Sakshi Ganapathi Temple

Sakshi Ganapathi Temple is a small Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha, located about 3 km east of the main Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple on the Srisailam-Dornala road in Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh. It is situated within the Nallamala forest range. The temple is notable as the traditional first stop for pilgrims visiting Srisailam, where Ganesha is worshipped as Sakshi or witness to the pilgrimage.

Visitors can expect a compact roadside temple set amid the forested Nallamala hills. The sanctum houses a black stone idol of Lord Ganapathi holding a book to record pilgrims' visits. The complex includes a small mandapa, entrance gopuram, and shops selling offerings outside. Pilgrims typically stop briefly for darshan and prayer before proceeding to the main Srisailam temple. The area is busy during pilgrimage season with devotees and vehicular traffic.

The temple is traditionally linked to the Srisailam pilgrimage circuit centered on the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. Local tradition holds that Sakshi Ganapathi was installed to act as witness to the pilgrimage, ensuring devotees receive full merit only after his darshan. The shrine has long served as a customary gateway for pilgrims traveling through the Nallamala forest to Srisailam.

Culturally significant for Shaivite and Ganapatya devotees, the temple embodies the belief that Lord Ganesha as Sakshi records and validates the Srisailam yatra. Pilgrims customarily visit here before and sometimes after the main Mallikarjuna darshan to register their pilgrimage, reflecting deep-rooted ritual practice in Andhra Pradesh's temple traditions.