A sanctuary carved in stone
The temple is located merely 4 km from the Tadipatri railway station. As you approach, the unfinished gopurams stand as silent sentinels to history and welcome you to the premises. The temple complex is a beautiful display of stone architecture, with the sanctum, ardhmandapa (half-open hall), and mukhamandapa (front porch) perfectly aligned. Intricate bas-relief sculptures on the temple walls depict scenes from the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Additionally, the west-facing Shiva linga deviates from the traditional east-facing orientation of deities, giving the temple a unique and charming character. The temple's most enchanting feature is the 'saptaswara' pillars. It contains seven small independent pillars that, when struck, produce the seven notes of the musical scale. The temple's unfinished gopurams, described as 'wonders' by architectural historian James Anderson, stand as a reminder of the artistic ambition of the Vijayanagara Empire.