Chayala Someshwara Temple, in the
Panagal village of
Nalgonda District, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is an 11th century temple built during the
Kakatiya period. The unique feature is that a permanent shadow, like that of a pillar, casts on the
Shivlinga.
Another remarkable feature is that the
Ashta Dikpalakas are carved directly into the roof above the sacrificial fire altar. The temple also has the shrine of
Dattatreya. The pillars of the temple are decorated with relief sculpture, representing the episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The doorways to all shrines have a series of griffins standing on each others backs, a typical feature of Kakatiya art. The bases of the pillars are portrayed with the Apsaras.
