Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple
Hanuman (Veeranjaneya) temple · Gandi (Veeranna Gattu Palli), Chakrayapet mandal, YSR Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, India
The Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple, popularly called Gandi Kshetram, is a shrine to Hanuman in Chakrayapet mandal of Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh (Deccan Chronicle; The Hans India). It stands at the foot of a hill on the western bank of the Papagni river, where the river runs north through a gap between two hills, and the district administration describes the site as a Vayu Kshetra, a place linked to Vayu, the father of Anjaneya (YSR Kadapa District Administration).
The temple lies about 8 km from Vempalli on the Vempalli–Rayachoti route and about 55 km from Kadapa city (YSR Kadapa District Administration). It draws large crowds during the month of Sravana (YSR Kadapa District Administration; Deccan Chronicle).
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple
According to local tradition, Rama stopped at this ravine on his way back from Lanka, Vayu hung a garland of golden flowers across the gorge to greet him, and Rama drew the figure of Anjaneya on a rock before moving on (YSR Kadapa District Administration). Devotees believe the golden garland becomes visible to pious people as their death approaches, and the district account adds that Sir Thomas Munro, the British governor, is said to have seen it while passing the ravine (YSR Kadapa District Administration).
The name reflects the setting: in Telugu, the word behind 'Gandi' refers to a narrow valley with a running river (The Hans India). A 2019 report put the daily footfall at about 2,000 devotees (The Hans India). In August 2026, temple authorities estimated that nearly 30,000 devotees visited on a single Sravana Saturday (Deccan Chronicle).
Heritage
History of Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple
The Hans India credits a Madhva teacher, named in its report as Swamy Vyasa Charyulu, with building the temple and bringing it into prominence (The Hans India). A traditional account in the same report says that while a sculptor was completing the figure of Anjaneya, the little finger of the left hand broke and bled, which was taken as a sign of the deity's wish (The Hans India). These accounts belong to temple tradition; no dated inscription for the founding was found in the sources used here.
The stone enclosure (prakaram) around the sanctum is said to have been built in 1911 by one Tirupathi Seshanna (YSR Kadapa District Administration).
In 2019 the state government ordered the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to take over the temple, with its properties, jewellery and staff, from the endowments department, after representations seeking better facilities for pilgrims (The Hans India). It was the second temple in Kadapa district to be handed to TTD, after the Kodandarama temple at Vontimitta (The Hans India).
The temple was later redeveloped at a cost of 28.05 crore rupees, and a six-day Maha Kumbhabhishekam was held from 8 to 13 May 2026 (Deccan Chronicle).
Architecture and sacred features
The shrine sits at the base of a hill beside the Papagni gorge, with a stone prakaram around the sanctum (YSR Kadapa District Administration). The 2026 redevelopment upgraded facilities and improved the layout for devotees (Deccan Chronicle).
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Weekends in Sravana bring very large crowds, so plan for queues on those days (Deccan Chronicle). Confirm current darshan arrangements and timings with the temple administration or the YSR Kadapa District Administration before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with the temple administration before travelling. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple
Sravana Masa celebrations
Devotees travel from distant places to the temple during Sravana (YSR Kadapa District Administration). Saturdays in this month draw the largest crowds, with nearly 30,000 visitors estimated on one Saturday in 2026 (Deccan Chronicle).
Hanuman Jayanti
In 2026 the Sahasra Kalashabhishekam to the main idol fell on Hanuman Jayanti, 12 May, as part of the Maha Kumbhabhishekam after the temple's redevelopment (Deccan Chronicle).
Location
How to Reach Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple
The temple is about 8 km from Vempalli on the road from Vempalli to Rayachoti and about 55 km from Kadapa city, according to the YSR Kadapa District Administration (YSR Kadapa District Administration). During Sravana, APSRTC's Kadapa region has run special buses to Gandi (Deccan Chronicle).
Location: Gandi (Veeranna Gattu Palli), Chakrayapet mandal, YSR Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, India
More in Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh · Hanuman (Veeranjaneya) temples · Temples in YSR Kadapa District
Questions
Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Gandi Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple?
It is at Gandi, in Veeranna Gattu Palli village of Chakrayapet mandal, Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh (The Hans India). It stands on the western bank of the Papagni river, about 8 km from Vempalli (YSR Kadapa District Administration).
What is the legend of Gandi Kshetram?
Tradition holds that Rama passed through the ravine on his return from Lanka, that Vayu hung a golden garland across it to welcome him, and that Rama drew the figure of Anjaneya on a rock before leaving (YSR Kadapa District Administration).
Why is Gandi called a Vayu Kshetra?
The district administration calls it a Vayu Kshetra because of its link in tradition with Vayu, Anjaneya's father, who is said to have decorated the gorge for Rama (YSR Kadapa District Administration).
When is the busiest time to visit?
The month of Sravana is the peak season, and temple authorities estimated nearly 30,000 devotees on one Saturday in August 2026 (Deccan Chronicle).
Who manages the temple?
In 2019 the state government ordered TTD to take over the temple from the endowments department (The Hans India). Check the current arrangement locally, as the sources used here do not confirm it after 2019.
Was the temple recently renovated?
Yes. It was redeveloped at a cost of 28.05 crore rupees, and a Maha Kumbhabhishekam was held from 8 to 13 May 2026 (Deccan Chronicle).
How can I reach Gandi from Kadapa?
Gandi is about 55 km from Kadapa city via Vempalli, on the Vempalli–Rayachoti route (YSR Kadapa District Administration). APSRTC has operated special buses to Gandi during Sravana (Deccan Chronicle).
Sources and attribution
- © OpenStreetMap contributors — location data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Wikidata Q17053328 — structured data (CC0)
- Wikipedia — Gandi Kshetram — text facts from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
- YSR Kadapa District Administration, Government of Andhra Pradesh — Gandi
- YSR Kadapa District Administration, Government of Andhra Pradesh — Religious Tourism
- The Hans India — Gandi Kshetrem taken over by TTD
- Deccan Chronicle — Maha Kumbhabhishekam Festivities Begin at Gandi Kshetram in Kadapa
- Deccan Chronicle — Surge in devotee footfall at Vaishnavite shrines during Sravana Masam
Further reading: Gandi Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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