Kotilingala is a pilgrimage site nestled in huge hillocks and thick green forests. The place is occupied on the banks of the Godavari River, Velgatur Mandal, Jagtial district of the Indian state of Telangana. Kotilingala has had significance since ancient times. Some archaeological discoveries have indicated the importance of the town during the Assaka Mahajanapada and the Satavahanas period.
Kotilinga town is a pilgrimage destination because of the Kotilinga fort and temple. The fort is made of stones and mud and is about 1054 meters long and 330 meters wide. The architecture of the temple is built with ancient pottery, beads, bricks querns, and other artifacts. Moreover, a watch tower is located in the southeastern corner of the temple, and it is around 11.5 meters high and 10.55 meters wide.
Hand-punched coins belonging to the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE have been found at the site.
The Godavari river on the west and a water stream on the right of the mud fort has contributed to the trade, politics, and commercial significance. Moreover, the fort and the temple were the major points for long-distance trade.
Coins during the rule of Satavahana kings have been found at Kotilingala. The coins are made of copper and are depicted with a “Rano Siri Chimuka Satavahanasa”. History says that the issuer of the coins was Simuka, the founder of the Satavahana dynasty as per some Puranic genealogies. In 1978, P.V.P. Sastry was the first to identify that the issuer of the coins was Simuka.
The inscriptions of Satavahanas are still found in Maharashtra at Nashik and Naneghat. So, researchers have predicted that it would have been home to Satavahanas once upon a time.
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But, D. R. Reddy and S. Reddy proposed that Kotilingala was the original homeland of the Satavahanas. However, the Satavahana coin at Kotilingala is old, and it is not known where these coins were minted.
A protection wall has been built along the shores of river Godavari to protect the temple and fort from submergence. One can avail of transportation facilities to reach the towns located on the bank of the river Godavari such as Godavarikhani, Jagtial, Mancherial, and Karimnagar.
Kotilinga is a Hindu pilgrimage site with a Shiva and Koteswara Siddeshwara temple.
Sri Koteswara Siddeshwara Swamy Devasthanam temple is at a distance of 60 km from Karimnagar.
History reveals that sages used the hillocks to meditate and bathe by the banks of Godavari. So, that place is also called Munula Gutta. Once upon a time, the sages decided to construct a temple. So, they asked Lord Hanuman to get a Siva Lingam.
As Lord Hanuman failed to come on time, the sages consecrated a Siva linga made of sand granules.
By the time Lord Hanuman arrived, the Siva lingam was completed. As Hanuman was furious about it, people were asked to first offer prayers to the lingam brought by Hanuman and later to the lingam made with sand granules.
Koti Lingala temple has a greater significance as the Satavahana kings used the Godavari for navigation and transportation of goods. From the excavations made by the State Archaeology Department, it was evident that Buddhism and Jainism were also prevalent in the “Munula Gutta”.
The pilgrims who are planning to visit the temple can find accommodation in hotels. But you cannot find comfortable accommodation on the temple premises nor does the place have good restaurants. So, most of the tourists visit the shrine and cook food in the nearby woods, and have a picnic. Kotilinga temple is also one of the famous places during the Godavari Pushkarams because of the less flow of pilgrims.
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