Mukhalingam
Mukhalingam
Srimukhalingam | |
|---|---|
Village | |
Srimukhalingam temple Bhimeswara temple Someshwara temple | |
Interactive map of Mukhalingam | |
Mukhalingam Location in Andhra Pradesh, India | |
| Coordinates: 18°36′00″N 83°58′00″E / 18.6000°N 83.9667°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| District | Srikakulam |
| Talukas | Jalumuru |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,204 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Telugu |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 532428 |
| Vehicle Registration | AP30 (Former) AP39 (from 30 January 2019) |
Mukhalingam, also known as Srimukhalingam or Mukhalinga, is a village and gram panchayat in Jalumuru mandal of Srikakulam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Historically known as Kalinganagari, Mukhalingam served as the capital of the Eastern Ganga dynasty from the 6th to the 12th century. In 1122, King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva conquered Utkala and shifted the capital from Kalinganagari to Kataka (modern Cuttack).
The village is located on the left bank of Vamsadhara river at a distance of 48 km from Srikakulam town( nearest rail head ) and 160 km from Visakhapatnam ( nearest airport). Before 1936 it was under undivided Ganjam District.
Mukhalingam is home to a group of three Śaiva temples—Madhukeshwara, Someswara, and Bhimeswara—which have been variously dated by historians to between the late eighth and early eleventh centuries CE. Mukhalingam also served as the erstwhile capital of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The principal temple of Sri Mukhalingam was constructed under the patronage of Eastern Ganga king Kamarnava Deva II, the great-grandfather of Anantavarman Chodaganga of Kalinga.