 Srikalahasti
 Kalahasti is a town in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh. The presiding deity is Lord Siva as Kalahasteeswarar. The Siva Linga here is one of the five supreme Lingas representing the five elements (Panchabutha Lingams): water (appu), fire (tejas), air (vayu), ether (akash) and earth (prithivi). The Linga form in Kalahasti is believed to represent
vayu.
A spider, a snake and an elephant is believed to have worshipped the Siva Linga here. It is rather astounding to learn that a spider worshipped the Lord by spinning a web over Him, the snake by planting a gem and the elephant by washing the Linga with water.
As a result of the dispute between Adisesha, the serpent God, and Vayu, the God of Air, three blocks separated themselves from Mount Meru and fell at three different places - one is Kalahasti, the other is Trichy (Malai Kottai), and another is Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.
The main Lingam in Kalahasti is in the shape of the trunk of an elephant with tusks on either side and the figure of the spider at the bottom. Sri is the name of the spider. Kala is the serpent and hasti is the elephant.
The Goddess, Gnana Prasannamba, the divine spouse of Kalahasteeswara, is said to be the sister of Tirupati Lord
Venkateswara.
The devotional legend of Siva bhakta Kannappan is interwoven with the Kalahasti Puranam. Kannappan, also called Tinnappa, was a hunter who offered the flesh of animals to the Lord after tasting to check whether it was palatable enough to be offered to the Lord.
 One day he noticed that tears was trickling down from eye of the Lord. He thought that someone has harmed his Lord. He at once plucked one of his eyes and placed it on the spot from where the tears were dropping. To his surprise, the tears stopped appearing. The same thing happened with the other eye. He got ready to give his other eye also to the Lord and placed his leg on the spot to mark it.. Lo and Behold!. Lord Kalahasteeswarar, pleased with Kannappan’s devotion, restored his vision and gave him darshan. The Lord ordered that he should be near him eternally in the sanctum sanctorum. Thus daily poojas are offered to the idol of Kannappa first.
The main Lingam is untouched by priests but abisheka with pachakarpuram (camphor mixed with water and milk) is performed to the utsava
moorthi.
The Linga is said to be a Swayambhu (self-manifest).
Adi Sankara, the exponent of Advaita philosophy, has extolled the virtues of Kannappa Nayanar in his mystic poem Sivananda
Lahiri.
Mahasivarathri is celebrated on a grand scale. There about 85 festivals throughout the year. Many Nayanmars have sung in praise of the Lord. The river Swarnamukhi quietly flows by the temple.
The temple is situated in idyllic sorroundings, sandwiched between hills.
It is just 30 miles from Tirupati and can be reached by road.
Usha Raja
usharaja60@hotmail.com
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