Mallikarjuna is in the Nallamalla hills at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh. The Srisailam Devasthanam, which runs the temple, names the nearest railway station and airport and warns drivers about the ghat road. This guide follows the visit in the order you meet it, using the devasthanam's own rules.
Getting to Srisailam
The devasthanam names Markapur Road as the nearest railway station, 91 km away, on the Guntur to Hubli line of South Central Railway. From there, buses run to Srisailam. The nearest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International in Hyderabad, 230 km away. The devasthanam says Telangana runs frequent buses from Hyderabad to Srisailam.
By road, the devasthanam gives 180 km from Kurnool, 220 km from Hyderabad, 272 km from Vijayawada and 530 km from Bangalore. It asks drivers in private vehicles to take care on the ghat road. Routes are set out on the how to reach Mallikarjuna page.
The visit inside
The devasthanam's rule is that mobile phones and water bottles are not allowed inside the temple, and photography is prohibited inside. The devasthanam runs cloak rooms, which are free, so leave both there before you join the queue.
The devasthanam's free option is Sarva Darshanam. The FAQ gives up to 1 hour in the queue on weekdays and up to 2 hours at weekends.
The paid options are shorter. Seeghra Darshanam costs Rs 150 and takes about 1.5 hours on regular days. Athi Seeghra Darshanam costs Rs 500 and takes about 30 minutes. Sparsa Darshanam is not included in Athi Seeghra Darshanam.
| Darshan | Price | Queue time (devasthanam FAQ) |
|---|---|---|
| Sarva Darshanam | Free | Up to 1 hour on weekdays, up to 2 hours at weekends |
| Seeghra Darshanam | Rs 150 | About 1.5 hours on regular days |
| Athi Seeghra Darshanam | Rs 500 | About 30 minutes, Sparsa Darshanam not included |
The devasthanam also runs a special queue for disabled people, pregnant and postnatal women and the aged.
The devasthanam FAQ asks for Hindu traditional wear, with no modern clothes and no sleeveless dress. The devasthanam lists dhoti with shirt or kurta and pyjama for men, and saree, half saree or chudidar with dupatta for women. For the Udayasthamana and Pradoshakala sevas, the FAQ asks men for pancha with kanduva and women for a saree or half saree.
Tickets for paid darshan
Paid tickets are sold at the devasthanam counters and online. The FAQ names srisailamonline.com as the site for online darshan tickets, and says to book at least 24 hours before you arrive.
Online tickets cannot be cancelled, moved to another date or given to someone else. Children above 10 need their own ticket. A government ID is required for booking and for darshan entry. Booking details are on the Mallikarjuna booking page.
Stays and the nearby shrines
The devasthanam's rooms can be booked online up to 15 days ahead, with check-in and check-out at 8:00 AM and a safety deposit at check-in. Cancellation is not allowed, and dormitory beds are offline only. A stay in a choultry is limited to 2 days off-season and 1 day on peak days. More is on the where to stay page.
Patalaganga is the bathing ghat on the Krishna, reached by steps. Pilgrims take a dip here, believing it washes away sins. The tonsuring hall (Kalyana Katta) is on the way down. The devasthanam's history page records steps down to the Patalaganga laid by Vitalamba.
Other shrines the devasthanam lists are Umamaheshwaram, Sangameshwaram, Tripuranthakam and Alampuram. Umamaheshwaram is the northern gateway. You can get down at Munnanooru or Rangapuram on the Hyderabad road and walk about 3 km, and there is no bus, though a private vehicle can drive up. Sangameshwaram lies under the Srisailam reservoir for about 8 months a year and is visited from March to June, when the water drops. The devasthanam suggests staying in Kurnool for it. More is on the nearby page.