DRAKSHARAMAM

DRAKSHARAMAM

The Bhimeswara temple at Draksharama has two prakarams. The outer prakaram is pierced with four entrances each with a gopuram. The gopuram on the west is a five tiered one. The sculptural work in the mukha mandapam depicts clear Chalukyan features.

There are shrines to Lakshmi Narayana, Sankaranarayana, Ganapati and the Navagrahas.The Two flights of stairs lead to the upper level of the sanctum. Bhimeswara is enshrined in the form of a ten feet high Shivalingam in the sanctum. Shiva's consort here is Manikyamba. This temple was built by the Eastern Chalukyan King of Vengi - Bhima, during very troubled times (9th -10th centuries), when his kingdom was under attack by the Rashtrakootas.