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	SRI KALAHASTI - SRI KALAHASTEESWARA

About the Temple Temple History Sthalapuranam Legend of Sri - Kala - Hasti Legend of Bhakta Kannappa Other Shrines Fairs & Festivals

Legend of Sri - Kala - Hasti :

There was  Sri, the spider, which was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva in the Kritayuga. It expressed its devotion by spinning the webs in the shape of temples and mantapams that in the early morning due looked like pearl houses and as a shrine of rubies in the sunrays. But, a single damaging wind or rain would shatter all this, when the spider started spinning it all over again.

To test the devotion of the spider Lord Shiva once have burnt down the webs with the nearby lamp. The enraged spider ten swallowed the flame and sacrificed it and was ultimately given moksha by Lord Shiva.

Then there existed Kala, the serpent and Hasti, the elephant, the two ardent devotees of Lord Shiva, in the Thretha Yuga. The serpent offered precious diamonds in worship and the elephant offered waters from the nearby Swarnamukhi river and fresh flowers and leaves. But the offerings of one were disturbing to the other. Ultimately a day has come when they both have resorted to their animosity. The snake entered the trunk of the elephant thus putting it to suffocation and the later trying to get relieved hit itself to a hill and both died. They were then given moksha by Lord Shiva.

The place is thus known after the three ardent devotees as Srikalahasti after them, Sri – the spider, Kala – the serpent and Hasti – the elephant.

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