Bugga Ramalingeswara temple

14°55′06″N 78°00′36″E / 14.918394°N 78.01004°E / 14.918394; 78.01004ArchitectureCompletedBetween 1490 and 1509

Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy temple is a Siva shrine situated on the southern bank of the Penna river in Tadipatri, Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, India.^[1] It was built between 1490 and 1509 by Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu I, a chieftain of the Gutti-Gandikota region during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire.^[2]

The presiding deity is a linga, considered to be ‘swayambhu’ (naturally occurring or self originated).^[1] The temple has seven small independent pillars in front of the Vishnu shrine and when struck they produce 'saptaswara' (the seven musical notes).^[3] The gopurams of the temple are unfinished and were described by architectural historian James Anderson as ‘wonders’.^[4]

Description

Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy temple is 4 km (2.5 mi) from Tadipatri railway station. It was likely built between 1490 and 1509 during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire.^[2] As per the Tadipatri kaifiyat collected by Colin Mackenzie in 1802, the temple was built by Ramalinga Nayudu, a chieftain of the Gutti-Gandikota region in Vijayanagara Empire.^[2]

The temple consists of a sanctum, ardhmandapa, and mukhamandapa in an axial line. The temple contains bas relief structures illustrating episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. The presiding deity (linga) being a ‘swayambhu’ (naturally occurring or self originated).^[1] Unlike other Hindu temples where the deities are east-facing, in this temple the Shiva linga faces west.^[4] When struck, the seven pillars in front of the Vishnu shrine produce 'saptaswara' (a musical scale).^[3]

The architectural historian James Anderson described the gopurams of this temple as ‘wonders’.^[4]

Gallery

• 
  Entrance to Garbhagudi
• 
  Unfinished gopuram
• 
  Unfinished gopuram
• 
  Musical pillars
• 
  Rocks used for construction
• 
  Inside the temple
• 
  Panoramic view of the temple
• 
  Temple carvings

References

External links