In the pursuit of my 2023 resolution to discover a new destination each month, especially in diverse states, I found myself embarking on a profoundly meaningful pilgrimage. With my father’s recent retirement from his 35+ years of professional journey, his enduring wish to revisit our ancestral deity, Sri Srisaila Mallikarjuna (affectionately known as Mallanna by devotees) — a revered Jyotirlingam — became the focal point of our journey. It had been 27 years since our last family visit to this sacred site, a place that not only houses the divine presence of Sri Srisaila Mallikarjuna but also embraces the energy of Shri Bhramarambha Devi, a powerful manifestation of Shakti.
Several remarkable events unfolded during this pilgrimage, endearing it to my heart. Though words may not fully capture the divine experiences, I shall endeavour to convey them.
My mother visited my home in Bengaluru for an extended stay for the first time, and she expressed a desire to experience the Namma Metro. Thus, I took them on a metro ride. Boarding at the first stop, the empty train allowed me to guide my mother through various compartments, pointing out landmarks, including offices of tech giants like HPE and SAP Labs, where I had worked in the past.
During the security check at the entrance of metro, I informed the guard about the God’s idol that I was carrying in my bag that would be detected by the metal detector & placed my bag in it. The lady guard and the other guard were so glad to see Laddu Gopal whom I was carrying with me that she exclaimed saying, “Arreyy . . He’s Krishna. He’s so beautiful” while the other guard said joining his hands 🙏 — “I feel so blessed to get Sri Krishna’s darshan here itself. I am so happy. Thank you!” He even called another guard to see Krishna.
This filled me with deep appreciation for the spiritual consciousness inherent in Bharatiya Hindus. This fundamental connection with our Sanatana Dharma and our deities has played a pivotal role in preserving our individuality, morals, ethics, and the very essence of Bharath as a nation. This enduring strength has withstood the challenges posed by horrific invasions and genocides orchestrated by radical Islamic invaders and colonizers like the British.
It is this unwavering commitment to the truth that God resides within our hearts, and that the entire universe is a manifestation of the Supreme Lord Sri Maha Vishnu, where each one of us is an integral entity. This belief has not only fostered a resilient cultural identity but has also been a beacon of resilience in the face of historical adversities.
The journey officially commenced on this positive note. After all, isn’t a journey about traversing places, spreading happiness, and, in turn, making God happy? Because God resides in the heart of every being as said by Sri Krishna in the Gita -
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थित: |
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ||
“O Arjun, I am seated in the heart of all living entities. I am the beginning, middle, and end of all beings.”
Day #1
Nestled in the heart of the enchanting Nallamalla Forest, also known as Kadali Bana and a Tiger Reserve, this formidable shrine stands as a testament to nature’s mystique in Andhra Pradesh. Recollections of tales from my grandparents and parents resonated as we ventured into this dense expanse, where the forest’s allure transforms into a one-way route — once embarked upon, there’s no turning back.
In the profound teachings of spirituality, a captivating lesson unfolds — that our reality is but a transient illusion, a captivating canvas woven by the divine. It beckons us to transcend the illusions of this world, navigate the intricate maze of Maya, and ultimately connect with the divine essence.
In a reflective moment, I found myself immersed in awe, marveling at the intricate beauty of this illusory labyrinth crafted by God. Every facet of existence seemed to bear profound meaning, designed to guide us toward liberation from the veils of illusion. The brilliance of coexistence and the intricate choreography of life unfolded like a masterful artwork. Words fall short in capturing the depth of admiration within me — an indescribable meditative state where I felt humbled by the sheer artistry of God’s creation.
Very soon, we reached Sakshiganapati temple where it is believed that we should visit this temple before visiting to Jyotirlingam. The belief is that Lord Ganesha here records our visit to Srisailam.
Upon reaching Srisailam, an auto stood next to the bus. When I asked the auto driver, named Shiva, to drop us at our hotel, he offered to be our guide for the next day’s visits. The alignment of his name with our purpose of visiting the divine Shrine of Lord Shiva felt like an energising sign.
Freshening up at the hotel, we started our journey to the temple. As per my tradition, I adorned traditional attire and walked barefoot, seeking forgiveness for my past mistakes and sins. The scorching afternoon sun made the journey challenging. The heat from the road burned my feet to an extent that the next day the skin on my feet was peeling off. All this was testing my resolve. However, the love of my parents shone through when my father offered his footwear, and my mother expressed concern about my feet. Despite the difficulties, I persisted walking barefoot, chanting Rama’s name and mantras for strength. Miraculously, clouds covered the sun, cooling the roads. I couldn’t help but attribute it to divine intervention, and my mother, laughing, called it another one of my theories.
We reached the temple and took the darshana of Sri Srisaila Mallikarjuna and Sri Bhramarambha devi. I could see and witness the Jyotirlinga and Shaktipeeta from a very close distance and the feeling was beautiful. There were also many temples established by divine beings like Mother Sita, Pancha Pandavas, etc. After the darshana we performed a parikrama of the temple. The temple has amazingly architected gopurams and also the main temple of gold plated that makes it appear much more beautiful.
My father was extremely delighted for having his wish of visiting Srisailam and seeking blessings of Sri Mallikarjuna fulfilled. And more than anyone, I was delighted for being the facilitator of this by the blessing of God Himself.
I had an amazing sleep that night.
Day #2
We checked out from the hotel & headed to Paatalaganga. It is another holy place in Srisailam where river Krishna is worshipped as Patalaganga. They say that the river here is so deep that there is no known bottom. Hence the name paatalaganga. There are 2 ways to reach here. One is the traditional way of going by steps and there is a new rope cars way that will drop you down the hill and up. My parents said they would like to go by the rope cars way and we stood in the super long queue to get the tickets and then to get in the cars. Only 16 people can go in one journey and it takes approximately 5 minutes for cars to go one way. The crowd was managed pretty well I would say.
The engineering work of these rope cars kept me engaged until our turn came. I observed and realised one thing that this whole world is run by gears and wheels in some way or the other.
Upon reaching Paatalaganga, I saw people were taking the divine dip in the river which was restricted about 5–7 feet inside from the steps. As I mentioned earlier, the river is so deep that they believe there is no bottom. So, as a precaution the place is well barricaded.
And this is where I felt a little uncomfortable looking at how the devotees were spoiling the sanctity of the place with their indiscipline and uncleanly behaviour. Every ritual or process of worshipping God/Goddess starts with cleanliness of soul, self and surroundings and it had probably taken the last priority at that place. But yea, I continued to focus on what’s important and took a dip in Paatalaganga.
It was almost 3 PM, we had our lunch and headed towards the bus station where our bus had already arrived & parked itself over there and we happily reached back our home the next day at 4 AM and rains in Bengaluru welcomed us home!
In Skanda Purana, it is proclaimed that श्रीशैल शिखरं दृष्ट्वा पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते which means that even the mere sight of Srisaila Shikhara (the mountain on which Srisaila Mallikarjuna is residing) frees the soul from the fitters of rebirth. What more of a blessing do I even need?
And thus I marked the end of 2023 by starting off the year with visit to Rameswaram and closing the year with Srisailam If you ever get an opportunity then ensure to visit Srisailam. Har Har Mahadeva 🙏
श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु |