Bugga Ramalingeswara Temple, Tadipatri – The Temple

Bugga Ramalingeswara Temple, Tadipatri – The Temple

This temple is facing towards west with three entrances in the south, north and west. All the entrances are provided with a gopuram. The main entrance is through the southern gopuram. It is a majestic unfinished gopuram carved intricately with various deities, birds, animals, floral motifs and geometric designs. The northern gopuram is famous for its sculptures. Some of the sculptures are Ashta Dikpalakas (each of the dikpalakas are depicted with their respective vahana (mount) and carrying weapons), manifestations of Lord Shiva such as Ardhanareeswara, Uma Maheshwara, Dakshinamoorthy, Kevalamurti, Nataraja, Haryadhra Moorthy, Bikshadana and Ramalinga Nayudu (he is depicted as a tall figure, wearing the typical conical Vijayanagara era crown).

The western gopuram has the insignia of the Vijayanagara dynasty, which is the boar with a sword in front and the sun and moon above, clearly carved on it. It overlooks the Penna River. Nandi, Balipeedam and Dwaja Sthambam can be seen immediately after the western gopuram. The main shrine consists of sanctum, ardha mandapa and mukha mandapa with entrance porches on northern and southern sides. The pillars of the entrance porches has pillars with rearing lions and pilasters. There is a shrine dedicated to Veerabhadra to the east of the southern porch.

There is a shrine dedicated to Parasurama near the northern porch. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Bugga Ramalingeswara in the form of Shiva Linga. Lord is a Swayambhu Moorthy (self-manifested). The Swayambhu Linga is placed on a pedestal. It is said that the Linga is placed over a perpetual spring (Bugga). The water is seen flowing out of the pedestal all the time even though the Shiva Linga is about 18 feet higher than the Penna river and that the Penna river is dry for most of the year. This water is treated as holy water by the devotees. The vimana over the sanctum is of two tiers.

There is a shrine for goddess Rajarajeshwari on the southern side of the sanctum. Her shrine consists of sanctum, ardha mandapa and mukha mandapa. The vimana over the sanctum of the goddess shrine is of two tiers. There is a south facing shrine for Lord Rama in the goddess shrine. The exterior of the goddess shrine is intricately carved than the main shrine. The mukha mandapa contains sixteen pillars and nine pilasters. The mukha mandapa has four pillars at the centre forming a mandapa. The ceiling has been carved with a lotus There is a Kalyana mandapa on the south west corner of the temple premises.