A Shiva temple in Telangana where Brahma rested

Of gods and folklore

Culture

February 27, 2019

/ By / New Delhi



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Tucked away in a small district in Telangana, this ancient temple dates back to another age

At the Ketaki Sangameshwara Swamy temple, Lord Brahma is believed to have descended to meditate after the creation of the world.

It can be amazing to note how the same mythological characters are revered in different ways across India; and while the beliefs revolving the gods and goddesses remain the same, there is a twist in tales everywhere you go. According to folklore, what the locals preach also varies, as do some customs and traditions.

In the southern part of the country, where visibly, there is a greater reverence for Lord Vishnu, an ancient temple in the state of Telangana attracts worshippers for rather unique reasons.

At the Ketaki Sangameshwara Swamy, one of the oldest Shiva temples in the world, the Shivalingam- a symbol of the Lord Shiva- is believed to be consecrated by Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe as per Hindu mythology.

It is believed that Brahma, after creating this world, came to this spot to meditate and installed the lingam.

In the Ketaki Sangameshwara Swamy, Lord Shiva is referred to as Ketaki Sangameshwara and worshipped by Ketaki flowers, the idol of which sits besides that of the Sangameshwara.

It is also believed that a dip in the holy waters of the pond inside the temple is akin to taking a dip in holy Ganga and sleeping on the temple precincts is like sleeping at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Uttar Pradesh, a popular temple in the northern part of the country.

The water in the pond inside the temple is said to have elements from the holy streams at eight tirthas, the prime destinations of pilgrimage in Hinduism and this is one of the reasons that makes the pond so special.

As per legend, a king in the treta yuga suffered from a skin disease for which there was no remedy and was healed by the waters in the pond.

According to Hinduism, the age of universe is divided into various yugas or eons; with the total time of them being 4,320,000 and as life is cyclical, the Yugas, too, complete a full cycle and come back in the same order.  The second of these is the treta yuga.

Considering the powers the water pond had and the fact that there was an ancient shivalingam around, the temple was constructed.

Now a famed temple, it sees a rush of devotees from not just Telangana but also the neighbouring , Andhra Pradesh as well as the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The temple is also the home of the Inti Devudu (family deity) for thousands of families in the four states, and the fulfillment of their wishes by visiting the temple alongside the other folklore is what has gained this hidden place a chunk of fame.

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