Saleshwaram devotees face tough time as authorities play spoilsport

Nagarkurnool: Once in a year, the ardent devotees of Lord Shiva, from across the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, make sure they attend the famed Saleshwaram Jatara, held deep in the Nallamalla forest, about 60 kilometres away from Srisailam.

However, due to lack of coordination between the officials of Forest department and Endowments department, this year, the devotees had to face hardships with many of getting stuck in traffic for hours together at the Farhabad forest department check post or they had to return disappointed as the Forest department authorities did not allow them to venture into the forest.

In fact, every year, the Forest officials allow the public to venture into forest to visit Saleshwaram temple in the Nallamalla forest for five days during April.

However, this year, while the Endowments department announced the Jatara to be held from April 17-21, the Forest department declared that it would allow the entry of devotees for only three days from April 18-20.

As there was no clarity between the officials of Forest and Endowments department about the exact schedule of the Jatara, the devotees who came to the Farhabad checkpoint in Nallamalla forest were stopped by the Forest officials.

In spite of repeated requests and arguments, the Forest authorities did not allow the devotes until April 18 and this caused chaos led to heavy traffic jams in the forest.

"Saleshwaram Shiva temple inside the Nallamalla forest is a nature's wonder and thousands of devotees visit during Purnima (full moon day). In fact, the abode of Lord Shiva at Saleshwaram is also called as Dakshin Amarnatha, where people from across India come and visit.

However, this year, Forest department has implemented strict regulations causing lot of inconvenience to the devotees. Despite hurdles, the devotees in large numbers successfully had the darshan of the Lord," said Ravinder, a devotee describing his trip to Saleshwaram temple on Sunday.

In the Nallamalla forest, Lord Shiva is also called as Lingamaiah by the Chenchu community devotees who have been worshiping the deity for thousands of years.

Earlier Saleshwaram was known as Sarveshwaram Theertha Kshetra, which later came to be known as Saileshwaram and Saleshwaram locally. The visitors, pilgrims and devotees like this place as it is a primitive religious site located 30-40 kilometre deep inside the Nallamala forest inside Amrabad Tiger Reserve where the rare Chenchu adivasis have been living and serving Lord Shiva for ages.

The devotees have to trek all the way deep into the forest for 5-6 kilometres to have the darshan of the Lord, akin to Amarnath temple in Himalayas.

As per local Chenchu community, ages ago, a Chenchu named Ravagadu had gone for hunting along with his wild dogs on the new year's eve. When he couldn't find water to drink anywhere, his dogs led him to a water body located near a cave, where water drops which looked like pearls were falling through the layers of rock formation.

There, the Shiva had revealed himself to the Chenchu in bright gold and then vanished. That night, Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and asked him to erect a Shiva Linga and serve him.

The devotees believe that the water which flows through layers of rock formed some thousands of years ago carries with it all the medicinal values through the roots of nature, making it the purest form of water which has the ability to cure any disease.

People have been visiting this place for ages and believe that their sins will be washed away here. According to historical evidence, the Shiva Linga at Sarveshwaram had already become famous by 5th or 6th century.

The layered rock formation in front of the sanctum sanctorum itself looks like a mammoth cave.