Sri Talpagiri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Sri Talpagiri Ranganathaswamy Temple, also called Ranganayakulu, stands on the bank of the Penna (Pennar) in Nellore and is one of the city's oldest temples. Its origins go back to the Pallava period, around the 8th century; the Simhapuri rulers added to it, the Cholas built the main shrine and extensions in the 12th century, and the Raja Gopuram dates from the 1800s. Unusually, the deity faces west toward the river, so visitors coming in from the city side first meet the back wall of the sanctum.

Inside, Ranganatha lies on the serpent Adisesha, with Sridevi on his chest and Brahma on a lotus rising from his navel. The seven-storeyed entrance tower is 70 feet tall and topped by seven gold-plated kalasams. In the grounds grows the Santhana Vriksha, where couples hoping for children tie offerings in strips of saree cloth.