Yaganti is a Shiva temple in Kurnool district, built in the 15th century by the Vijaynagara king Harihara. The legend behind the temple is quite interesting. Sage Agastya had wanted to build a Venkateshwara temple here, but the idol couldn’t be installed because its toenail was broken. Upset, the sage performed penance for Shiva, who appeared and declared the place more suitable for himself as it resembled Kailash. The sage then requested Shiva to appear along with Parvati as Lord Uma Maheshwara in a single stone. And so, the idol was established.
The temple is surrounded by karst hills on three sides, which contain three caves: Agastya cave, Venkateshwara cave, and Veera Brahmam cave. The temple itself showcases the typical Dravidian style of architecture. The biggest attraction is the Pushkarani, a small water tank full of fresh water flowing from the hills. Devotees usually bathe here before visiting the temple.
I parked my bike and walked toward the Pushkarani. The tank was much smaller than I had imagined, but the steps, doors, and pavilions were beautifully constructed. The water looked a deep bluish-green—surprisingly clean and fresh. Some men were jumping and playing in the water. Their noise was a bit irritating. I considered taking a bath but didn’t feel like stepping in with all the ruckus.
I clicked some pictures and moved toward the temple. The Gopuram was tall and beautiful, blending well with the surrounding hills. Unfortunately, the temple itself was closed. I walked inside the temple courtyard. The famous growing Nandi was right in front of me. It’s said that the stone of which the Nandi is made possesses unique properties, causing it to grow 1 inch every 20 years. Legend has it that once upon a time, people could comfortably walk around the Nandi. Today, however, it is touching the temple pillars on all sides. When I looked closely, it did appear to be slightly out of shape. The Nandi rock was probably indeed expanding. It would be fascinating to investigate this further and find out what is causing the expansion of the rock.
I couldn’t see the single-stone statue of Uma Maheshwara, which was a bit disappointing, but I decided to explore the entire complex. The three caves were in the hill located on the right side of the temple. I climbed to all of them and took a look. The view of the temple and the surrounding hills from the Veera Brahmam cave was mesmerizing. The Gopuram looked majestic against the backdrop of the karst limestone. I clicked some pictures and came out.
The Race Against the Rain
Suddenly, the sky turned grey, and within a moment, it started pouring. I had escaped the mighty monsoon showers until now, but the rains had finally caught me. Fortunately, I was still at the temple and managed to take refuge at a nearby tea shop. I sat there, sipping hot chai, waiting for the showers to recede.
In about fifteen minutes, the rain stopped. I put on my raincoat and started the bike to ride back to Anantpur. I decided to take a slightly longer route via Banaganapalli and Tadipatri. The shorter route to the Bangalore–Hyderabad highway was in shambles, and the recent showers must have worsened the situation—I was in no mood for a “Motocross Madness” experience.
As I crossed Banaganapalli, the weather cleared. In fact, the roads were hardly wet! I realized the shower was a result of just a passing cloud. Whatever the reason, I was happy to have escaped the heavy rain. This new road was in overall good shape, and the landscape was dotted with lush paddy fields. Suddenly, the road took a sharp uphill turn and ended up next to a huge reservoir. I was pleasantly surprised by the scenery in front of me. I stopped for a moment, took some pictures, and moved on.
Within two more hours, I reached Anantpur. The next day was Ganesh Chaturthi, and the city markets were flooded with people. I reached the hotel, finished dinner, and retired for the day. The following day, I returned to Bangalore. With its secluded hilltops, the thrilling game of hide-and-seek with the rain, and mesmerizing landscapes, this road trip was quite enjoyable. It was my first-ever long-distance trip on a 100-cc bike, and the experience was truly memorable.
The End.