Pushpagiri is today a remote village in the Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh State, India. But the history of the place is far beyond one’s imagination.  

Pushpagiri holds a very high significance in the history of Bhaarat, dating back to the times of Vedic era and further past to Treta Yug, the period of Lord Rama.

As per Vedic history, it is believed that Pushpagiri is one of its kind of sacred hills that fell on the ground from the gigantic holy Sanjeevani Parvat when that was being carried by Lord Hanuman to save Lakshmana during the immense battle in Lanka.

Another legend has it that the hill was floating on the waters in that region for a long period, from which the name was coined as Pushpagiri(Pushpa=Flower and Giri=Hill)

Pushpagiri is also popular as the ‘Pancha Nadi Kshetram’ – Confluence of five rivers namely, Penna, Paapaghni, Kumudvati, Vaarkala, Maandavi.

Spiritually, Pushpagiri has a reverberating iconic history. Popularly known as Dakshina Kashi, the Pushpagiri hosts Chennakesava Swamy (the form of Lord Vishnu) and Santaana Malleshwara Swamy (the form of Lord Shiva) on the same hill. Because of this significance, the place is also called ‘Hari Hara Kshetram’. The hill also hosts Rudra Paadam, where people have been performing the religious rites (Pinda Pradhaanalu) of their dead ones since ages.

His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Adi Sankaracharya is believed to have visited Pushpagiri during his time. Having realized the spiritual significance of Pushpagiri, Sankaracharya had installed a unique of its kind Srichakra in Pushpagiri, which is being worshipped with high reverence even today in  Pushpagiri Temple. Pushpagiri Temple downside the hill hosts the dieties Vaidyanaadheswara (Form of Shiva) and Kameshwari (Form of Goddess).

The Indian historical records mention Pushpagiri among the likes of Nalanda, Takshila and other centres which had  world-class Universities of the Vedic era that conducted Vedic & Shashtra studies and a continuous R&D on diverse subjects of Sanathan Dharma. Many of the remains that reflect the history are still visible in Pushpagiri.