Keesaragutta Temple, Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy Temple Keesara, Ranga Reddy district keesaragutta temple timings

Greatness Of Temple:
   

  Lord Ramalingeswara in the sanctum sanctorum graces in a Linga form of a small size.  Lord Sri Rama had worshipped this Swayambumurthi.  The temple also has shrines separately for Lord Lakshmi Narasimha and Lord Rama with Mother Sita.  This is Shiva-Vishnu temple and ensures all benefits to the devotees.  The temple was built by Akkanna and Madhanna who were ministers during the Nawab rule.  All Shiva related festivals are grandly celebrated in the temple.   Lord Ramalingeswara is the hope of His devotees.

Temple History:
   
  The story that Lord Sri Rama, on His way back to Ayodhya after winning over Ravana and rescuing Mother Sita, wished to perform Shiva Pujas to cleanse Himself of the doshas that impacted on him due to killing of people in the war, is familiar with all devotees.  He sent Sri Hanuman to get Him Shiva Lingas for the purpose.  As Hanuman could not reach his Lord in time, Sri Rama completed Shiva worship before his return.  Sri Hanuman brought 101 Shivalingas, yet frustrated at the delay and despite Rama consoling him, he threw the Lingas, one of which fell in this place, then known as Kesari Gudda.  Now it is changed as Keesara Gudda.  As Lord Sri Rama worshipped this Shivalinga, now presiding deity at the temple, is praised as Rama Linga Easwarar – Ramalingeswarar, blessing the devotees for ever.The history of Keesara goes back to early

Christian era. In fact it is the oldest inhabited place of Hyderabad city. The history of Hyderabad starts from the history of Keesara. Keesara was once the capital city of Vishnukundins dynasty. The ruins of old fort can be seen on the hill the name literally translates to “The temple of a core lingams situated on the hillock of Lord Hanuman”.
 Legend has it that Sri Rama

installed the Siva lingam here to atone for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahman. He selected this beautiful valley surrounded by hills and verdant greenery for the purpose and ordered Hanuman to bring a Sivlingam from Varanasi. Hanuman was late in arriving with the Siva lingam and as the auspicious hour was nearing, Lord Siva himself appeared before Sri Rama and presented a Sivilingam for installation. Hence the lingam in the temple is called Swayambhu Linga. It is also called Ramalingeswara as Lord Sri Rama had installed the lingam.
Hanuman

returned with 101 lingams for selection from Varanasi and felt aggrieved at not having his lingam installed. Hence he threw them all over the area. Even to this day several lingams are found scattered all over the place outside the temple.
To mollify Hanuman, Sri Rama ordained that precedence would be given to him for worship at the temple. He also said that the hillock where the lingam was installed would bear his name kesarigiri i.e, Hanuman, the son of Kesari. Over a period of time, it has become corrupted and is now known as Keesara and the hill as Keesaragutta. Ever since, the rituals follow the command of Sri Rama

The popular temple of Shiva and lingas, Keesaragutta Temple is located here. There is also Laxmi Narasimha Temple built during the time of Qutub Shahi period.
There is Sri Ramalingeshwara temple here on a hillock and the Veda Pathasala run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. 


Archaeological Excavations

Exploration and Excavations were conducted by the archaeological department in the surroundings of Keesaragutta[2] Temple. Many Remnants of Brick structures and Shiva Lingas were found on the Hill north of the temple and a slopy Hillock near the water resource. The remnants belonged to Chalukyan Empire reign. Fortification walls, Yaga shala and Prayer hall's were excavated here. Some Vestige remnants and rock cut cisterns were found on the hills as an indication of Jainism and Buddhism Flourished contemporarily. On October 18 2014, twelve idols of Jain Tirthankara dating back to the 4th-5th century were found near the temple steps at a depth of one foot which proves that Jainism co-existed along with Hinduism at Keesaragutta during the time of Vishnukundins in 4-5th century