Pathala Ganga

Pathala Ganga is a sacred bathing ghat on the Krishna River at the base of the Srisailam hills in Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh. Located about 1 km below the Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple, it lies in a deep gorge surrounded by the Nallamala forest. Pilgrims traditionally take a holy dip here before visiting the temple. Accessible by a steep flight of about 500 steps and by ropeway, it also offers boating and scenic river views.

Visitors can expect a riverside ghat on the Krishna River set in a deep forested gorge below Srisailam town. Access is via approximately 500 steep steps or a cable ropeway from the hilltop. At the bottom there is a bathing ghat with changing areas, a small temple shrine, and a boating point offering short motorboat rides on the river. The surroundings are rocky hills and Nallamala forest with views of the river valley and Srisailam Dam backwaters.

Pathala Ganga is historically associated with the Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines, and the Krishna River that has served as a sacred bathing place for centuries for pilgrims visiting the temple town. The ghat is part of the traditional pilgrimage circuit in the Nallamala region.

Considered highly sacred by devotees of Lord Shiva, a dip in Pathala Ganga is believed to purify before darshan at Mallikarjuna Temple. The site is an integral part of Srisailam pilgrimage rituals and is visited during festivals such as Maha Shivaratri and Karthika Masam.