Photo 1 / 4South stone gateway. Photo: Adityamadhav83, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Samalkota Kumararama Temple
About the Temple
Kumararama at Samalkot is one of the five Pancharama temples of Shiva, where Kartikeya is believed to have installed the linga. The Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima I is credited with building it around the end of the 9th century, and it closely resembles the temple at Draksharamam. Darshan of the tall linga and the goddess Bala Tripura Sundari is on the first floor, and the temple is under half a kilometre from Samalkot Junction station.
Why visit
- See a well-preserved Eastern Chalukya temple with a monolithic Nandi.
- Reach a Pancharama temple almost directly from a railway junction.
Temple Timings
- Morning
- 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Evening
- 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Official source, checked 22 Oct 2026 · Source
Closed between the morning and evening windows. A 30-day Karthika seva runs 07:00 to 09:00.
Before You Go
- Time to allow
45 minutes to 1.3 hours inside the temple. This is a planning allowance, not a queue time; festival days take longer.
- Dress
No dress rule for this temple was confirmed. Traditional, modest clothing is the safe choice; ask at the entrance.
Not confirmed: check with the temple before you go
- Phones
A current rule on phones inside the temple was not confirmed. Ask at the entrance whether phones may be carried or must be left outside.
Not confirmed: check with the temple before you go
- Access
Darshan of the linga is on the first floor, so expect a staircase. A step-free route was not confirmed; ask locally if anyone in your group has limited mobility.
Official source, checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source
Highlights
- Monolithic linga and Nandi
The district site describes the linga and the Nandi facing it as each carved from a single stone.
- Eastern Chalukya temple
King Chalukya Bhima I is credited with building it at the end of the 9th century; it has two enclosure walls and gateways on all four sides.
- Hundred-pillared mandapam
A large mandapam on about 100 pillars, with later Kakatiya-era carving, is one of the temple's notable features.
- Inscribed pillars
Inscriptions from the 12th to 15th centuries record gifts and building work, including a pillar on the west side about a replacement Nandi.
Sources: kakinada.ap.gov.in, eastgodavari.ap.gov.in, en.wikipedia.org · checked 22 Oct 2026
How to reach Samalkota Kumararama Temple
- By air: Rajahmundry Airport (RJA) · about 38 km
- By train: Samalkot Junction (SLO) · about 0 km
- By road: Samalkot is about 12 km from Kakinada and 52 km from Rajahmundry, on the Chennai to Howrah main line.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, eastgodavari.ap.gov.in · checked 22 Oct 2026
Nearby Places
- Draksharamam Bhimeswara TempleAnother Pancharama temple and Shakti Peetha.30 km away
- Kukkuteswara Temple, PithapuramShiva temple in the town of Pithapuram.11 km away
- PeddapuramNearby town with the R&B guest house mentioned by the district site.6.1 km away
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org · checked 22 Oct 2026
Questions Visitors Ask
Is there a dress code at Samalkota Kumararama Temple?
No dress rule for this temple was confirmed. Traditional, modest clothing is the safe choice; ask at the entrance.
Can I take my phone inside Samalkota Kumararama Temple?
A current rule on phones inside the temple was not confirmed. Ask at the entrance whether phones may be carried or must be left outside.
What are the Samalkot Kumararama temple timings?
The AP Endowments portal lists darshan from 06:00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 20:00. Confirm on festival days.
Why is the darshan on the first floor?
Wikipedia describes the linga as rising from the ground floor through the roof, so its upper part is worshipped from the first floor.
How far is Kumararama from Kakinada?
The district sites put Samalkot about 12 km from Kakinada and 52 km from Rajahmundry.