Sri Parasurameswara Temple, Gudimallam - Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Experienced: August 2023

Unique Aspects

• This temple is likely the oldest continuously worshipped temple in the world.
• The uniqueness of the Shivalinga, resembling a phallus, is notable.
• The front part of the linga features a representation of a dwarf named Chitrasena, with Parashurama standing over him in a warrior stance. This symbolism is believed to be an amalgamation of Shiva, Vishnu in the form of Parashurama, and Brahma as the dwarf below.
• The sanctum being at a lower level is an interesting architectural feature. Once every 40 years, during the Swarnamukhi's significant flow, it causes a unique fountain effect inside the sanctum and submerges the deity.
• The positioning of the temple allows the sun's rays to fall directly on the deity during the Uttarayana and Dakshinayana days.

Gudimallam is a quaint village located in the Yerpedu mandal of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. Positioned about ten kilometers northeast of Renigunta Railway Junction and approximately 25 kilometers from Tirupati, Gudimallam gains prominence for the revered temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, commonly known as the "Parasurameswara Temple." The temple is particularly renowned for its ancient lingam, featuring a full-length figure of Lord Shiva, enshrined in the garbhagriha (sanctum) of the temple.

The Gudimallam Shiva temple is considered the second oldest functioning Shiva temple in India, associated with a lingam dating back to the 2nd/3rd century BC. The Mundeshwari temple in the Kaimur district of Bihar is believed to be the oldest functioning Shiva temple in India, with archaeological evidence suggesting its existence since at least 635 CE. In this context, Gudimallam Shiva temple stands as the second oldest functioning Shiva temple in India and holds the distinction of being the oldest functioning Shiva temple in South India.

Significance

The lingam at Gudimallam is believed to represent the Trinity, with Brahma at the bottom, Vishnu in the middle, and Shiva on top. An engaging legend is associated with the origin of this unique representation. According to a Puranic tale, Parasurama, having beheaded his mother as per his father's command, sought penance by worshiping the lingam at this temple. After an extensive search, Parasurama discovered the temple in the midst of a forest, dug a pond nearby, and commenced his purification ritual.

During his penance, a divine flower miraculously grew in the pond each day, which Parasurama offered to Shiva in worship. To protect the flower from wild beasts, the sage appointed a yaksha named Chitrasena. Parasurama would bring a hunted creature and toddy daily for the yaksha. One day, Chitrasena, a devotee of Brahma, succumbed to the temptation to worship Shiva himself. Upon finding the flower missing, Parasurama, in a fit of rage, attacked Chitrasena. The battle endured for 14 years and was so intense that it created a pit, giving rise to the name 'Gudipallam' or 'temple in the pit,' which eventually became Gudimallam. Unable to determine the victory, Shiva is said to have merged both Brahma as Chitrasena and Vishnu as Parasurama into Himself. The etched figures on the lingam depict Parasurama holding a hunted beast and toddy pot, with Brahma and Vishnu merged into the lingam, creating a unique and unparalleled icon.

Parasurameswara Shiva Linga

The main deity of the temple is a seven-sided monolithic Shiva Lingam, known as the Savedika Linga, measuring about five feet (1.35 meters) in height and one foot in diameter. It is housed in the primary sanctum. This Shiva Lingam is believed to represent the manifestation of the Hindu Trinity, with Brahma at the bottom, Vishnu in the mid-part, and Shiva on top. The Lingam depicts a tall and wide bana and is openly set up within a square base. The square base is surrounded by low three-barred railings on slabs, with the top railings having been damaged and replaced with new slabs during renovation. The bana and the peeta are considered the most ancient elements, while other structural additions were made later by rulers from various dynasties.

The presence of a deep slanting groove top of the bana in the Shiva Lingam is intriguing. Within this groove, sculptors have carefully crafted a high relief image of a hunter. This hunter exhibits perfect anatomical proportions, with a torso resembling the shape of a bull's head. The image is robust, with broad shoulders, narrow hips, tight buttocks, and toned abdominal muscles, radiating vitality and energy. The hunter stands in the sthanaka posture, spreading his legs wide apart, and his feet are firmly planted on the shoulders of Amarapurusha, a crouching dwarf yaksha.

The hunter's face is peaceful and serene, if not smiling. The two-armed idol has both hands hanging loosely. His right hand holds a dead goat by the hind legs, while his left hand clutches a globular pot and a long, thick battle axe (parasu) at its handle. The fierce weapon also rests on his left shoulder. According to some scholars, the image of the hunter represents Vedic and proto-Puranic concepts of Rudra.

The depiction of the hunter includes intricate details of his adornments and physical features. His hair is arranged in a jatabhara style, characterized by a large number of penitential plaits worn in a bunch. Elongated earlobes, adorned with heavier ring-shaped kundalas, signify power, nobility, and wealth. The hunter's neck is adorned with sarapali, the most elaborate neck jewelry, while his shoulder-arms feature armlets with keyura/tholvalai. Kangana, bracelets of beads on each wrist, adorn his elbows. He wears kataka valai, bangles on his wrists, and udarabandha, a broad ornamental belt below the ribs, around his rib cage. A thin garment is generously pleated around his waist, and he wears a beaded katibandha, a hip belt, around the waist. Interestingly, the hunter lacks the yagnopavitha, a sacred thread worn by those initiated into Vedic rituals. The figure of Amarapurusha, seated on the hunter's knee, appears shrunken, and his face depicts tight teeth, perhaps indicating the challenge of balancing the weight of the powerful deity. His ears are depicted in a leaf-like fashion.

Location

Gudimallam village, located about 30 kilometers from Tirupati via the Tirupati – Sri Kalahasti route near Papanaidupet, is home to the esteemed Parasurameswara Temple, commonly known as the Gudimallam Temple. This sacred structure carries a profound historical legacy, dating back to the 2nd century BC, and stands as one of the oldest identified Shiva temples. The principal deity, Lord Parasurameswara, is symbolized by an ancient lingam, representing the trinity in Hindu mythology.

Address

Sri Parasurameswara Temple,
Gudimallam,
Yerpedu (Mandal),
Chittoor Region, Andhra Pradesh,
India, Pincode: 517526.