Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple
Vemulawada, Rajanna Sircilla district · Lord Shiva as Raja Rajeshwara (Rajanna), a Neela Lohita linga, with Goddess Raja Rajeshwari and Lakshmi Ganapathi
Rajanna of Vemulawada – the 'Kashi of the South', where devotees walk a bull round the shrine to fulfil their vows.
Vemulawada, about 38 km from Karimnagar, is one of Telangana's most visited Shiva temples. Lord Raja Rajeshwara, known locally as Rajanna, is worshipped as a Neela Lohita Shiva linga, with Goddess Raja Rajeshwari and Lakshmi Ganapathi in the same maha-mandapam. The temple is famous for kode mokku, the vow of leading a bull round the shrine. Note: the main temple is being rebuilt and enlarged under a ₹249 crore state project (about 45% complete in July 2026); during the works, pujas and darshan have been shifted to the nearby Bheemeshwara temple.
Timings
- Temple (Devasthanam schedule): About 4:00 AM – 10:20 PM
- Abhishekam and dharma darshan: 6:15 – 11:30 AM (to 2:30 PM on Mondays, Masa Shivaratri and Sani Pradosham)
- Kode mokku, kumkuma puja: 6:15 AM – 8:30 PM (kode from 4:30 AM on peak days)
- Nitya Kalyanam: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Maha Lingarchana: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
- Note: During the 2025–27 rebuilding, worship is at the Bheemeshwara temple; timings may differ – confirm locally.
Darshan types and costs
- Dharma (free) darshan – Free
- Sheegra Darshanam – ₹100
Sevas and costs
- Kode Mokku (Kodekattuta) – ₹200 or ₹500 (two options listed online) (Daily, 6:15 AM – 8:30 PM (from 4:30 AM on Mondays and peak days))
- Abhishekam (Nagireddy Mandapam) – ₹500 (6:15 – 11:30 AM (longer on Mondays))
- Maha Rudrabhishekam (Maha Mandapam) – ₹1,000 (Morning abhishekam hours)
- Anna Puja – ₹500 (Nagireddy Mandapam) / ₹1,000 (in the garbhalayam) (Midday (12:10 – 2:00 PM; 3:00 – 5:00 PM on Mondays))
- Shiva Kalyanam (Nitya Kalyanam) – ₹1,500 (10:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
- Maha Lingarchana – ₹1,000 (6:30 – 8:30 PM)
- Kumkuma Puja – ₹300 (6:15 AM – 8:30 PM)
- Aakula Puja – ₹600 (7:10 – 9:00 PM)
- Pedda Seva / Pallaki Seva – ₹350 / ₹200 (7:10 – 9:00 PM)
- Chandi sahita Rudra Homam – ₹1,516 (On booking)
- Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Vratham – ₹600 (Daily (listed from early morning to 3:00 PM))
- Kesha Khandana (tonsure) – ₹50 (Daily)
- Vahana Puja – ₹100 (two-wheeler) / ₹250 (auto, tempo) / ₹400 (car, bus, lorry) (Daily)
How to book darshan
The Devasthanam's own website (vemulawadatemple.telangana.gov.in) sells Arjitha sevas, Sheegra darshan, saswatha (permanent) pujas and annadanam online; tickets are also sold at counters. Because of the rebuilding, check where the seva will be performed when you buy.
Vemulawada Devasthanam – Arjitha Sevas
Dress code
Traditional dress for sevas; modest clothing for darshan.
Best time to visit
October to February. Mondays, Karthika month and Maha Shivaratri are the busiest; the Sammakka-Sarakka jatara period (Jan–Feb in jatara years) also brings huge crowds.
How to reach
- air: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, roughly 160–170 km (approx.).
- rail: Devasthanam: nearest broad-gauge stations Kazipet/Warangal; Karimnagar also has a station (approx. 38 km).
- road: 38 km from Karimnagar; TGSRTC buses from Hyderabad (via Siddipet), Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Kamareddy (via Sircilla), Warangal and other towns.
Festivals
- Maha Shivaratri Jatara – Feb/Mar (6 March 2027)
- Sri Rama Navami – Mar/Apr
- Shiva Kalyanotsavam – Annual, 5 days
- Karthika Masotsavam – Oct/Nov
- Thyagaraja Aradhanotsavam – Annual, 5 days