras; in the Amaravati sthala purana the bi
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 28–29 archive.org
    • Government: West Godavari District Administration, "Tourist Places" westgodavari.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  2. Its tradition makes Indra the founder of worship here, and a 12th-century inscription already describes the god Amareswara as worshipped by Indra.

    3 sources for: Its tradition makes Indra the founder of worship here, and a 12th-century inscri
    • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India, "Amaralingeswara Temple" incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 28–29 archive.org

  3. It stands on the bank of the Krishna in the same village as the Amaravati Buddhist stupa, and Buddhist sculpture has been recovered from the temple precinct.

    2 sources for: It stands on the bank of the Krishna in the same village as the Amaravati Buddhi
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India, "Amaralingeswara Temple" incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 19–23 archive.org

  4. Satavahana-period Shaiva sculpture — a chaturmukha linga and a near life-size Nandi — has been found in the temple area.

    Source for: Satavahana-period Shaiva sculpture — a chaturmukha linga and a near life-size Na
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 22–23 archive.org

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Dravida

Krishna Kumari describes the temple as of the Dravidian type, with a shikhara that has been renovated several times; Incredible India describes it as blending Dravidian and Nagara styles. The ground-floor entrance is blocked, so the basal platform cannot be studied.

  • Sanctum

    The two-storey linga

    The linga is tall enough to rise through two floors of the shrine.

  • Sculpture

    Limestone ceiling medallions

    Limestone medallions set into the ceiling.

  • Inscription

    Inscribed walls

    Thirty-five inscriptions on the temple walls, the earliest dated AD 1129; pillar inscriptions record lamp gifts to the Buddha by the Kota chief Keta II.

  • Gateway tower

    Gopuram and pillars

    A tall gopuram, carved pillars and intricate carvings, as described by Incredible India.

  • Detail

    The Krishna

    The temple stands on the bank of the Krishna river.

    Where to stand: On the riverbank side of the temple.

Yatra

Plan your visit

Darshan times

Morning darshanIncredible India lists the morning session as ending at "12:00 AM"; this is taken to mean noon.6:00 am – 12:00 pm
Evening darshan4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Confirm on the day. Times change on festival days and without notice. These times are not from the temple’s own notice.

Before you go

  • No dress code or entry rules have been confirmed for this temple yet. Traditional, modest clothing is always the safe choice; ask at the entrance.

Walking, steps and access

We have not yet confirmed how much walking or climbing is involved, or whether there is wheelchair access. If you are travelling with elders, ask at the temple office or the devasthanam enquiry counter before you set out.

Getting there

  • By air: Vijayawada International Airport (VGA)Nearest airport per Incredible India.
  • By train: Vijayawada Junction (BZA)Nearest railway station per Incredible India.
  • By road: GunturNearest road hub; not yet confirmed by an official source, so check locally.

Routes are general guidance and not yet checked against an official source.

PIN 522020 (not yet checked with India Post)

The order of darshan

No published source gives the order in which to visit the shrines here, so we have not invented one. Follow the queue and the temple staff.

Festivals

  • Maha Shivaratri

    Feb–Mar · Magha

    The principal festival of the temple, with special prayers and ceremonies through the night of Shiva.

Itihasa

Through time

Two registers, kept apart on purpose: what the Puranas tell, and what the historical record shows. They answer different questions and we do not force them to agree.

In the Puranas and tradition

  1. Indra establishes worship of the biggest piece

    In the Amaravati sthala purana, Indra and the devas establish worship at the place where the biggest piece of Tarakasura's linga fell. The accounts do not say in which yuga this happened.

    Source for: Indra establishes worship of the biggest piece
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 28–29 archive.org

In the historical record

  1. c. 1–200

    Satavahana-period origin

    Incredible India states that the temple is believed to have been built under the Satavahanas. Krishna Kumari records a chaturmukha linga of Satavahana workmanship (c. 1st–2nd century AD) and a near life-size Satavahana-period Nandi from the temple area, as evidence of Shaivism at Amaravati in the early centuries AD — evidence for the cult at the site, not for the present building.

    Disagrees with: Built by the Eastern Chalukya king Amma Raja II; An 11th-century date, argued from the inscriptions

    2 sources for: Satavahana-period origin
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India, "Amaralingeswara Temple" incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 22–23 archive.org

  2. c. 945–970

    Built by the Eastern Chalukya king Amma Raja II

    The CRDA's history of Amaravati credits the Eastern Chalukya king Amma Raja II with constructing the Amareswara temple. The CRDA document files this under a 7th-century heading; the years shown are Amma Raja II's regnal dates as given by the East Godavari administration.

    Disagrees with: Satavahana-period origin; An 11th-century date, argued from the inscriptions

    2 sources for: Built by the Eastern Chalukya king Amma Raja II
    • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Government: East Godavari District Administration, "Sri Chalukya Kumararama Sri Bhimeswaraswamy vari Temple, Samalkot" eastgodavari.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  3. c. 1001–1100

    An 11th-century date, argued from the inscriptions

    Krishna Kumari notes that no stone inscription at the temple is earlier than AD 1129, takes the absence as a sign of later origin, and — allowing about fifty years for a shrine to gain fame — proposes the 11th century.

    Disagrees with: Satavahana-period origin; Built by the Eastern Chalukya king Amma Raja II

    Source for: An 11th-century date, argued from the inscriptions
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 28–29 archive.org

  4. 1129

    Earliest dated inscription

    The earliest dated of the thirty-five inscriptions on the temple walls is of AD 1129.

    Source for: Earliest dated inscription
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 28–29 archive.org

  5. 1184

    Kota chief Keta II's inscription

    An inscription of the Kota chief Keta II at Amaravati, dated AD 1184, mentions the Buddhist stupa as the place where Shiva named Amareswara presided. The CRDA's history quotes a Kota-period inscription describing the temple of Shambhu named Amareswara as worshipped by Indra.

    2 sources for: Kota chief Keta II's inscription
    • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, p. 19 archive.org
    • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  6. c. 1201–1400

    Kakatiya patronage

    The CRDA's history records that the Kakatiyas, who administered Dharanikota in the 13th and 14th centuries, extended their patronage to the Amareswara temple.

    Source for: Kakatiya patronage
    • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  7. Developed by Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu

    Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu, the zamindar who moved his seat to Dharanikota, developed the temple and appointed nine archakas with a means of livelihood. The press retelling presents this as penance for his massacre of the Chenchus.

    2 sources for: Developed by Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu
    • Press: Swarajya, "Trilinga Desa: The Telugu States' Tryst With The Divine" (Ratnakar Sadasyula), 24 February 2017 swarajyamag.com · seen 2026-10-09
    • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

Around here

Worth the detour

  • Place

    Amaravati Buddhist stupa

    Ruined Buddhist stupa and other remains, an ASI-protected site in the same village; Keta II's 1184 inscription names it alongside Amareswara.

  • Museum

    Amaravati Archaeological Museum

    Museum of the Amaravati excavations, a few minutes from the temple.

  • Place

    Dhyana Buddha statue

    Buddha statue in Amaravati, listed by Incredible India among the nearby sites.

Sources

Where this page comes from

  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India, "Amaralingeswara Temple" incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, "History of Amaravati" (historical timeline document) crda.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Scholarship: M. Krishna Kumari, Pancharamas in Medieval Andhradesa, Agam Kala Prakashan, 1989, pp. 1–31 archive.org
  • Press: Swarajya, "Trilinga Desa: The Telugu States' Tryst With The Divine" (Ratnakar Sadasyula), 24 February 2017 swarajyamag.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: West Godavari District Administration, "Tourist Places" westgodavari.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: East Godavari District Administration, "Sri Chalukya Kumararama Sri Bhimeswaraswamy vari Temple, Samalkot" eastgodavari.ap.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Archaeological Survey of India: Archaeological Survey of India, Alphabetical List of Monuments — Andhra Pradesh, no. 45: Ruined Buddhist stupa and other remains, Amaravati, Guntur asi.nic.in · seen 2026-10-09

Cite this page

Aalaya Katha Foundation, “Amararama Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple”, Aalaya Katha, version last reviewed 2026-10-09. https://www.aalayakatha.com/temple/amararama-amaravathi (accessed ).

Last reviewed 2026-10-09. How we label sources and confidence