Nizamabad: Anksapoor Datta Peetam has the one and only Padarasa (mercury) Lingam Shivalayam in India.

Earlier, Ravana Bramha had this type of Lingam, but now only Anksapoor Datta Peeta Shivalayam has this Padarasa Lingam. It was constructed after collecting donations from devotees with a total expenditure of Rs 5 crore.

The Hindus worship lord Shiva in the form of Shiva Lingam which is usually made with stone. But, Datta Peeta Shivalayam of Nizamabad district has a Shiva Lingam made of the metal mercury. Devotees call it ‘Padarasa Lingam’ and believe that by visiting this Lingam, they will be absolved from sins.

According to the Hindu scriptures, mercury Lingam has enormous power and absolves devotees from sins.

After knowing the importance of this Padarasa Lingam, the seer of Anksapoor Datta Peetam, Padala Vittal Goud Maharaj, came forward and took the responsibility to construct Shivalayam and installed Padarasa Lingam at Datta Peetam. Vittal Maharaj constructed and installed Padarasa Lingam at Dattashramam under the guidance of Ganapathi Satchidananda Swamy and Chinna Jeeyar Swamy in the year 2003. After its completion, he died of illness within a few days.

The Datta Peeta Shivalayam has a huge, 500-kg Padarasa Shiva Lingam and 108 small Shiva Lingams around the main one. In the making of Shiva Lingam, the liquid mercury was converted into solid statues by mixing chemicals.

Ganga Reddy, a resident of Anksapoor, says that they constructed this temple in 2003 with the help of the devotees. Rajanna, another devotee, adds, “I usually come to the Datta Peetam along my family and visit Padarasa Lingam. It makes us happy and fulfils our desires.”

Devotees visit this temple from every nook and corner of India, because of its prominence. Every year, three-day annual festival is conducted here in the Vaishaka masam with Satyanarayana Swamy poojas in the temple. Ansapoor villagers feel that because of the temple the village is prosperous and rich.