Chaya Someswara Swamy temple, Hindu temple in Panagal, India
Chaya Someswara Swamy is a Hindu temple in Panagal village in the state of Telangana, India, dedicated to Shiva and displaying Dravidian architecture. The complex includes a main shrine with carved pillars and several smaller structures surrounded by a low wall, all built from dark stone.
The temple foundation dates back to the Kanduru Choda dynasty in the 7th century, which ruled this region. Later rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty during medieval times commissioned additions, documented through stone inscriptions on the walls.
The temple name derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "shadow" and visitors often notice priests performing daily morning and evening worship rituals that have continued for generations. Devotees walk clockwise around the inner sanctum while reciting prayers, a practice that remains central to how people interact with this sacred space.
The shrine sits about 4 kilometers from Nalgonda town and can be reached by a paved road passing through flat farmland. Visitors should remove footwear before entering and arrive during morning hours when temperatures are cooler and fewer people are present.
Inside the inner sanctum, a dark shadow appears on the wall mimicking the shape of a pillar, yet no known light source creates this optical occurrence. Local observers report that the shadow remains visible throughout the day and does not shift position even as the sun moves.
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