Gudimallam - Oldest Temple with Unique Shiva Lingam

Gudimallam is a small village located in chittoor district of andhra pradesh. This is located 11 km to renigunta railway station and 22 km from tirupati. This temple is considered to be one of the oldest temples standing in india now.

Though this is a small village and not known to many people, the is historically very important due to the shiva linga inside the temple. The deity here is called as "parasuramaswara swamy". The temple is said to be constructed around 3rd century but no date is available regarding the lingam inside the temple as well as who built that. More details about the deity is available at the Chandragiri fort in chittoor.

The shrine unlike many shiva temples is not a shiva lingam here but rather the god is taken the form of human. The figure of Siva carved on the linga resembles a vigorous hunter. The linga is carved out of a brown color stone which is 5 feet tall and 1 foot in thickness. A beautiful two handed image of Shiva in sthanaka posture is carved in high relief. On the front portion of the Linga God is standing on the shoulders of a pasmarapurusha or a dwarf. The Deity holds a ram in his right hand and a small vessel in his left hand. There is a battle axe (Parasu) resting on his left shoulder. His head is adorned with Jatas arranged in the Jatabhara fashion. He wears a number of rings in his ears and a unique girdle with a dangling central portion. The male image in front of the linga wears a dhoti fastened at his waist with a vastra-mekhala which covers whole linga, but is transparent.

We can also see the statue of Lord Surya idol in this temple premises. Some of the corrop coins obtained at ujjain belonging to the 3rd century contains figure resembles the linga of gudimallam. A 1st century sculpture in the Mathura museum also contains a figure resembling the Gudimallam shiva lingam.