Kalahasteeswara, Sri Kalahasti

The Kalahasteeswara Shiva temple at Srikalahasti in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh — the air-element (vayu) linga of the Pancha Bhuta Sthalams. Shiva's vayu-linga is honoured by watching three lamps inside the sealed sanctum, which flicker constantly as the only evidence of air without any natural draught. The temple's foundation is 10-century Chola; the current structure is 1516 Krishnadevaraya-era. The name combines Sri (spider), Kala (serpent) and Hasti (elephant), the three animal devotees. The temple's distinctive Rahu-Ketu puja for astrological doshas draws modern pilgrims by the thousand each day. The 2010 Krishnadevaraya-era gopuram collapse (the main gopuram crashed on 26 May 2010 due to monsoon damage) was followed by a major reconstruction completed in 2017. The annual Mahashivaratri festival each February draws over 500,000 pilgrims.