Srisailam

Srisailam was one of the least crowded pilgrim centers I've ever visited. The place is located in hills and jungles of interior Andhrapradesh. The journey from Kurnool to Srisailam is quite interesting. We got to see Cuddapah stone quarries. The sights are amazing... straight layers of black stones as though they are man-made (that's what I felt way back, may be 1994 or 1995 but now I know man can never beat nature). Another thing which was totally new to us was goats hung by the neck on trees, usually tamarind trees in village entrances. Much later I heard that it's a custom to keep away infectious disease at bay. Later we drove through jungle covered hills. I think it was late afternoon we passed by a group of pilgrims walking and one of them made some sign by hand. I was too busy to notice him but dad said he was asking for water but I in a hurry to reach the place did not stop the van. Dad was not happy about that. Even now I regret, I made dad unhappy and left the walkers thirsty.

We hired a cottage for our stay and evening we went out to see the dam close by. On the way...


...an abandoned earth-moving equipment which was probably used at the time of constructing the dam across river Krishna, which flows in the valley below.





That's Kusuma aunty (dad's cousin) mom, dad, Praveen and my granny.


Overhead is the rope-way system used for conveying material.


Praveen and I went down close to the reservoir. We stood on a structure which housed a massive pipe which drained out water. It was scary to see water getting sucked into the pipe.


While security at dams in Karnataka is tight dams in Andhra Pradesh hardly have security, even a major dam like this!

I did not take pictures of the temple at all, even during the second time. It's a peaceful place. I wish to visit it again sometime.

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