Located amidst the beautiful hills of Nallamala range , #Srisailam is not only a relaxing paradise for tourists but also being the seat of both Jyotirlinga and Shaktipeeth it is of utmost importance in the map of pilgrimage .



The nearest railway station is #MarkapurRoad , but very few trains ply through this station . It takes three hours by bus to reach Srisailam. From platform 1 or 2 the bus to #Srisailam can be availed .

Another route is via #Ongole , which is a major railway station and many long distance trains ply from there . The Ongole Bus terminus is near to the railway station and plenty of auto rickshaws are available between bus stand and the railway station . From #Ongole it takes six hours to reach Srisailam by bus . The bus timings can be checked from the APSRTC website .


We took an overnight train from Hyderabad to Markapur Road . From the railway station we took a shared auto of ₹30/- per passenger . It took around 15 minutes to reach the #MarkapurBusStation by auto . It's a very small town , and both of us had idli in breakfast from a roadside stall beside the bus stand . At #Dornala our bus took a break fot half an hour infront of a restaurant . From roadside stall there we had boiled sweet corn . Being from Bengal we never had such sweet and tasty corn , the taste is still relished by us. From Dornala our bus started moving through the biggest tiger reserve of India which is #NagarjunSagarSrisailamTigerReserve . For the safety of the wild animals, from sunset to sunrise the route remains closed . The greenery and the raw beauty of the #NallamalaRange soothed our tired eyes .

Finally after three hours we reached the small town of #Srisailam. The serenity of the town is heightened by the presence of the cosmic powers of Shiva and Shakti . We deboared at the government bus stand and crossed the road to check in at the #Kakatiya satram . We had booked it online and our room got allotted in the new building . Its a very beautiful #dharamshala with free of cost delicious lunch and dinner . After freshening up we hired an auto to reach the #MallikarjunJyotirlingTemple . We kept our bag in the luggage counter for Rs.10/- , and the ' shoe stand ' was free of cost . The dress code is very strict inside the temple , and only traditional ethnic attire is allowed inside . We went through the winding way and paid homage to #SriMallikarjunaJyotitlinga and #MaaBramaramba . We had free prasadam at the Annapurna Shetra . It's a different building, and has been indicated in many sign boards .

From there we took an auto to reach the #PathalagangaRopeWay point . The scenic beauty of the place justifies the name of Srisailam - a delight to the nature lovers and very charming, to anyone and everyone . The graceful existence of forest, hills , valley and the river exudes an aesthetic aura capable to calm and soothe the soul . We availed the cable car ride for Rs.65/- for up and down journey to the#Pathalaganga .


From here the #SrisailamDam is visible . It is named after India's sixth President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy and is the second largest capacity working hydro electric station in the country . It has become a tourist attraction of this place .


We took a boat ride on the river Krishna and went a bit closer to the #NeelamSanjeevaReddyDam . The boatman passed on few information about the place , but we couldn't comprehend much as he spoke only Telegu .


The Krishna river as it flowed through a deep gorge , it is popular as the Pathalaganga among the locals .the contribution of the river towards shaping the local landscape , has been compared to one of the holiest rivers of India which is Ganga . In a riverine country of India , rivers have always been worshipped as a mother and the #KrishnaRiver is no exception . The river appeared crystal clear , but the calm water has much depth , and has cut out its course through the rocky terrains of Nallamala range . The hills were magnificent And the small town - elegant . Our spiritual journey to the doors of #SriMallikarjunSwamyTemple was enriched manifold by the beauty of nature . The raw beauty had the enchanting power to heal all sorrows , and brought us closer to nature , and most importantly closer to our inner selves. Expense chart of 2 people : Markapur railway station to bus stand auto fare -60 idli breakfast-35 Bus fare -330 Boiled Sweet Corn in Dornala-10 Room rent non AC in new building of Kakatiya satram-500 Auto to temple -40 Mobile locker charge outside temple-10 Lunch - free in temple Auto to Pathalaganga rope way point -40 Rope way fare -130 Boating -120 Return Auto to hotel -40 Dinner - free in Kakatiya satram First day expense Total -1315 Next day breakfast - free in temple Bus to Ongole - 550 Boiled Sweet corn in Dornala-40 Auto to Ongole railway station from bus stand -40 Dinner rice thali - 140 2nd day expense - 770 Total expenses incurred for Srisailam trip in two days for two people - 2085 .