Raja Rajeswara Temple, Vemulawada

Sri Raja Rajeshwara Temple is a major Shiva temple in the town of Vemulawada, Telangana, about 38 km from Karimnagar. The area was once the seat of the Vemulawada Chalukyas, rulers here from 750 to 973 CE. The presiding deity, Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy, known locally as Rajanna, is a massive lingam, flanked by images of Raja Rajeshwari Devi on the right and Laxmi Sahitha Siddi Vinayaka on the left.

Around the main shrine are many subsidiary shrines, called upalayas, to deities including Ananta Padmanabha Swamy, Rama with Seetha and Laxmana, and Anjaneya. Pilgrims first bathe in the Dharma Gundam tank, whose water is believed to be holy and healing, before going in for darshan. A distinctive offering here is Kode Mokku, in which a devotee walks around the temple leading a bull, the mount of Shiva. Maha Shivaratri brings large crowds.