Encyclopedia Definitions

Kalahasti

Built Environments & Structures Premodern Culture

Srikalahasti Temple; Andhra Pradesh, India. Photograph: Iamvrt46 (2018), Wikimedia Commons

A temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva, located in the town of Kalahasti in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is an important pilgrimage site in southern India and represents Shiva in an ‘elemental’ form as the wind. While the origins of the temple’s construction are unclear, it received patronage from a succession of rulers in the region, including Rajendra Chola I and Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara kingdom. Historically, the town has also been an important centre for the production of the kalamkari textiles.

All Tags: Built Environments & Structures | Sites & Regions | Premodern Culture | All India | Southern India | Early Medieval (600–1200 CE)

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