Srikalahasti Temple is an Air element temple, one of five elements temple.
There is a place to sit and meditate. You can go into meditative states here effortlessly.
How to get there:
The temple is located 1.4 kms South West of Srikalahasti.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/5d65hFM6jtWfquDT6
About Srikalahasti Temple
Srikalahasti Temple is located in the town of Srikalahasti, in Tirupati district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the most famous Shiva temples in South India, and is said to be the site where Kannappa was ready to offer both his eyes to cover blood flowing from the linga before Shiva stopped him and granted him moksha.[3]
Srikalahasti temple, situated 36 km away from Tirupati is famous for its Vayu Lingam (Wind Lingam), one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams, representing wind. The temple is also regarded as Rahu-Ketu kshetra and Dakshina Kailasam. The inner temple was constructed around 5th century and the outer temple was constructed in the 11th century by the Rajendra Chola I, later Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings. Shiva in his aspect as Vayu is worshiped as Kalahasteeswara.
Temple Story
In primordial times, the wind-god Vayu performed penance for thousands of years to the Karpoora lingam, the lingam of Shiva made of camphor. Pleased with Vayu’s penance, Shiva manifested before him and bestowed him three boons. Vayu was blessed to present everywhere in the world in form of air and want to be an integral part of every being in form of vayus. Further, The linga Vayu worshipped was named as Vayu lingam after him and was declared to be worshipped by various beings.[4]
Another legend narrates that Shiva’s consort Parvati who was cursed by him to discard her divine form and assume human form. To atone, Parvati performed penance at Srikalahasti and pleased Shiva. Shiva granted her a heavenly body, a hundred times better than her previous divine form. Parvati is worshipped as Shiva-Gnanam Gnana Prasunamba or Gnana Prasunambika Devi in the temple.
Cursed to become a ghost, Ghanakala prayed at Srikalahasti for 15 years and after chanting the Bhairava Mantra, Shiva restored her original form.
Mayura, Chandra and Devendra were also freed from their curses after taking bath in the river Swarnamukhi and praying at Srikalahasti.
Shiva appeared before the sage Markandeya in Srikalahasti and preached that a Guru alone could make esoteric teachings and, therefore he is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara.
As per another legend, Vayu and Shesha had a dispute to find out who is superior, to prove the superiority Shesha encircled Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva, Vayu tried to remove this encircle by creating a twister. Because of the twister, 8 parts of the mountain fell into 8 different places which are Trincomalee, Srikalahasti, Thiruchiramalai, Thiruenkoimalai, Rajathagiri, Neerthagiri, Ratnagiri, and Suwethagiri Thirupangeeli.[5]
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srikalahasteeswara_temple
