The Mysterious Temple in India Chaya Someswara temple in Hyderabad is dedicated to Lord Siva. The Mysterious part of this Temple is the shadow or chaya of a pillar behind Shiva Lingam, even though there is no pillar in front of Shiva lingam.

One will notice their own shadow split into two parts behind the deity’s wall if they stand in front of the Shiva Lingam in the inner sanctuary. Five hands can be seen when a person waves their hands in front of Lord Vishnu, located on the right side of Shiva.

Location: Panagal, Nalgonda, Telangana, Hyderabad

Main deity: Lord ShivaTimings: 6.00 am – 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm – 8.00 pm( on all days)

Festivals: Maha Shivarthri (Feb or March), Tholi Ekadashi (Jun or July), and Kartika Masam (Nov-Dec)

Introduction to Chaya Someswara Temple:

A Saivite Hindu temple called Chaya Someswara Temple, also known as the Saila-Someswara temple or Chaya Someshvara Swamy Alayam, Thrikutalayam, is situated in Panagal, Nalgonda district of Telangana, India and is about 800 years old Temple.

The Chola kings constructed the Chaya Someswara Temple between the 11th and 12th Centuries. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was given its current name because of the lingam’s constant shadow.

A vast number of devotees visit this famous pilgrimage temple during Maha Shivratri.

How to reach chaya Someshwara temple and location:

Nearly 4 km from Nalgonda, 45 km from Suryapet, and roughly 107 km from Hyderabad are the distances from the Mysterious Temple Chaya Someswara Temple situated in Panagal.

Nearest Railway Station: Nalgonda Railway station(NLDA) is at a distance of 13.9kms from Temple

Nearest Airport: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is at a distance of nearly 117 kilometers from the Temple.

To those living in Hyderabad, very easy and convenient for long drives, with proper routes and few roadside dhabas dotted along the highways. Road transportation is also available.

The most attractive part of why people visit the Mysterious Temple in India, Chaya Someswara Temple 

The main attraction is the mysterious shadow, Chaya, named after this Temple. The main deity, Shiva Lingam, is cast in shadow. The carvings on the pillars were created from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Even today, you can see the shadow when you visit the Temple. Although there is no pillar in front of the lingam, a shadow appears in the form of one of the pillars sculpted outside the Temple’s sanctum sanctorum.

However, it is not the shadow of any pillar. The reflection of light forms the dark area through multiple pillars placed in front of the garbhagriha, and the shadow is a consolidated shadow of those four pillars in the Temple.

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The pillars in the Temple are strategically placed so that the light falls in the same spot throughout the day. However, it results from our Ancestor’s complex architecture and scientific calculations. It is nothing short of an architectural marvel. 

History of Chaya Someswar Temple

A historic location is known as Panagal, as Panugullu and Panagullu in texts and inscriptions from before the fourteenth century.

During their rule, the Kundur Cholas constructed a big tank Udaya cheruvu(river), and even now, the people of this region are benefited from their efforts.

The inscription in the Temple references 1290 AD of Prataparudra of the Kakatiya dynasty. The Temple has three Garbhagruhas, famously referred to as Trikutalaya in the mysterious temple in India Chaya Someswara temple in Hyderabad.

The earliest documents refer to it as one of the Kadumba dynasty’s regional capitals, from which the governors and kings of Andhradesa ruled over this region of Dakshina-kshetra (Deccan-region).

Numerous inscriptions on stones, panels, and panels fragments discovered nearby, in farm fields, and on some broken boards with Muslim tombs provide proof of Panagal’s history. 

The Ramalingala and Mamillapalli inscriptions and other inscriptions found in different regions of India, particularly the Deccan, attest to Panugallu’s significance. 

The name of the site’s rulers, Panugallu-puravaresvara, is used in some inscriptions to refer to them. 

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The Temple’s pillars are ornately decorated with relief sculptures showing scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The museum established in the Pachala Someswara Swamy temple compound houses several sculptures collected from this region. 

When Pachala Ramalingeshwara was being built, the village of Yelleswaram, which was submerged, provided some of the ancient shivalingas preserved in the museum. 

Temple is another beautiful location that can be visited, and it is located 1.2 km from Sri Chaya Someshwara Temple in Panagal Village.

Unique Architecture at Chaya Someswar Temple 

According to physicist Manohar Sheshagiri, the Temple faces east-west. Ancient sculptors displayed their scientific knowledge, knowledge of nature, and fantastic knowledge of geometry and reflection of sun rays by establishing the position of various pillars so that the shadow will continue to fall on the Shivling of the Temple no matter which direction the sun is facing.

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The Chaya Someswara temple is a group of shrines enclosed by a  compound wall constructed of enormous stone blocks. The primary Temple is a tribute shrine partially restored after being in ruins, facing east.

This Temple has three main entrances, the largest on the south side. Within the prakara walls, in addition to the main Temple, there are six auxiliary shrines.

Three of these are to the west, two to the south, and one to the north of the main Temple.

These lack symmetry in their layout and have a different architectural style from the main Temple, indicating that they were probably added later.

Three Deities in Mysterious Temple Chaya Someswara

Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva each facing different directions connected by a common Maha Mandapam in the Mysterious Temple in India Chaya Someswara Temple in Hyderabad.

The solar deity is worshipped in the shrine on the east, while Vishnu is honored in the shrine facing north. The main deity, Sri Someswara (Lord Shiva), is housed in the third as a lingam. 

Artful carvings of scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas decorate the pillars. Another Architecture Wonder in Chaya Someswar Temple

One will notice their own shadow split into two parts behind the deity’s wall if they stand in front of the Shiva Lingam in the inner sanctuary.

On the right side of this Shiva temple, there is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Five hand shadows can be seen here when a person waves their hand in front of the deity. The main factor drawing so many pilgrims to the Temple is the enigmatic shadow is chaya

Accommodation at Chaya Someswara Temple

The pilgrims can stay at hotels and lodges in Nalgonda, as the Temple is 4 km from Nalgonda. 

Places to visit near Chaya Someswara Temple

1. Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple
2. Archeological Museum inside Pachala Someswara Temple
3. Pachala Someswara Swamy Temple

Conclusion

The Conclusion of this article, the Temple Chaya Someshwar is a tipping point for scientific inquiry and has spiritual significance, rich architectural history, and scientific glory.

This Temple serves as a working model for the explanation and study of optical ideas. And one of the masterpiece constructions to demonstrate the excellent architectural abilities of our ancestors.

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