The Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam is the eleven-day festival that turns a quiet Nallamala hill town into a sea of pilgrims. If you want the dates, the vahana seva order, and the darshan rules that change during these days, this guide covers all of it. The next celebration centres on Maha Shivaratri, which falls on Saturday, 6 March 2027. One rule about sevas during the festival catches most visitors out, so read that part before you book anything.
Sri Vyasa Pooja is an independent pilgrim guide. This page is not the official website of the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Varla Devasthanam or the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department. We do not take bookings, sevas, donations, or payments. For tickets and confirmed timings, use only the official channels linked below.
Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam at a Glance
Here is the short version of the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam before the detail. Keep these points beside you while you fix travel dates.
- Temple: Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Varla Devasthanam, Srisailam, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh.
- Length: eleven days, and Maha Shivaratri always falls on day eight.
- Next Maha Shivaratri: Saturday, 6 March 2027.
- Expected 2027 window: roughly 27 February to 9 March, pending the official announcement.
- Crowd: close to ten lakh devotees across the eleven days.
- The catch: arjita and paroksha sevas stop for the whole festival, so only alankara darshan runs.
- Official portal: srisailadevasthanam.org.
When Is the Next Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam?
Maha Shivaratri falls on Saturday, 6 March 2027, so the next Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam should run from about 27 February to 9 March 2027. The Devasthanam has not published that schedule yet, because it normally announces the programme four to six weeks ahead. Treat this window as a planning guide until the temple confirms it.
The Day-Eight Rule That Fixes Every Year’s Dates
You do not have to wait for the announcement to plan roughly. The Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam keeps the same eleven-day frame each year, and Maha Shivaratri always lands on day eight. Ankurarpanam and Dhwajarohanam therefore open the festival seven days earlier, while the closing day comes three days after Shivaratri.
The pattern holds across recent years. In 2026 the festival ran from 8 to 18 February, with Shivaratri on 15 February. In 2025 it ran from 19 February to 1 March, since Shivaratri fell on 26 February. In 2023 it ran from 11 to 21 February, because Shivaratri came on 18 February.
Maha Shivaratri follows Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi in the lunar month, so the English dates move every year. In 2027 the festival lands almost three weeks later than it did in 2026. That drift is normal, so never carry last year’s dates forward.
Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam Day-by-Day Schedule and Vahana Sevas
The daily order barely changes from year to year, which makes it simple to plan around a particular vahana. The table pairs each festival day with its main rituals and the verified 2026 date as a reference.
| Day | Main rituals | 2026 date |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Yagasala Pravesam, Ankurarpanam, Dhwajarohanam | 8 February |
| Day 2 | Bhrungi Vahana Seva | 9 February |
| Day 3 | Hamsa Vahana Seva | 10 February |
| Day 4 | Mayura Vahana Seva | 11 February |
| Day 5 | Ravana Vahana Seva | 12 February |
| Day 6 | Pushpa Pallaki Seva | 13 February |
| Day 7 | Gaja Vahana Seva | 14 February |
| Day 8 | Maha Shivaratri, Prabhotsavam, Nandi Vahana Seva, Lingodbhava Rudrabhishekam, Pagalankarana, Kalyanotsavam | 15 February |
| Day 9 | Rathotsavam, Teppotsavam | 16 February |
| Day 10 | Purnahuti, Vasantotsavam, Dhwajavarohanam | 17 February |
| Day 11 | Aswa Vahana Seva, Sayanotsavam, Pushpotsavam | 18 February |
State honours usually land mid-festival. In 2026 the Andhra Pradesh government presented pattu vastralu, the ceremonial silk robes, on 12 February, the Ravana Vahanam evening. Because that day draws ministers and media, the queues thicken noticeably.
What Happens on Maha Shivaratri Night at Srisailam
Day eight is the spiritual centre of the festival. At midnight, during Lingodbhava Kalam, priests perform the Maha Nyasa Purvaka Rudrabhishekam to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy. Pagalankarana follows, and priests then conduct the celestial Kalyanotsavam of the Lord with Goddess Bhramaramba at the Akkamahadevi Alankara Mandapam.
Pagalankarana: The Ritual Done in Total Darkness
This custom belongs to Srisailam alone, yet most festival pages skip it. A weaver drapes a long new white cloth, called the paaga, from the sikhara of the Swamy’s vimana gopuram and around the Nandi idols on the mukha mandapam. Temple staff switch off every light while he works.
Weavers hand-weave the cloth through the year as a vow, and they offer several paagas together. Since the whole rite happens in darkness, devotees experience it as sound rather than sight. Kalyanotsavam follows immediately afterwards.
Darshan Rules That Change During the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam
This is the section worth reading twice. Throughout the festival, the temple suspends all arjita and paroksha sevas and permits only alankara darshan for general devotees. The temple also restricts Sparsha Darshan, the touch darshan that makes Srisailam famous, then withdraws it entirely as the crowd builds.
In 2026 the temple allowed Sparsha Darshan only to Shiva Deeksha devotees carrying the Jyotirmudi, at fixed times from 8 to 12 February. From the night of 13 February it stopped completely until the festival ended. Expect a comparable pattern in 2027.
| Darshan type | Festival status | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Sarva Darshan | Open, walk-in queue | Free |
| Sheeghra Darshan | Open, faster line | ₹200 in 2026 |
| Ati-Sheeghra Darshan | Open, quickest line | ₹500 in 2026 |
| Sparsha Darshan | Deeksha devotees only, then suspended | Not sold |
| Arjita and paroksha sevas | Suspended for all eleven days | Not sold |
Notice the price difference. On ordinary days Sheeghra Darshan costs ₹150, yet the temple ran it at ₹200 during the 2026 Brahmotsavams. The temple revises rates without notice, so confirm the current figure on the official portal before you pay. Our guide to Srisailam free darshan booking explains the everyday queue system in more detail.
If You Wanted a Seva or Sparsha Darshan Anyway
Nothing is guaranteed here, so plan for the closure rather than around it. The temple also suspends Sparsha Darshanam and arjita abhishekam on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and public holidays through the year. That means a festival Saturday is doubly closed.
- Book a different week: a plain Tuesday to Friday visit outside the festival is the only reliable way to get Sparsha Darshan.
- Come for the procession instead: vahana sevas happen on the streets, so you can see them without any ticket.
- Watch for the free token: free Sparsha tokens resumed on weekdays from 1 July 2025, though they are issued same-day at the counter.
- Check refunds early: if you already hold a ticket for a suspended seva, raise it on the official portal rather than with an agent.
Rathotsavam and Teppotsavam: Why Day Nine Is the Second Peak
Many pilgrims assume the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam thins out after Shivaratri night. It does not. Rathotsavam, the temple car festival, runs the very next day and pulls more than a lakh devotees on its own. Teppotsavam, the float festival, follows the same evening.
If your priority is the chariot rather than the midnight abhishekam, arrive a day later than the rush. Roads and parking clear slightly, while the ritual spectacle is arguably bigger. Purnahuti and Dhwajavarohanam then close the sequence on day ten.
Shiva Deeksha, Jyotirmudi and the Padayatra Crowd
The Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam draws a walking pilgrimage that few other Jyotirlingas see. Devotees observing Shiva Deeksha wear black, carry the Jyotirmudi bundle on their heads, and walk in through the Nallamala forest. Large groups come from Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra.
Karnataka devotees regard Goddess Bhramaramba as a daughter of their soil and bring vodi-biyyam offerings of rice, bangles and a saree. Because of this, the temple sets aside separate queue lines and dedicated Deeksha camps during the festival. In 2026 shelters covered roughly thirteen acres of camp and park space.
Deeksha devotees get concessions that other pilgrims do not, including the limited early Sparsha Darshan window. If you plan to walk, join an established group rather than setting out alone through the forest stretch.
Travel and Stay for the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam
Srisailam sits deep in the Nallamala hills beside the Krishna river, in Nandyal district. Many older guides still place it in Kurnool district, which stopped being correct after Andhra Pradesh redrew its districts in 2022. Getting there needs a little planning, since no railway line reaches the town.
- By air: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, roughly 200 to 230 km away, then five to six hours by road.
- By rail: Markapur Road is the nearest useful railhead, about 85 km out.
- By road: APSRTC runs extra buses from Hyderabad, Kurnool and Vijayawada during the festival.
Rooms are the hardest part. Devasthanam cottages and guest houses sell out weeks ahead, so book the moment the festival dates are announced. Our Srisailam accommodation booking guide walks through the official process, and the rooms near the temple guide covers private options.
Crowd, Health and Safety at the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam
The Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam is physically demanding, so honest planning matters as much as devotion. Queues can run for hours in open sun, while the ghat road tires drivers on the return leg. Elderly pilgrims and small children feel it most.
Carry water, salt biscuits and any regular medication in a small bag. The temple supplies drinking water, snacks and free laddu prasadam on peak days, though supply points get crowded. Anyone with a heart condition, a mobility issue, or a pregnancy should choose a paid queue and skip the Pataala Ganga steps.
If you intend to fast through Shivaratri night, eat properly the previous day and speak to a doctor first when you have diabetes or blood pressure concerns. Fasting is a devotional practice, not a medical one. Mobile phones and leather items stay outside the temple, so use the lockers before you join any line.
What Regular Devotees Do Differently
A few habits separate people who have done this festival before from first-timers. None of them appear on the official schedule.
- Skip day eight if you want darshan: come on day three or four, when vahana sevas still run but queues are shorter.
- Reach the street, not the sanctum: vahana processions are free, open and often more moving than a rushed sanctum walk.
- Arrive before dawn: the free Sarva line is calmest well before sunrise, even in festival week.
- Carry cash: counters and small shops near the temple stay cash-first during heavy crowds.
- Watch the toll notice: in 2026 vehicles passed toll-free on 15 and 16 February, which was announced only days earlier.
- Ignore fake booking sites: no private site sells Srisailam festival darshan, so route every payment through the Devasthanam.
Before You Set Out
The Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam rewards planning far more than spending. Fix your travel around the day-eight rule, then confirm the exact schedule on the official portal once the Devasthanam publishes it. Accept that sevas and Sparsha Darshan stay shut, and treat the vahana processions as the real experience.
Book a room the week the dates appear, because that is the single thing you cannot fix later. You can cross-check temple notices on the Andhra Pradesh Endowments temples portal and the festival listing on the Ministry of Tourism’s Utsav portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam in 2027?
Maha Shivaratri falls on Saturday, 6 March 2027, and the eleven-day festival is expected to run from about 27 February to 9 March. The Devasthanam publishes the confirmed schedule roughly four to six weeks earlier. Verify the dates on the official portal before booking travel.
How many days does the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam last?
The Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam runs eleven days, beginning with Ankurarpanam and Dhwajarohanam and closing with Aswa Vahana Seva, Sayanotsavam and Pushpotsavam. Maha Shivaratri is always day eight of the eleven. Rathotsavam follows on day nine.
Are sevas available during the Brahmotsavam?
No. The temple suspends all arjita and paroksha sevas for the full festival and allows only alankara darshan. Book sevas for a different week if they matter to you, since online sales are also stopped during restricted days.
Can I get Sparsha Darshan during the festival?
Only in a limited way. In 2026 Sparsha Darshan was allowed to Shiva Deeksha devotees carrying the Jyotirmudi during fixed slots in the first five days, then suspended entirely. General devotees could not touch the lingam during the festival at all.
What does darshan cost during the Srisailam Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavam?
Sarva Darshan stays free. During the 2026 festival the temple ran Sheeghra Darshan at ₹200 and Ati-Sheeghra Darshan at ₹500, a little above the usual ₹150 Sheeghra rate. Rates change, so confirm on the official site.
Which vahana seva happens on which day?
The order is stable: Bhrungi on day two, Hamsa on day three, Mayura on day four, Ravana on day five, Pushpa Pallaki on day six and Gaja on day seven. Nandi Vahana Seva comes on Maha Shivaratri itself, while Aswa Vahanam closes the festival.
What is Pagalankarana at Srisailam?
It is a Srisailam-only ritual on Maha Shivaratri night. A weaver drapes a long hand-woven white cloth called the paaga from the vimana gopuram around the Nandi idols, with every temple light switched off. Kalyanotsavam follows it.
Is Srisailam in Kurnool or Nandyal district?
Nandyal district. Srisailam was part of Kurnool district before Andhra Pradesh reorganised its districts in 2022, and many travel pages have not updated the detail. The temple itself has not moved.
Where should I book Srisailam darshan and rooms officially?
Use the Devasthanam portal at srisailadevasthanam.org for darshan tickets, sevas and accommodation. No private website or agent may sell festival darshan. If a site demands a large processing fee, treat it as a warning sign and stop.
