Keesaragutta – the temple of ten million lingams

All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.

– Samuel Johnson

Keesara Gutta temple

Keesaragutta is a hillock at the village of Keesara in Rangareddy District. A temple dedicated to Lord Siva at Keesaragutta, about 30 km from the city of Hyderabad. The temple called amalingeshwara temple (also called Koti Linga temple), is recently renovated. Around this temple, there are a number of ruined shrines in the Gupta architecture, of fifth century. There are scores of meter-high lingas the phallic symbol around the main deity.

Koti Linga temple on Keesara Gutta - the name literally translates to “the temple of a crore lingams situated on the hillock of Lord Hanuman.”

ETYMOLOGY:

Hanuman statue facing the temple

Legend has it that Sri Rama installed the Siva lingam here to atone for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahman. He selected this beautiful valley surrounded by hills and verdant greenery for the purpose and ordered Hanuman to bring a Sivlingam from Varanasi. Hanuman was late in arriving with the Siva lingam and as the auspicious hour was nearing, Lord Siva himself appeared before Sri Rama and presented a Sivilingam for installation. Hence the lingam in the temple is called Swayambhu Linga. It is also called Ramalingeswara as lord Rama had installed the lingam.

Hanuman returned with 101 lingams for selection from Varanasi and felt aggrieved at not having his lingam installed. Hence he threw them all over the area. Even to this day several lingams are found scattered all over the place outside the temple.

To mollify Hanuman, lord Rama ordained that precedence would be given to him for worship at the temple. He also said that the hillock where the lingam was installed would bear his name kesarigiri i.e, Hanuman, the son of Kesari. Over a period of time, it has become corrupted and is now known as Keesara and the hill as "Keesaragutta".

Keesara Gutta temple

HISTORY:

One Shiva lingam at Keesa gutta

Archeologists believe that this place called "Gatika", as this region was known in early times was an educational institute in the 3rd. century. The temple is also known as Ramalingeshwara temple while numerous ruined small shrines reflecting the Gupta architecture surround the main deity. You can also see many Lingas over a meter in length around the main idol.

HOW TO REACH KEESARA GUTTA?

• Keesara Gutta village is located about 18 km from ECIL X roads on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
• The Keesara Gutta temple is a mere 1.5 hour - 2 hour drive from the city.
• You can reach the temple by traveling on regular APSRTC buses or just hire a cab to take you there.
• Hyderabad city bus (No. 242) travels between Keesara Gutta and Secunderabad in regular intervals. The bus starts from Uppal bus stand near Secunderabad Railway station.

On Maha Sivarathri day, every year, the place becomes busy as many people throng to the temple here, the Keesara Gutta Temple.