Draksharamam Temple Timings No one informed me that the Shivalinga at Draksharamam temple was a two-storied one.
I knew that this temple was a Pancharama Kshetram, one among the five prominent Shiva shrines of Andhra Pradesh, that it was built a thousand years ago, that its Shivalinga was known as Spatika Linga and that it was formed of natural crystal. But what I was totally unaware of, until I saw it myself, was the magnitude of the structure. This means that the upper part, the face of the Shivalinga, was visible on the upper floor, while its base appeared from below on the floor beneath from a place called the ‘chikati konam’. The entire height measured fourteen feet. It is a crystal formation indeed. In the dim light of the sanctum, it did something to the atmosphere.
I happened to visit Draksharamam in a very unplanned manner, while traveling back from my official work in Rajahmundry, and my fellow colleague from Kakinada made me divert towards this place. The day was Wednesday and we visited the temple in the afternoon. There were hardly any people there, just my colleague and I, some devotees and priests who were busy in their routine rituals, which seemed like something out of the world to me.
In case you are visiting Draksharamam for the first time or revisiting the place as a devotee, the following guide will be of great help in knowing all about the timings of the place, the process of darshan and the layout of the two floor temple structure at the place.
| Temple Name | Sri Bhimeswara Swamy Temple (Draksharamam Temple Timings) |
| Location | Draksharamam, Konaseema District, AP 533 262 |
| Significance | Pancharama Kshetra + 12th Shakti Peetam (rare dual status) |
| Morning Darshan | 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Afternoon Break | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM (temple closed) |
| Evening Darshan | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Karthika Masam Opens | 5:00–5:30 AM (extended hours) |
| Maha Shivaratri | All-night schedule; biggest festival |
| Shivalinga | 14-foot crystal (Spatika Linga) — visible on two floors |
| Entry Fee | Free (Sarva Darshan) |
| Nearest City | Kakinada (28 km), Rajahmundry (50 km) |
| Nearest Airport | Rajahmundry Airport (~50 km) |
| Best Time to Visit | Weekday mornings 7–9 AM; avoid Karthika Masam for crowds |
Watch Full Video of Draksharamam Temple Timings
What Makes Draksharamam Special – A Temple of Exceptional Importance
The actual name of the temple is ‘Sri Bhimeswara Swamy Temple’, as the temple is believed to be constructed by the King Bhima (not the Pandava hero, but a ruler of the Chalukya dynasty) during the period of 9th to 10th century AD. However, the history of Draksharamam goes even further back than that.
As per Puranas, it is here that Daksha Prajapati conducted the famous fire sacrifice ritual which he had intentionally kept out of bounds to the God Shiva and His consort Sati. When Sati attended the ritual in spite of being explicitly invited, she was humiliated by her father; unable to bear it anymore, she ended her life. Shiva’s rage could be pacified only after Vishnu dismembered Sati’s body using His weapon Sudarshana Chakra. The portion of Sati’s body that fell down here is her left cheek (or right cheek and/or ear as per some versions). This made Draksharamam the place of the 12th Shakti Peetham or residence of Goddess Manikyamba.
Thus it is not merely a Pancharama Kshetra temple, but a Shakti Peetam as well – an exceptionally rare combination of both which makes the visit doubly special.
“Of the Trilinga temples in the region of Srisailam, Kaleshwaram, and Draksharamam, the role of the southern temple falls to this one. Sage Vyasa is said to have come here, giving it the name Vyasa Kashi. Since it is the southern equivalent of Kashi, it also comes by the name Dakshina Kashi.”
Draksharamam Temple Timings — Complete 2026 Schedule
There are two sessions at this temple on ordinary days, along with additional hours during the sacred month of Karthika Masam and on days of festivals. Note this before you decide:
BETTER DAYS FOR VISIT Our Suggestion
- Early morning, Monday through Friday (7:00 AM to 9:00 AM), is when one will have the most tranquil experience of darshan here.
- Reach by 6:30 AM if you wish to view the Abhishekam, which is one of the most sacred acts performed at the temple.
- Do not visit on Sunday, Maha Shivaratri, or the month of Karthika Masam if you wish to avoid the crowds.
If you wish to visit the temple during its festival time, come to the Karthika Masam (October–November).
Draksharamam Two-Floor Darshan – What To See Inside
This is something that baffles the minds of the first-time visitors, and no one actually tells you how it works before coming here. The Draksharamam Shivalinga height is 14 feet, and both parts of the lingam have two floors. You should know that upper floor darshan and lower floor darshan are both experiences of worshipping the very same God.
- STRUCTURE OF THE TWO-FLOOR DARSHAN – HOW IT WORKS
- Entrance – South Gopuram, remove footwear
- Take Vinayaka darshan on the way to the temple.
- Go UP to the upper floor – witness the top part (face/head) of the Shivalinga – beautifully decorated and illuminated
- Next, go DOWN to the lower floor – Chikati Konam (dark corner)
- Witness the bottom portion (the feet) of the 14-foot crystal lingam here – considered equally sacred
- There are three circumambulation paths – two paths of pradakshina on the lower floor and one path on the upper floor
- Having seen Bhimeswara Swamy, move to Goddess Manikyamba Devi temple in the inner courtyard
- Outer courtyard tour – Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Mandapam, Veerabhadra Swamy, Kala Bhairava
A secret that no one talks about: to enjoy a peaceful moment, go upstairs and locate the little balcony near the sanctum. This place will allow you to get a perfect view of everything around: from the whole interior courtyard below, to the gopurams towering overhead, and the greenery all around. On a quiet weekday morning, this balcony will be completely empty; I stayed here for twenty minutes during my visit on Wednesday and these were some of the most peaceful moments I ever experienced.
Sevas, Pooja Tickets & Prices at Draksharamam Temple
There are a number of sevas that anyone can be part of. Prices are quite affordable.
| Seva / Darshan | Timing | Cost | Notes |
| Sarva Darshan (General) | 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Free | Join regular queue; 30–60 minutes waiting |
| Special Darshan (₹50 ticket) | Available on request | ₹50 | Access to inner sanctum, less waiting |
| Abhishekam (Regular) | 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM | ₹200 | Bathing of Shivalinga with milk, water |
| Alankaram Seva | Morning session | ₹150 | Decoration ritual for the deity |
| Special Abhishekam | By booking | ₹500 | More elaborate ritual, closer darshan |
| Aarti Sponsorship | Any aarti session | ₹100 | Sponsor the lamps and incense offering |
| Suprabhatam Seva | 5:30 AM – 6:00 AM | ₹50 | Awakening prayer; earliest morning seva |
| Kumkum Archana (Manikyamba) | Consistent year-round | Nominal | Offering to the Goddess; timings are fixed |
The Part That Sticks Around Draksharamam Temple
There are no cacophonies inside Draksharamam temple. There is no buzz like that of Tirupati temple or the overwhelming crowd like Srikalahasti on Sundays. The only thing that sticks to its walls is antiquity.
The inscriptions on the walls were carved in the 9th and 10th centuries. More than four hundred of them, in Telugu and Sanskrit, talking about donations made, wars waged, and the kings who made them, long gone into dust now. For instance, King Bhima of Chalukyas won 360 wars against Rashtrakutas, as they built this temple. And the temple survived all those battles. It survived the subsequent dynasties – the Cholas, the Kalingas, the Vijayanagara Empire, and any other empire that came up, considering itself everlasting.
Being before a Shivalingam that existed before the Magna Carta, before Genghis Khan, before the Black Death – and watching a priest pour milk into it, just like he would tomorrow, or did yesterday – gives you some idea of devotion which cannot be conveyed through books. It is not the matter of having faith in anything beyond worldly things. It is the matter of making devotion an exercise in perseverance – of going back and again coming back.
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