Panchadarla Uma Dharmalingeswara Temple

About Panchadarla Uma Dharmalingeswara Temple

Kotilingeswara Aalayam or Panchadarla temple is said to be built by the Eastern Chalukya Cholas in the ninth century.

The temple derived its name Panchadarla from five jets of water coming out of five fountains, which receive their supplies from a natural perennial spring. Locals said the water, which is believed to wash away sins, has its source in Varanasi. It’s also said that on the Shivalingam there are other carved lingams in 12 rows of 85 each. This is why the temple is also known as Kotilingam.

According to local mythology, Shiva Lingam was lost its glory over time. It is said that once the king of Yama Dharma came here to cure his disease and re-established the linga, hence the name Dharmalingeswara Kshetra.

There are several inscriptions on the pillars of the mandapam and two of them date back to 1407 and 1428. These contain a genealogy of chiefs of the Eastern Chalukya ancestry and the Eastern Chalukya titles of Sarvalokasraya and Vishnu Vardana. The temple presents a confluence of Nagara and Dravidian styles of architecture.