Srikalahasthi, which derives its name from the combination of Sri (Spider), Kala (Snake), and Hasthi (Elephant), is situated along the banks of the Swarnamukhi River. It holds a significant place as one of the Pancha Bhootha sthalams.

During our return journey from Tirupathi, we made a stopover at this remarkable temple. The roads leading to it are in good condition and serve as a preferable route to Chennai, bypassing the congested Poonamalee route.

This visit marked my first experience at this temple, and I must say it left a lasting impression. The temple’s architecture is truly magnificent, and the lingam within is notably tall and slender.

I’ve always been fascinated by the strategic placements of monuments, temples, and places of worship around the world, and the reasons behind their locations. Prior to this visit, I had conducted some research on the 12 Jyotir lingams, and I discovered that this particular temple, along with Kedarnath and Rameswaram temples, shares a unique alignment, all three nearly situated along the same longitude despite being separated by over 2000 km. It’s truly a fascinating phenomenon.

For more information about the temple, you can visit the official website at https://srikalahasthitemple.com/.