Keesaragutta Temple

About Keesaragutta Temple

The history of Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple at Keesara goes back to the early ages. One can say that it the oldest inhabited place in Hyderabad. History of the city starts with the history of Keesaragutta. This place was once the capital of Vishnukundins dynasty. According to the legend, Lord Rama installed a Shiva Lingam here, for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahman.

He selected this place, surrounded by lush greenery and asked Hanuman to bring Shiva Lingam from Kashi(Varanasi). But the mighty Hanuman could not return on time and as the auspicious hours was about to end, Lord Shiva appeared before Lord Rama and gave him a Shiva Linga to install. The deity at Keesara, is called as Ramalingeswara, as Lord Rama had installed the deity.

When Hanuman returned with 101 lingams from Varanasi for Lord Rama to select, he was aggrieved to see that a Lingam was already installed. The enraged Hanuman threw all the Lingas that he had, all over the place. Till this day, devotes do find several lingams scattered at the temple premises. To appease Hanuman, Rama ordained that precedence would be given to him to worship at the temple. Rama also proclaimed that the hillock, where the deity was installed, would bear the name of Hanuman, as he is the son of Kesari. Over the years, the name has been transformed as Keesara and the hillock as Keesaragutta.

Historians believe that eleven ‘Ashwamedha Yagnas’ were performed here during the fifth and sixth centuries by the Vishnukundin Kings. It is also believed that the temple hosted Vedic ceremonies like ‘Rajasuya’, ‘Purushmedha’, ‘Sarvamedha’ etc.