Srikalahasti is located near the pilgrimage town of Tirupati and is visited by thousands of pilgrims. This temple is also associated with Rahu and Ketu. It is located 38 km north of Tirupati central. It is reachable by road from Tirupati, Chennai or Gudur. It is on the Renigunta-Gudur section of Guntakal (GTL) Division of the South Central Railway (SCR). 
 
Access and Accomodation: Tirupati (30km) is the nearest airport and is perhaps the most convenient base for visiting Kalahasti as it (Tirupati) is endowed with several modern lodging facilities. The local transport is by taxis or autorickshaws and city buses. Shuttle buses between Tirupathi and Srikalahasti run every 10 mins.
Andhra Pradesh State owned Bus services (APSRTC) are available from Tirupati central bus station, at a frequency of 10 minutes and other tour operators provide religious tour package visits to the temple in Srikalahasti from the City centre at Tirupati. Taxicabs are also available from Tirupati.
 
Architecture: The vast west facing Kalahastiswara temple is built adjoining a hill, and on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi. At some points, the hill serves as the wall of the temple. The temple prakarams follow the contour of the adjoining hill and hence the temple plan is rather irregular.  North of the temple is the Durgambika hill, south is the Kannappar hill and east is the Kumaraswamy hill.
 
The Tamil Cholas and the Vijayanagara Rulers have made several endowments to this temple. Adi Sankara is said to have visited this temple and offered worship here. There are Chola inscriptions in this temple which date back to the 10th century CE.
 
The Srikalahasti Temple occupies the area between the river bank and the foot of the hills and is popularly known as Dakshina Kailasam. The three lofty Gopurams of the temple are remarkable for their architecture. This temple was built during the period of King Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar. A huge hundred pillared mantapam is another important feature of this shrine.
 
There is an underground Ganapati shrine in the outer prakaram, while in the innermost prakaram are the shrines of Shiva and Parvati.  The temple is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
 
Legends associated with this temple:
 
Shiva is said to have given salvation to a spider, elephant and a serpent who were ardent devotees of the Shiva Lingam located here. The spider is said to have attained salvation in Kritayuga (the first of the four yugas in the Hindu tradition), while the elephant and the snake were devotees in Treta Yugam, the succeeding aeon. The elephant's devotional outpouring was a source of disturbance to the serpent's display of devotion and vice versa, resulting in animosity between the two, until Shiva's intervention gave both the devotees their liberation.
 
Kannappa Nayanaar, a hunter is said to have been a great devotee of Kalahasteeswarar. Legend has it that he offered his own eyes to the Shivalingam, and for this reason earned the name Kannappan (his original name being Thinnan), and the distinction of having his statue adorn the sanctum. 

Sri – Spider
Kala – Serpent
Hasthi – Elephant

Srikalahasti is the place where Spider, Elephant and Serpent attained salvation due to the benevolence of Lord Siva.
 
Rahu with a snakes head and a human body, and Ketu with a human head and a snake's body are regarded as celestial bodies - shadow planets, or the node positions at which eclipses are caused. Rahu is the ascending node while Ketu is the descending node.
 
Thousands of pilgrims visits the temple to have darshan of the almighty Sri Kalahasteeswara and Sri Gnanaprasunambika Devi. Sri Kalahasteeswara showers grace to wipe out the sins and obstacles of devotees.
 
Worshipping Sri Kalahasteeswara results in dispelling all worldly miseries and attaining marvelous spiritual happiness.Goddess Gnanaprasunambika Devi received the Panchakshara mantra from the Lord Himself.The Goddess arrived at the place and started her penance here.
 
The Sarpadosha Pooja
 
The Rahu-ketu sarpa dosha puja is a frequently performed activity.

• The Rs.1000/- ticket is highly recommended, since they give you "5 star" service (like holding the pooja right within the temple). It takes around 25 minutes to perform the pooja.
   
• No advance booking by telephone or money order is allowed.
   
• You can book the pooja only if you are physically present at the temple. And your pooja ticket must be used up on that day itself.
   
• If you are particular that the pooja be conducted during Rahukalam (for maximum effect) be at the temple at least an hour or two before the start of Rahukalam and buy your ticket from the appropriate counter located within the temple walls.
   
• After climbing up an interminable staircase near the car park we were told that another entrance @ gate level could have been used !! So look out for this entrance especially if there are aged/ handicapped persons in your tour group. Since this entrance is some distance away from the car park, use your mobile phone (outside the temple please !) to summon the driver for your return journey.
   
• Though there are other minor poojas also, the Sarpa Dosha Nivarana pooja is classified as a combination of all the other poojas(rituals). So there is no need to buy separate tickets for each pooja if you are buying the Nivarana pooja ticket.
   
• Astrology regards Rahu and Ketu as the only two "planets" which has varying degrees of malefic ( some benefic effect is also present) effects on ALL human beings. Which means that the Nivarana pooja at Kalahasti (for removing the bad effects of Rahu and Ketu) is good for ALL human beings.
   
• A good astrologer may guide you to select the appropriate day and time to visit the temple. Hopefully he may select a week day when no festival is being conducted (as the crowd may be unmanageable at other times). Also check and see if any visit by high profile VIPs are scheduled. Temple entry may be temporarily barred during such visits for security reasons.
   
• CAUTION : Do not purchase pooja materials from the stalls outside the temple. Along with the Rs.1000/- ticket, you are also given all the materials that are needed for the pooja. This ticket also entitles you to an exclusive darshan (glimpse) and archana (special pooja) of the main deities within the temple. (I.e. There is no need to stand in the queue since you are taken right into the inner sanctum of the main deities within the temple).
   
• Keep this ticket carefully and don't lose track of it. Also keep track of the materials given to you for the pooja. And don't hesitate to ask for clarifications when in doubt.
   
• The pooja itself is not a fire ceremony. You are only expected to carefully drop first some flowers (little by little) and then coloured ash on the metal representations of Rahu and Ketu while the priest chants the mantras. (After the pooja, these metal representations MUST be deposited in a special box @ the temple AFTER you give them to another priest in the main sanctum and get them back in a few minutes). The priest (conducting the Nivarana pooja) will want the names (only family members) and nakshatras for conducting the pooja).
   
• Upto five members of a family (for Rs.1000/- ticket) are allowed to be physically present at the pooja though you are allowed to give a long list of other family members who are not present.
   
• Tipping is inevitable and you may fix a fair amount at your discretion. Reserve your main tip for the priest condcuting the Nivarana pooja. (He will ask you for "dakshina").
   
• Though there is a dress code for the pooja, the temple does not seem to be implementing it rigorously. But it is good if gents wear dhoti and angavastram. 

Sarva Mangalya Mangalye Sivesarvartha sadhike
Sharanye Trynbake Devi Narayani Namosthuthe

• The temple can give you lot of benefits in your personal life only if you pray with a pure heart and 100% faith and devotion.
   
• Kalasarpadosha pooja has brought lot of warring couples together.
   
• Light a lamp in front of the Goddess every Tuesday and Friday evening ...and experience the positive effects in your life.
   
• The temple premises have a bathroom and toilet – that is fairly clean and well maintained.So those on a short trip can have a bath here and then proceed to the temple.
   
• Do perform the pooja of shani bhagwan inside the temple.
   
• The pathala vinayaka temple located underground within the premises is a wonderful temple.The Lord Ganesha here is very powerful and if you notice, his face [especially eyes] is very similar to an elephant.Those who are obese are advised not to venture out ,others can definitely try.It is an experience worth it.
   
• Do not miss the frame of Lord Dakshinamoorthy after the darshan is over.This Lord is very powerful for those who are looking for a job or for aiming to improve their career prospects.
   
• When you walk around the temple, you will find lot of inscriptions and also understand the rich cultural heritage of South India.
   
• The idols of 63 nayanmars within the temple is a treatise to watch.
   
• After the darshan, when you come out of the temple, you can buy the lamp and ghee near the entrance and light the lamp there itself.
   
• Home made buttermilk is what you can have after the darshan.
   
• Milk for abhisekha  is also available in the temple at a price.
   
• Srikalahasti has got good eateries now unlike the 70’s and 80’s but most of us who come from Tirupathi prefer to go back to Tirupathi and have lunch/dinner there.
   
• The darshan of Lord Shiva[Sri Kalahasteeswarar and Lord Parvathi (Gnanaprasunambika Devi) is an experience only those who have a spiritual bent of mind can enjoy and relish.Months after the darshan you will still experience the bliss.
   
• Shops in and around the place do charge a premium, but you can negotiate.
   
• Leave your chappals and slippers in the vehicle itself.
   
• Srikalahasti is a blissful place which will keep on beckoning you forever.
   
• If you perform the kala sarpa dosha pooja, you are advised to directly return back home after the pooja to benefit from the positive vibrations that result from the pooja.
   
• In the end, what matters is faith.So, visit the place with an open frame of mind and be ready to soak in the spiritual experience....