Mysterious saga of a 2,200-year-old lingam

Mysterious saga of a 2,200-year-old lingam
The Asian Age [India], August 12, 2007

The most ancient Shiva lingam known to mankind is standing at the
crossroads. Sri Parasurameshwara temple, located in Gudimallam, a hamlet
13 km from Renigunta junction in Chittoor district in southern Andhra
Pradesh, has a 2,200-year old history as the longest continuously
worshipped Shiva temple in the world. Its fascinating past and equally
gripping present have culminated in a classic confrontation between
modern values and ancient traditions. Dating back to the third and
second century BC, it is a simple structure consisting of a single
semicircular chamber below ground level. Walking down the few steps into
the garbha griha brings one face to face with a 1.35-metre, seven-sided
monolithic lingam. The front plane has the figure of Parasurama standing
on the crouching figure of a Yaksha. It rests on a base of seven
concentric rings, or peethams, only two of which are visible above the
surface.

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