This temple of Lord Siva in the form of Raja Rajeshwara Swami is very famous in this part of the region. The presiding

deity of the temple is Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy who is locally popular as Rajanna who is adorned on both the sides by

the idol of Sri Raja Rajeswari Devi on the right side and to the left is the idol of Sri Laxmi Sahitha Siddi Vinayaka.This

place has a lot of Historical and religious significance and so is also called as Dakhshina Kasi, Southern Banaras as it

is, as important as Kashi (Banaras) is in the North for the temple of Lord Shiva. Vemulawada is a town near

Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Vemulawada Rajarajeswra temple is situated 38 km from karimnagar, at Vemulawada. This famous temple dedicated

to Lord Rajarajeswra Swamy, draws pilgrims in large numbers. Rajarajeswra Temple of Vemulawada was built by

Chalukya kings between the 750 A.D and 973 A.D., houses numerous temples dedicated to Lord Sri Rama,

Lakshmana, Goddess Lakshmi, Ganapathy and Lord Padmanabha Swamy. Interestingly there is a Muslim mosque

inside the temple complex where all devotees offer prayers, irrespective of caste and creed.

Vemulawada Rajarajeswra temple comprises Mirror Gallery (Addala Mantap) and gallery of Shiva idols. Pilgrims have

divine bath in a holy tank, Dharma Gundam, before proceeding for darshan and these holy waters are believed to have

medicinal properties. Every year at the time of Maha Shiva Rathri, devotees in large numbers flock to Vemulawada, to

offer prayers to Lord Shiva.

Other temples in the area include:

1. Anantha Padmanabha Swami

2. Bhimeshwara Swami

3. Kodanda RamaSwami

4. Nageshwara swamy

5. Baddhi pocchamma

6. Kedareshwara swamy

Legend says that Bhavishyothara Purana mentions that the Sun-God [Surya Bhagavan] recovered from disability by

praying at the shrine here and so this shrine is termed “Bhaskara Kshethram”. And, Indra- the King of Astadikpalaka by

devoutly worshipping Lord Sri Raja Rajeshwara-the presiding deity of the shrine, purified himself from Brahmahatya

Dosham.

Further, It is said that during 750 to 973 AD this temple was built by Raja Narendra-the grandson of Parikshit who in turn

the grandson of Arjuna, was not only cured of Leprosy by which he was afflicted by virtue of killing Muniputra accidentally,

by taking bath in Dharmagundam [Pushkarni] but also seen Lord Sri Raja Rajeshwara and Goddess Sri Raja Rajehwari

Devi in a vision and received blessings with directions to build a temple and install ‘ Siva Lingam’ which was laying in

the bed of the Pushkarni.