Bekkeswara Aalayam Temple
Location: Bekkam near Mahbubnagar
Deity: Lord Shiva
According to legend the name Bekku means “cat” in Kannada language. Being the ancient seat of Siva, there is a group of five Sivaalayas called Siddheswara, Kapileswara, Someswara, Malleswara and Kaleswara within 15 km of each other.
Legend: The sthalapurana states that this village was called Narasingarayapalli. One day a cowherd saw a cow go into the palm grove and empty its udder over an anthill. Strangely a cat lying hidden in the anthill came and drank the entire quantity. The villagers dug out the anthill and found a black Sivalinga. They built a small shrine and installed the linga calling it Bekkeswara. The lord is said to have showered boons. Later some bhaktas brought two Sivalingas from Banaras and installed them in the same compound, but in separate shrines. They were called Moksheswara and Sakaheswara.
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