| Srisailam played a dominant role
in our religious, cultural and social history from ancient times.
The epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam
begins with the Sathavahanas who were the first empire builders
in South India. The earliest known historical mention of the
Hill - Srisailam, can be traced in Pulumavi’s Nasik inscription
of 1st Century A.D. The Sathavahanas, the Ikshavakus,
the Pallavas, the Vishnukundis, the Chalukyas, the Kakatiyas, the
Reedy Kings, the Vijayanagara Emperors and Chatrapathi Shivaji are
among the famous emperors who worshipped God Mallikarjuna Swamy.
Prataparudra of Kakatiya Dynasty strived a lot for the improvements
of this Kshetram and granted Paraganas for its maintenance.
Ganapathideva has spent 12000 Golden Nanyas for the maintenance
of the temple.
The period of Reddi Kings is the ‘Golden Age’ of Srisailam that
almost all rulers of the dynasty did celebrated service for this
temple. In 14th Century Prolaya Vema Reddi of Reddy Dynasty constructed
stepped path-way to Srisailam and Pathalaganga (Here the river Krishna
is called as Pathalaganga) and Anavema Reddi constructed Veera Siromandapam
in which the Veerasaiva devotees cut off their hands, tongue, limbs
with devotion to attain the realisation of the God.
This practice is known as Veeracharam.
The Second Harihararaya of Vijayanagara Empire constructed the Mukhamantapam
of Swamy shrine and also a Gopuram on Southern Side of the temple.In
the 15th Century Sri Krishnadevaraya Constructed the
Rajagopuram on Eastern side and Salumantapas on both sides of the
temple.
 The last Hindu King who strove hard
for the improvement of the temple is Chatrapathi Shivaji who constructed
a Gopuram on northern side in the year 1667 A.D. |
