Three weeks back (I think it is on March 15th 2009) we have been to one village near Tirupathi to attend one of our colleague marriages. It was 4 of us including me started from Bangalore on March 13 09, night around at 11:30 PM to Thirupathi by Tata Indica cab. We reached Alipiri around at 4:15 AM on March 14th 09, with the help of a broker there we got the tickets easily with out standing in a big queue. We proceeded to up of the hill and quickly finished routine things. Two of us had their head shaved completely. Then we entered in queue as scheduled, at 8:20 AM. We had darshan very quickly around at 9 AM. We were very happy as every where God is with us and pushed us to front row till we come down. With out much pain itself we got enough extra laddos also.

Immediately we proceeded to Kalahasti from Alipiri. But on the way one of my friends proposed another temple called “Gudi mallam”. Gudimallam is a small village situated just 3 km east of Papanaidupeta, Chittoor District. It is seven miles away from Renigunta Railway Junction of considerable significance. Though a small village, historically it is very important, because it has a beautiful Siva Temple which is popularly known as "the Parasurameswara Temple." Gudimallam is just 30-km east of Tirupati.The main importance of the temple lies in the Linga which is housed in the Garbhagudi of the temple. This is supposed to be the earliest Linga discovered so far and it has been assigned to the 2nd or 1st century B.C.

The village contains ancient but beautiful temple of Parashurameshwara. This temple is said to have built by Pallavas. It has a remarkable lingam, which is 1.5m high, with a figure of Lord Shiva carved on its shaft. Inside the main enclosure there is a small temple, which has an attractive idol of 'Surya Deva'. The linga strcture and shape can be seen in the above image.

The name of the temple is mentioned as Parasurameswara Temple in the inscriptions. These inscriptions do not refer to the original builders of the temple. But they register the gifts made to the temple like land, money and cows for the conduct of daily worship in the temple.The Black and Redware sherds of the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. as been brought to light during the course of excavations conducted in 1973. Potsherds of the Andhra Satavahana period (Circa 1st century A,D. to 2nd century A.D.) and large sized bricks measuring 42+21+6 cms. Of the same period have also been found. Hence some historians assign the temple to the Satavahana period. GUDIMALLAM SIVA LINGA As for the political history and the name of the place there is no unanimity among the historians. In the temple there are several inscriptions on the walls of the shrine as well as on loose stone slabs located in the court yard of the temple belonging to the Pallava, Ganga Pallava, Bana and Chola periods. The earliest inscription belongs to the reign of Nandivarma pallava(802 A.D.).

All these inscriptions speak about the keen interest taken by the donors and their gifts to the Temple. But no where in the inscriptions there is mention about the name of the village as Gudimallam. The floor of the sanctum is at a low level compared to the floor level of the Antarala and Mukhamantapa. Secondly the figure of Siva carved on the linga resembles a vigorous hunter. These two names however are not mentioned in the inscriptions. The village is referred as Viprapita (Brahmana Agrahara) and Linga:—The Linga is carved out of hard indigenious stone of dark brown colour. It is about 5* in height and one foot in thickness. The nut of the linga is clearly differentiated from the shaft by a deep slanting groove cut near the Linga. A beautiful two handed image of Shiva in sthanaka posture is carved in high relief. On the front portion of the Linga the God is standing on the shoulders of the apasmarapurusha. The Deity holds a ram in his right hand and a small vessel in his left hand. There is a battle axe (Parasu) resting on his left shoulder. His head is adorned with Jatas arranged in the Jatabhara fashion. He wears a number of rings on the ears and a peculiar girdle with its central part hanging. Though the God wears a dhoti tied to his waist with a beautiful vastra-mekhala, the membram-virile lying down wards is clearly visible.He has no agnopavita. Some of the Copper coins obtained at Ujjaxn and belonging to the 3rd century of B.C. contain figures which resemble the Linga of Gudimallam. In the course of its conventionalisation and development, the Arghya was supposed to symbolise the female part and it was described, in many late texts of a tantric character. But originally in comparatively early times, the emblems of the male and the female deities were worshipped separately,, as the earliest specimens of the Phali and ring stone testify. The Gudimallam Shiva Linga or for that “matter the Shivalingas of the Pre-Gupta and the early Gupta periods did not show any real base in the shape of the latter characterisation of the arghya or pita. Even in latter representations of the emblem, the projecting section of the Pita really served the very useful purpose of draining off the water profusely poured on the top of the Shiva Linga to some distance from its base." This statement needs revision, for it is evident from the recent excavations conducted by the archaeological survey of India, South eastern Circle of Hyderabad, clearly revealed that Gudimallam Linga was originally provided with a pedestal.

After this we headed towards Kalahasti temple. This was really a wonderful temple too.It is famous for Rahu ketu pooja. People who have some curse with the rahu or kethu , they will come here to pray for Rahu and kethu. Here sarpa dosha nivarana pooja and Sani nivarana pooja will also be conducted. After this darshan we quickly headed towards the Pileru viallge. Sri kalahasti is sucha old temple with Devi and Shiva in one premises.

On the way we finished our fresh up things and reached the place by 6 PM. We crossed the A. Rangampet, Chittor Dist, where we can see big colleges on each side of the roads which is “Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Institutions” which is run by Dr. M.Mohan babu. As the marriage is next day we just spent all our time near the Kalyanamandapa just with chit-chat; all the non-sense. After eating many eatables and dinner we slept around at 1 AM.

(Cont ..) Vellore golden temple, Kaani pakam Click here 
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