Mahanandi Temple in Nandyal - Timings and Accommodation

About Mahanandishwara Temple:

The 1500 year's old Mahanandi Temple or Mahanandishwara Temple is located in Mahanandi Mandal of Nandyal District (formerly Kurnool district), Andhra Pradesh.

This famous temple is just 19 km from Nandyal City and 100 km from Kurnool.

Mahanandi temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Sri Mahanandiswara Swamy and Goddess Kameswari Devi.

Mahanandi Temple Information:

Primary Deity:	Lord Shiva
Location:	Nandyal
Date built:	1500 year old temple
Architecture:	Dravidian style
State:	Andhra Pradesh
Country:	India

The temple is famous for its stunning architecture and for many rituals that are held during the auspicious day of Maha Shivaratri.

The Mahanandi village in Kurnool district is surrounded by the famous Nallamala Hills towards the east and the thick dense forests offer a stunning experience to the pilgrims.

The temple is well-connected by road, rail and air networks. In total there are around 9 Nandi's within 15 KM radius of Mahanandi.

All these Nine Nandi’s are famous, but Mahanandi receives the highest fame among all of them.

Nine Nandi’s present in Nallmala Hill Region:

1. 1. Mahanandi
2. 2. Prathama Nandi [near Nandyal Railway Station]
3. 3. Naga Nandi [In Nandyal Anjaneya Temple]
4. 4. Soma Nandi [In Atmakur town]
5. 5. Surya Nandi [Six miles west of Mahanandi]
6. 6. Krishna Nandi or Vishnu Nandi [Two miles from Mahanandi]
7. 7. Vinayaka Nandi [Present in north-west of Mahanandi temple premisis]
8. 8. Shiva Nandi [13 km away from Nandyal town]
9. 9. Garuda Nandi [Present in western side of Mahanandi temple]

Image Source: Navanandiroutemap

Mahanandi Temple Distance:

The temple is at a distance of approximately 18.7 km from the Nandyal town, just 91.4 km from Kurnool district and around 304 km from Hyderabad, the state capital of Telangana.

Its an ancient temple which dates back to the 10th Century AD and was constructed by King Nandana during the Chalukyan period.

The temple is surrounded by pleasant streams and fresh natural water pools.

Distance of Nearby Cities:

City Name	Distance/Time
Vijayawada	338 KM [7.10 hours]
Hyderabad	304 KM [6.30 hours]
Tirupathi	278 KM [4.30 hours]
Nellore	261 KM [4.15 hours]
Srisailam	172 KM [3.26 hours]
Kadapa	137 KM [2.15 hours]

Temple History and Attractions:

The shrine or deity of Lord Shiva present in this sacred temple belongs to 7th century. The basic temple structure was constructed by Chalukyas (7th century) and was later enhanced by Nanda Dynasty (10th century) and Vijayanagara Kings (15th century).

Devotees can take holy dip at Mahanandi temple Pushkarni or Koneru in which there are Pancha Lingams of which the centre one is called Varuna Lingam. Irrespective of the seasons, water in the Pushkarni [Koneru] is at same constant five feet flow.

It is said that the main water source is originated below the inner Swayambhu Linga at the Garbhagruha and the pilgrims can touch the Shiva Lingam to perform puja and also take the holy water as Thirtham.

The outgoing water of Mahanandi temple is used for irrigiation of fertile lands in the surrounding areas of the temple.One of the world's biggest man-made Nandi of 15 ft. x 27 ft. is present near the Mahanandi temple.

The main Gopuram of this temple resembles Badami Chalukyan style architecture where as other temple structures resemble the Vijayanagara style.

Important Festivals:

Maha Shivaratri, Ugadi, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Kartika Poornima and Dasara are some of the famous festivals celebrated in Mahanandi.

Pilgrims from all corners of the globe come to Mahanandi Temple during the festival periods.

Mahanandi temple can be easily reached from Nandyal city. Though nearby Railway station is at Gajulapalli, most visitors prefer Mahanandi via Nandyal as it has good road and rail networks.

What to See:

Important things to do when you are planning for a Mahanandi visit:

1. Take a holy dip at the three pools (Pushkarani) Rudrakundam, Brahmakundam and Vishnukundam that has continuous flow of crystal clear water every season and has great curative powers.


2. Go for Swayambhu Linga Darshan and see the water source emerging at the Garbha Gruha (main sanctum). Devotees can also touch the holy water near the Shiva Lingam.


3. Visit Goddess Kameshwari Devi Temple.


4. Visit the huge Nandi Statue at the entrance of the temple.


5. If possible, try to visit all Nava Nandi temples mentioned in this post.

After darshan, devotees can purchase tickets and can buy Pulihora Prasadam [Tamarind Rice] given at the prasadam counter located near the second prakara of the temple.

There is a huge Nandi idol at the entrance of the temple. The Mahanandishwara Temple is completely renovated with new Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi idols on either side of the entrance.

Sri Kaameshwari Devi temple is also located on the southern corner and a new Kodanda Ramalayam was also constructed in the year 1953.

Nearby Hotels:

There are many guest houses and hotels in Mahanandi offering great accommodation and variety of dishes to the pilgrims.You can stay at the Shambhu Priya Guest House and other nearby hotels.

Hotel Name	Contact No
Brahmana Karivena Nityannadana Satram	08514 234720
Haritha Hotel	08514 284586
Hotel Balaji	08514 284514
New Udipi Hotel	08514 200533
Sri Krishna Deluxe AC And NON AC	+91 9676192132
Sivapriya Lodge	08514 200148

How to Get There:

Pilgrims can easily reach Mahanandi temple from Nandyal city in Kurnool district by bus and train routes.

By Air:

The nearest airport is present at Hyderabad.

By Rail:

Gajulapalli Railway Station (Station Code : GZL) is very close to Mahanandi temple. But, most of the trains don't halt there.

Distance from Gajulapalli Railway Station to Mahanandi is roughly 6 km according to Google Maps.

The next nearest Railway station is present at Nandyal Junction (NDL - 19km).

By Bus:

APSRTC provide good bus facility to Mahanandi temple. If you are coming from Hyderabad, after reaching Nandyal, don't take the Tirupati highway [bypass road].

Instead, enter the city and take right at the big x roads and follow the road leading all the way to Mahanandi temple.

Temple Timings:

The temple is opened for the pilgrims from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM.

Nearby Attractions:

Ahobilam, Yaganti, Bellum Caves, Omkaram, Nandavaram Chowdeshwari Temple and Srisailam Temple can be covered, when you plan your Mahanandi trip.

1. Ahobilam [62.7 km via Allagadda - Ahobilam Rd]
2. Yaganti [65.4 km via Nandyal-Banganapalle]
3. Alampur [115 km]
4. Belum Caves [88.3 km via Nandyal-Banganapalle]

Mahanandi Temple Location:

Don't forget to share your Mahanandi travel experience and valuable suggestions in the comments section.

Share this article with your friends and family and let them know about this ancient temple of Lord Shiva.

Related Articles:

Popular Temple to Visit in Kurnool