Pallikondeswara Temple(also Pradosha kshetram) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in Surutupalle, a village in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The presiding deity Pallikondeswara, unlike other Shiva temples, is sported in reclining posture lying on the lap of his consort Parvati.
The temple house a three-tiered gateway tower known as gopurams. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Valmeegeeswarar and Maragathambigai being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls and three precincts. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and five yearly festivals on its calendar. The Aipassi Annabishekam is the major festival in the temple. The temple was built by Vijayanagara king Harihara Bukka Raya (1344-47). In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by State Institute of Temple Administration (SITA) of the Government of Andhra Pradesh.Architecture
Deities inside the Temple
Palli Kondeswara with Sarvamangalambika
Valmikeswara
Maragathambika
Ramalingeswara
Vinayaka
Varasiddhi Vinayaka
Subrahmanya with Devasena and Valli
Saligrama Vinayaka
Bala Subramanya Swamy
Rajarajeshwari
Mahalakshmi
Saraswathi
Annapoorni
Durga Devi
Lingodbhava
Brahma
Bhairava
Valmiki
Kubera
Aiyanar with Poorna and Pushkala
Ayyappan with Gajavahanam
Thambathya Dakshinamurthy
Jwarahareswara
Vishnu
Kasi Vishwanathar
Vishalakshi Amman
Venugopalaswamy
Ekapadha Trimurti
Adhikara Nandi
Chandikeswarar
Raja Matangi
Sapthamatrikas
Navagrahas
Nataraja and Sivakami
Footprints of Lava and Kusha
Sambandar
Appar
Sundarar
Manikkavacakar
In Pallikondeswara shrine he is seen in reclining posture on Parvati's lap. Brahma, Vishnu, Markandeya, Narada, Chandra, Kubera, Indra, Surya, Ganesha, Kartikeya with consorts Valli and Deivanai, Bhrigu, Agastya, Pulastya, Tumburu, Gautama, Vasishta, Vishwamitra and Valmiki were surrounded.
In Ramalingeswara shrine there are shrines for Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Anjaneya, Bharata and Shatrughna.
In Maragathambikai shrine instead of Dwarashaktis Kalpavriksha and Kamadhenu were present.
In Valimikeswara shrine instead of Dwarapalakas Sankhanidhi and Padmanidhi with their consorts were present.
Worship practices
Nandi in front of Pallikondeswara Temple
The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Shaiva community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 6:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Valmeegeswarar and Maraganthibigai. The worship is held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred texts) read by priests and prostration by worshipers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like somavaram (Monday) and sukravaram (Friday), fortnightly rituals like pradosham and monthly festivals like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of somavaram (September – October), Thiruvadhirai during the month of Margazhi (December – January) and Annabhishekam during the Tamil month of Aippasi are the major festivals celebrated in the temple. Pradosham, the fortnightingly festival is celebrated in all the south Indian temples. This temple garners around 15,000 visitors during pradosham and around 30,000 during the Sivarathri festival.