Pachala Someswara Temple

Pachala Someswara Temple is a Saivite Hindu temple located in Panagal of Nalgonda district, Telangana, India. It is a popular pilgrimage site during Maha Sivaratri. The idol of the deity here is carved out of green onyx which gives the temple its name - Pacha in Telugu means Green. The temple is in close proximity to Chaya Someswara Temple, another Saivite shrine in Panagal.[1] The temples dates to 11th to 12th centuries CE and was probably built during the rule of Kunduru Chodas and Prataparudra I of Kakatiya Empire over the Panagal region.[2][3]

Pachala Someswara Temple
పచ్చల సోమేశ్వరాలయం
Pachala Someswara Temple at Panagal
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictNalgonda
DeityShiva
Location
LocationPanagal
StateTelangana
CountryIndia
Location in Telangana
Pachala Someswara Temple (India)
Geographic coordinates17.07967°N 79.28820°E / 17.07967; 79.28820
Architecture
Completed11th to 12th century CE

Location

The temple is located at a distance of nearly 4 km from the district headquarters of Nalgonda in Panagal, Nalgonda district. The temple is in close proximity (around 1 km) to the Chaya Someswara Temple.[4]

Architecture
The Pachala Someswara temple consists of four shrines on a square plan, a shared mandapam and 70 intricately carved pillars.

Based on the inscriptional evidence and architectural style of the temple, it is dated to the 11th-12th century CE. The temple was probably built during the rule of Kanduru Chodas and Prataparudra I of Kakatiya Empire over the Panagal region.[2] The ground plan of the temple is markedly different from other shrines in Telangana. It has four shrines and three of the shrines are arranged on the western side while one is on the eastern side with a common and large rectangular mandapam. The main shrine is dedicated to Shiva who is in the form of a Linga made out of green onyx stone (Pacha in Telugu) and hence the name Pachala Someswara.[5] It has a pillared hall at the end of which is a Nandi facing the presiding deity Pachala Someswara (Siva linga).

The temple has 70 pillars with intricate carvings depicting stories of Vishnu and Shiva. Scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabaratha were exquisitely carved onto the pillars and the walls of the temple.[1] One of the temple legends states that just below the shining lingam in the temple there used to be a very big and brilliant emerald which was stolen during the numerous Islamic raids in the region.[6]

Museum

Panagal museum, an archaeological museum was established in the premises of the temple in February 1982. Spread over three acres, it has a collection of around 640 art objects and antiquities.[7] The museum also has statues and sculptures of various Hindu deities dating back to the Andhra Ikshvaku dynasty of 3rd century CE.[8]

  • Pachala Someswara temple
  • A complete upper relief on outer temple walls, lower reliefs are damaged
  • The temple has four shrines that share a mandapa with 70 pillars, many depicting Vedic and Puranic legends
  • Nandi
  • Ganesha
  • A relief on the temple walls depicting dancers and musicians
  • Three of four shrines

References
  1. "Historic temple in a shambles". The Hindu. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  2. "Visalaandhra Daily Telugu News Paper -కళా నిలయాలు.... ఈ దేవాలయాలు..!". web.archive.org. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2020. క్రీస్తు శఖం 11,12 శతాబ్ధాల మధ్యన ఉదయాన చౌడ మహారాజులు, కాకతీయ రుద్రమ దేవ మహారాజుల కాలంలో నిర్మితమైన పచ్చల ఛాయ సోమేశ్వర ఆలయాలు.....
  3. Śrīnivās, Śiṣṭlā (2007). The Body as Temple: Erotica from Telugu (2nd Century B.C. to 21st Century A.D.). Drusya Kala Deepika. p. 79.
  4. Satyavada, Neeharika (29 April 2018). "Glimpse into age of miracles". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  5. "Places of Interest | Nalgonda,Government Of Telangana | India". Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. Bhavan's Journal. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 1961.
  7. Chandaraju, Aruna (27 December 2013). "A little explored wonder". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  8. "District Museum of Panagal". Department of Heritage Telangana. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
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