This temple is one of the most powerful spots in India, and perhaps on the planet.There is such tremendous raw energy present that it is incredible. The infusion of Prana, Ki or Chi that flows into those who are open to it is almost beyond bearing. I speak from personal experience as the influx of energy left me shaking and shivering before my perplexed friends. A temple is a sacred spot wherein resides a divine power. That is the best short definition possible for what makes up the essence of a temple. It is not the superstructure, nor age nor historical associations. The current temple structure itself is not very ancient, perhaps 250 years old at the most. The sacred spot it delineates however is as old as the rocks itself. That is literally true, for it is a combination of natural rock formations as well as its position beside a lake, which gives this temple its unique character.

Hanamkonda is a small town in Andhra Pradesh which has, for all practical purposes, merged into the larger town of Warrangal. This temple of the goddess Kali, as well as the thousand pillared temple two kms away, was its only claim to fame. Now it has become a normal urban center, but the fortunate position of the temple beside a slightly remote lake has happily arranged that the temple itself remains isolated, in psychological terms, if not in terms of accessibility. There is a very good road leading off the main highway and the temple lies at the end of that. You cannot miss the rocks as you approach the temple. They are the dominant feature of the landscape, though the lake itself is practically invisible until you are in the temple courtyard.

As soon as you see the rocks, you realize you are in a place of spiritual magnitude. For the actions of wind, rain and heat have carved the free standing monoliths into a massive Yantra, the core geometric pattern of spiritual power that is used to energize all temples and are the abstract representations of the form of the deity. In this case the rock Yantra is the huge inverted triangle that bespeaks the presence of the Mother Goddess, the Yoni Yantra, or Womb Yantra. This triangular formation is at the core of all yantras of significance and is also at the heart of the greatest Yantra of all, the Sri Chakra Yantra. (For more details on Yantras, please see the Yantras section on indiayogi.) The Yantra rocks loom over the temple, as high as a building with ten floors to it, and with a little nub in the center to form the Bindu, the cosmic point of origin. If it was deliberately sculpted it might have been neater, but it would not have been half so powerful.

Since the rock Yantra is the primary reason for the power of the temple, a little information on the Yoni Yantra is provided here. The Primary Triangle is technically named the Kama-Kala [the Beautiful Art] and more typically is called 'The Bestower of all Attainments' or Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra. The Kama-Kala is the first outcome or effect of the central bindu's energy outflow. Since it is an inverted triangle, it is also described as 'the wandering between horns', the two lines meeting at a point below being the horns.

The three lines of the triangle are also held to represent the three Gunas being Sattva - Purity and Calm; Rajas - Activity; and Tamas - Inertia. Alternatively, the three lines are held to symbolize three goddesses - Kameshwari, Brijeshwari and Agamalini. They also represent the three stages of consciousness, Jagrti - Conscious Awareness; Swapna - Dreaming; and Sushupti - Deep Slumber. The fourth stage of Consciousness is literally Turiya - the Fourth! and is a transcendent state found only in the ultimate realization of the Goddess.

The Kama-Kala represents the head [and womb!] of the Mother and symbolizes also the three fundamental tendencies of existence - desire, knowledge, activity - which have to be transcended too for the final liberation. This is the penultimate stage before complete realization of the Self. The primary triangle represents the second stage of Absorption, namely Absorption-Preservation and it is white in color, denoting purity or Sattva.

A rock formation to back up a temple built on the shore of a lake - this is about as ideal as scriptural requirements for a temple can be. The Bhadrakali temple itself is a strange structure, for the temple was not built and an image installed as is normal, but a temple shell was constructed around a Boulder on which was carved, out of the living rock, the seated image of the Goddess Kali. This is an eight armed figure and, even seated, the Bhadrakali is over six foot tall. Originally the sacred spot would have had the lake, the rocky shore with this huge boulder carving and the rock Yantra behind it. The remoteness of the area and the power inherent within caused some strange legends to circulate which are still repeated with relish. Apparently, the Goddess was in the habit of touring her domains at night and people who happened to come across this fierce energy went mad or died of fright on the spot!

This kind of story is ubiquitous in the South of India, especially in Kerala. Learned pundits assembled to deal with the terror caused by this propensity to roam and howl and be preceded by fireballs. They decided that the protruding tongue of the image was causing too much imbalance in the energy, making it a fierce and restless one instead of a stable and benevolent presence. A massive yagna, or fire sacrifice, was organized and they actually broke the tongue off. Using the power of mantras they bound the goddess within a large Meru Sri Chakra Yantra, which is the three dimensional form of the Yantra pattern. This is seen to be present at the foot of the goddess today. This process is Mantra Bandhana, tying down or anchoring with mantras, and not as weird as it sounds. Practically every Goddess in Kerala, and many of the fierce male gods, is prevented from roaming thus and they are all shrines of great energy. For Hindus, the power of the fire sacrifice is supreme, compelling even gods to act as desired by the Knower of Mantras. The goddess was also renamed the Bhadrakali, the "Good Kali" as a signal that she was now quieted.

Though it called the Bhadrakali, the goddess has been transformed by the mantras into a very rare form called the Tripura Sundari, which includes the Kali form. Tripura Sundari is regarded as the supreme manifestation of Prakriti, the feminine power which is the vital energy of the universe. The inverted triangle Yantra, while used to signify Kali, is more commonly used for the Tripura Sundari who is regarded as the physical manifestation of the Yantra energy. In meditating upon the Sri Yantra, it is the Tripura Sundari form that appears. Another vital clue about the transformation has been provided by the temple builders who put up a large Tripura Sundari image on the rear of the temple. This form of worship is not dangerous, but it is difficult, and hence only those already in the know can access the extent to which the mantras have transformed the resident deity. All the forms of worship at the temple are also extremely pure or Sattvica, another indication that it is no longer Kali proper. They also follow the classical rite of Alankara, adorning the goddess with every form of fruit and vegetable found. This was once prevalent across the ancient classic world as a fertility and prosperity ritual, in Sumeria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, the Mystery religions, but survives only in India today.

Since the temple is now a Tripura Sundari shrine, as well as a Kali shrine, it would not be amiss to provide some details about the significance of this supreme form as seen in the picture. (The gaudy colors too are a classical remnant, as the marble statues of the Greeks used to be painted over like just so.) Tripura Sundari literally means 'The Beauty of the Three Worlds' or more literally the three Cites or 'pura'. The three cities are the three worlds of existence and also the three bodies through which we experience them - the physical, astral and causal or matter, energy and thought. These also represent the three states of consciousness, waking dream and deep sleep, each symbolized by the light of the fires, moon and sun. The form of the Tripura Sundari includes and transcends these three, as she is the Sri Chakra Yantra - or energy pattern which underlies and creates the universe.

The actual image is laden with symbolism too. We proceed in the traditional manner of viewing the image, starting with the feet and culminating above the head. The goddess sits on a seat which is the Sadashiva. This is not merely a feminist triumph over paternalistic divinities, though that interpretation is valid. Sada Shiva means the "Eternally Auspicious" and implies the foundation of the Goddess is a realm of purity and Consciousness. Her left foot is let down symbolizing the active energies of benevolence and the granting of success. It is placed upon a lotus as the unprotected touch of the divine could shatter the earth. Her belly is not fat, but turgid with the immense reserves of Prana or Ki that the divine possesses. The sacred thread of human heads she wears is not an invitation to head hunt but a representation of the innumerable births the goddess had to take before achieving her Supreme realization. Those are her own heads from previous births!

Her lower left hand holds what seems to be a bowl to collect blood - it is mistakenly identified as such by many - but is actually a mirror. Pure consciousness, and being grounded in it, means that you do not cast a reflection. Self image and its recognition are a factor of ego, which in the Devi is completely eliminated. The head she holds above is the severed ego, the prerequisite for spiritual attainment. The dagger she holds on the opposite side is used to cut it out. The sword and trident are warnings that evil will not be tolerated and the good protected. The bell is used for worship; no matter your spiritual attainments it is a good idea to retain some level of humility before the Ultimate Formless God. The little drum, or damaru, is used to sound the primal notes of both creation as well as dissolution. The rope she holds can be interpreted as both the rope of enchantment which binds one to the world or as a mala, a rosary upon which one counts mantras and liberates oneself from bondage. The rampant cobra hood indicates her status as Supreme Ruler of the Universe as well as the fact that the Kundalini energy is fully arisen and has lodged in the spiritual etheric Chakra above the head. The Kirtimukha Yaksha, as is normal, forms the arch around the image of the Tripura Sundari. It is very clear that the original Kali energy was given a boost or promotion to the level of the Tripura Sundari.

There is a pretty formidable Kundalini shrine to the side of the main shrine as well as a little temple to Shiva, consort of the goddess. The entire shrine is constructed and painted over with some translucent white material and the impact it provides is considerable. It is one of the few subsidiary shrines I have seen anywhere which has a genuine power of its own. The serpent power of the Kundalini ascending the column of the spine has been represented here as a massive snake twining upwards on a thick tree trunk, a veritable primitive caduceus. It might be worth meditating in front of this, as the main shrine is busy and full of busybodies too. The temple has the authentic South Indian odor that proclaims that sacrifices and worship are going on full time, an unmistakable olfactory evidence of spiritual life. The spiritual energy present in the temple is an enormous, throbbing one and can disconcert people.

There is to be seen an automated assemblage of musical instruments looking rather like an installation by Marcel Duchamp. Apparently it is cheaper and more efficient to automate the drums, bells and conches required to be played for the main puja, as it is no longer feasible to assemble so many musicians every day. Modernity in India has a chance only if it serves a religious purpose first; it must be the first robotic mechanism for a couple of hundred miles. As a symbolic representation of India adapting to new paradigms, it is hard to best that assemblage. The temple is quite popular as it is a vital and seamless part of the local community, but it is also rising in fame and the calm may soon be replaced by the typical chaos of the normal pilgrim spot.

How to get there:
By Air
Hyderabad is the nearest airport.

By Rail
Warrangal and Kazipeth railway stations are both close by, though the former is the better served station. In any case, the two places have practically merged so it makes no great difference.

By Road
From Warrangal, Hanamkonda or Kazipeth, you can hire a car or take an auto -rickshaw which is the ubiquitous form of transport. Buses are frequent but crowded. If you are coming from Hyderabad then your route will be Hyderabad - Uppal - Bhongir - Aler - Kazipeth - Hanamkonda - Warrangal. As explained before, the last three townships have merged and are indistinguishable.

Where to stay
The lodges and hotels in all three townships are primarily functional. It is best to stay at the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's Punnami Hotel at Kazipeth, opposite the REC and near the rail station. This is close to Hanamkonda and Warrangal and is the most practical option to explore the area. The tourist season is the winter; at other times there should be no problem.
Tel: 0870 - 2432312