Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple

While Srisailam in Kurnool district, is well known to all being a Jyotirlinga Kshetra, Yaganti and Mahanandi have their own significance. The former is especially famous for it's Nandi that keeps growing every year in size.

Yaganti Uma Maheswara Swamy Temple, was originally intended to be for Shri Venkateswara by Agastya Maharshi. However as the toe nail of the deity was broken, it could not be installed. An upset Agastya then prayed to Shiva, who appeared before the Maharshi, and asked him to build a temple for him, here as it resembles Kailasha more. The Maharshi then requested Shiva to appear along with Parvati in a single stone, and so he is worshipped as Uma Maheswara here.

Another Sthala Purana says Shiva appeared in the form of a tiger to test his devotee Chiteppa. On seeing the tiger, he realized it was none other than Shiva himself, and exclaimed Neganti Shivanu ne kanti (I saw Shiva I saw), which explains the name of the place too.

The Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple was built by Bukka Raya, one of the founders of the Vijayanagara Empire, worth a visit, for it's architecture and the tall hills around it.

One feature of Yaganti Temple are the Pushkarinis, on the temple premises, that never run out of water, even in peak summer. The water flows here from the bottom of the hill, you can find the same in Mahanandi too. And the water is always fresh and cool.

Water flows into the Pushkarnis through the mouth of Nandi, and most devotees take a dip here before having darshan of Uma Maheswara Swamy.

There are two famous caves at Yaganti, one is the Agastya cave, where Maharshi did penace to Shiva, there is a fleet of 120 steps leading into it. Another is Venkateswara Cave, that has the original damaged murty of Shri Venkateswara.

There is also a very small cave, where it's believed that the famous seer Pothuluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy, wrote some of his Kala Gnaanam( prophecies about the future). He was a regular visitor to this temple.

The most prominent feature of Yaganti though is the Nandi here, that keeps growing in size every year. In fact some pillars have been removed to accomodate this Nandi , and devotees do a pradakshina of it, while visiting the temple.

As per the Kaala Gnaanam of Brahmam Garu, the Nandi will come to life, at the end of Kali Yuga, when it shall grow to it's largest size and let out a huge roar. Also like Kotappa Konda, crows are not to be seen at Yaganti. It's believed that crows disturbed the penace of Agastya Maharshi, and he cursed them not to enter the place. The reason why Shani also can't enter here, as his vahana is a crow.