Srisailam Darshan Booking: what you need in 2026

• Your ordinary darshan of Mallikarjuna is free and open to all.
• For a shorter wait you book a paid special darshan, often the Sighra darshan, on the official site.
• The special Sparsha darshan lets you touch the lingam, a rare privilege here, booked on the official site.
• On Maha Shivratri, on festivals and busy weekends the queues are long, so book ahead and reach early.

[The exact darshan types and prices are shown on the official site. Last checked 14 September 2026.]

On the official Devasthanam site you also book the abhishekam and other sevas in your name, both for Lord Mallikarjuna and for the Goddess Bhramaramba, and the Devasthanam guest houses and cottages near the temple. You pay online and keep the confirmation, then present it at the temple or the guest house. Book a room early on festival days, when they fill fast.

Open the official site, srisailadevasthanam.org, and pick what you want: a special darshan slot, the Sparsha darshan, a seva, or a room. Add your details and pay online, then download the ticket or booking. Reach the temple in good time, because the security check and the queue take a while. Carry the ticket and your original identity, because staff check them. Dress modestly, as at any temple.

The temple opens very early in the morning and stays open through the day into the night, with the abhishekam, the aartis and the sevas at set times, and it keeps longer, busier hours on festival days. The Sparsha darshan runs in set slots. The exact hours can shift, and the Devasthanam sets them, so check the official site before you go and plan around the seva times.

Two things are worth your time beyond the main darshan. The Patala Ganga is the holy stretch of the Krishna river below the temple, reached by a long flight of steps or a ropeway, where pilgrims take a sacred dip. The Sikharam is a hilltop viewpoint a few kilometres away, from where, it is said, a glimpse of the temple gopuram frees you from rebirth. Give yourself time for the Patala Ganga bath and the Sikharam view, and for the Bhramaramba shrine.

You can visit all year, though the hills are hot in summer, so the cooler months from about October to February are pleasant. The greatest festival is Maha Shivratri, with the Brahmotsavam, usually in February or March, when huge crowds come. Ugadi, the Telugu new year, and Dasara for the Goddess are also grand. If you visit at a peak, book your special darshan and room far ahead and reach early.

Srisailam is deep in the Nallamala forest of the Nandyal region of Andhra Pradesh, on the Krishna river. The nearest airport is Hyderabad, about two hundred and ten kilometres away, and Kurnool and Markapur are the nearer railway options. You reach Srisailam by road through the forest ghat, so leave enough time, and note the forest stretch can close at night. Many pilgrims come by bus or car from Hyderabad or Kurnool.

Carry your booking, a photo identity, and a little cash for sevas, the ropeway and offerings. If you plan the Patala Ganga dip, carry a change of clothes and a towel. Carry water and a hat for the hills, and warm clothes are handy on cool nights. Use the cloakroom for bags and phones where the temple requires, and keep your belongings safe in the crowd.