Temples in Telangana: A Source-Checked Guide to Yadagirigutta, Vemulawada, Chilkur, Bhadrakali and More

Quick answer: This guide covers eight Telangana temples that are in HinduTone's source-checked temple records. Around Hyderabad: Chilkur Balaji, Balkampet Yellamma, Bhagyalakshmi at Charminar, the Sai Baba temple in Dilsukhnagar and Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy at Ananthagiri. Further out: Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Yadagirigutta, Bhadrakali in Warangal and Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy at Vemulawada. Every fact below comes from the temple's own record page, which is linked in each section.

Last updated: 20 October 2026. Built from HinduTone's source-checked temple records (checked on 11 October 2026). Timings are not given because the records do not publish them; confirm with each temple before you travel.

How this guide is organised

Telangana's temples range from hill shrines with long festival histories to busy city temples where neighbourhoods gather every week. We group them by region so you can plan visits together: first the temples in and around Hyderabad, then the Yadadri and Warangal side to the east, and finally Vemulawada in north Telangana. Many devotees from Telangana now live in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia, and these are also the temples families most often ask about when they plan a trip home. For a weekday rhythm of worship, see our guide to the Hindu days of the week.

Temples in and around Hyderabad

Chilkur Balaji Temple, Rangareddy district

Chilkur Balaji stands at Chilkur village on the banks of Osman Sagar, on the western outskirts of Hyderabad. Venkateswara (Balaji) is worshipped as a swayambhu image with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, and a shrine of the goddess, named Rajya Lakshmi, was installed in 1963. According to tradition, a devotee who went to Tirupati every year was too ill to travel, and the Lord told him in a dream that he was present in the nearby forest; the image was found at an anthill. The Rangareddy district administration says the temple was built in the time of Akkanna and Madanna, and that its style suggests it is about five centuries old.

The temple is widely known as the 'Visa Balaji' temple. In the pradakshina vow, as Telangana Tourism describes it, a devotee makes a wish while walking 11 times around the sanctum and returns to complete 108 rounds once the wish comes true. The temple keeps no hundi, accepts no cash offerings and gives no VIP or paid darshan, so everyone joins the same queue.

Festivals: the week-long Brahmotsavam in March to April, with daily homas and processions, and Poolangi and Annakota, which the district administration names as drawing large crowds. Getting there: TGSRTC buses run from Mehdipatnam, with route 288D the most frequent; Budvel is the nearest railway station. See the Chilkur Balaji temple page and our Chilkur pradakshina guide for NRIs.

Balkampet Yellamma Temple (Sri Yellamma Pochamma Devasthanam), Hyderabad

In the Balkampet locality of Hyderabad, the goddess Yellamma is worshipped as Renuka. Her swayambhu image lies about 10 feet below ground level in a sanctum where spring water collects around it, so many devotees call her Jala Durga. The temple's own account says farmers digging a well found the stone; the Devasthanam dates the shrine to the 15th century and the present building to a 1919 reconstruction. The complex also has shrines of Pochamma, Mahaganapati, Naga Devata and Rajarajeshwari. Devotees take the spring water as tirtha; its link with relief from skin complaints is a matter of faith, not a medical claim.

Festivals: the three-day Yellamma Kalyanotsavam, which Eenadu reports starts on the first Tuesday of Ashadha, Bonalu in the same month, and Sarannavaratri with a different alankaram each day. Sundays and Tuesdays are the busiest days. See our Bonalu 2026 guide and the Balkampet Yellamma temple page.

Bhagyalakshmi Temple, Charminar

This small shrine to Bhagyalakshmi, a form of Lakshmi, stands beside the south-eastern minaret of the Charminar in Hyderabad's Old City and is managed by a temple trust. For devotees it is an important place to worship the goddess of fortune. Its origins are disputed: in reply to a Right to Information request, the ASI said the temple came into existence after Hyderabad State merged with India, and Atlas Obscura notes that no one knows for certain how old it is. The High Court has allowed upkeep such as flower decoration while ruling out any expansion. The area is busy and sometimes under security arrangements, so check local advisories. Fridays are a natural day for a visit; see our Friday and Mahalakshmi guide and the Bhagyalakshmi temple page.

Sai Baba Temple, Dilsukhnagar

The Sai Baba temple in Dilsukhnagar is described by Sakshi Post as a famous temple and a landmark of the locality, and followers of Shirdi Sai Baba gather here for worship and community events. Heavy police deployment has been reported around it, so allow time for security checks. See the Dilsukhnagar Sai Baba temple page.

Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Ananthagiri (Vikarabad)

On the forested Ananthagiri hills near Vikarabad, Vishnu is worshipped as Anantha Padmanabha Swamy, reclining on the serpent Anantha with Lakshmi beside him; the complex also has a Hanuman shrine. The hills are known as the source of the Musi river. According to tradition, the sage Markandeya meditated here and Vishnu brought the Ganga to him, which devotees link to the temple's pushkarini. Many devotees pray for a home of their own by stacking small black stones near the temple, Deccan Chronicle reports. The entrance has arches in an Islamic style, and published accounts place the present structure at roughly 400 years old, though no dated inscription was found.

Festivals: Karthika Masam, the busiest season, with large crowds on Karthika Pournami; utsavams in Ashada; and special worship on Ekadasi. Getting there: Vikarabad is the nearest railhead, TSRTC buses run from Hyderabad to Vikarabad, and local autos and buses continue to the hills. Ananthagiri temple page.

Yadadri and Warangal

Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Yadagirigutta

This hill temple in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district is dedicated to Narasimha with the goddess Lakshmi. Its heart is a small cave shrine on the hilltop. According to the legend recorded by the district administration, the sage Yadarishi performed penance in the cave and Narasimha appeared in five forms, Jwala, Gandabherunda, Yogananda, Ugra and Lakshmi Narasimha, so the hill is revered as a Pancha Narasimha kshetra. The district administration also records the tradition that Krishnadevaraya prayed here for victory.

The temple was rebuilt in black granite between 2016 and 2022, without cement or brick, and reopened on 28 March 2022. The Hindu describes a seven-storeyed rajagopuram, a pillared mandapam with statues of the Alvars and a gold Sudarshana Chakra over the vimana; the original cave shrine and an old Hanuman rock carving were preserved. Crowds are heavier at weekends and during the Brahmotsavam, and the Kalyanotsavam is a popular seva.

Getting there: the nearest railhead is Yadadri (formerly Raigir), and buses run frequently from Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Hanamkonda and Warangal. See the Yadagirigutta temple page, our Narasimha temples guide and Vaikuntha Ekadashi in Telangana.

Bhadrakali Temple, Warangal (Hanumakonda)

This hilltop temple of the goddess Bhadrakali overlooks Bhadrakali Lake in the Warangal-Hanumakonda area. The Kakatiya kings regarded Bhadrakali as their kuladevata, the family deity of their dynasty. The main image is carved from a single stone, which Telangana Tourism links to the Chalukya tradition, while the stone gateways resemble Kakatiya work. The district administration records the tradition that the temple was built in 625 CE by the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II; that date comes from tradition and temple inscriptions and has not been independently confirmed. Development work, including Mada streets for chariot processions, has been under way, so access may change.

Festivals: the nine-day Sharannavaratri (Dasara) Mahotsavam, ending with the celestial wedding of Bhadrakali and Bhadreshwara and a teppotsavam on Dasara; the Shakambari celebrations in June to July; and the Kalyana Brahmotsavam. Warangal railway station is about 5 km away. See the Bhadrakali temple page.

North Telangana

Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam, Vemulawada

In Vemulawada, Rajanna Sircilla district, Shiva is worshipped as Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy, whom devotees call Rajanna; the district administration notes the popular name Dakshina Kasi. The complex also houses Sri Raja Rajeshwari Devi and an image of Lakshmi with Siddhi Vinayaka. Vemulawada was the capital of the Vemulawada Chalukyas, and the Kannada poet Pampa lived here as court poet of Arikesari II.

Devotees know the temple above all for Kodemokku, the vow of taking a bull around the shrine, and many gift bulls to the deity. Pilgrims usually bathe in the Dharmagundam before darshan, and in north Telangana it is customary to visit Rajanna before the Sammakka-Sarakka (Medaram) jatara. The temple precinct also contains a dargah, which the district presents as a sign of the area's religious tolerance.

Renovation note: during the current renovation, darshan, arjitha sevas and Kodemokku have been moved to the nearby Bheemeshwara Swamy temple, and LED screens show live darshan. Festivals: the three-day Maha Shivaratri jatara, Sri Rama Navami, Karthika Masam and the weeks before Medaram. Karimnagar is the nearest railway station. See the Vemulawada temple page, our Vemulawada temple guide, the Medaram jatara guide and Karthika Masam Shiva temples in Telangana. Monday is the traditional day for Shiva; see our Monday guide.

Other well-known Telangana temples

Bhadrachalam, Keesaragutta and Kondagattu are also major pilgrimage sites in Telangana; they are not yet in our source-checked set, so we do not describe them here. We have separate guides to Bhadrachalam and Keesaragutta.

Telangana temples at a glance

Pilgrimage circuits in Telangana

• Hyderabad city circuit: Balkampet Yellamma, Bhagyalakshmi at Charminar and the Sai Baba temple at Dilsukhnagar are all inside the city and can be visited on separate days or combined, depending on traffic and crowds.
• West of Hyderabad: Chilkur Balaji on the western outskirts and Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy in the Ananthagiri hills near Vikarabad lie on the same side of the city, so many families plan them together.
• Yadadri and Warangal: Yadagirigutta is served by buses from Hyderabad, Hanamkonda and Warangal, which makes it easy to pair with Bhadrakali in Warangal on an eastward trip.
• North Telangana: Vemulawada is reached via Karimnagar, and in jatara years many pilgrims visit Rajanna on their way to Medaram.
• Vaishnava trail: for Thursday or Ekadashi visits, combine Chilkur Balaji, Ananthagiri and Yadagirigutta. See our Thursday guide and the Venkateswara temples guide.

When to go

The records do not name a single best season for these temples. They do say when crowds peak: Karthika (October to November) at Vemulawada and Ananthagiri, Ashadha (June to July) for Bonalu and the Yellamma Kalyanam in Hyderabad, Sharannavaratri at Bhadrakali, and weekends and Brahmotsavams at Yadagirigutta and Chilkur. Quieter weekdays outside festivals are usually easier for darshan. Before the rebuilding, The Hindu reports, Yadagirigutta was visited mainly on Saturdays and festival days. For weekday worship, see our Saturday guide and Hanuman temples guide.

Visiting from abroad

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad is the gateway named in the records for all of these temples. After a long flight from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia or the Gulf, build in a rest day before a hill climb or a long queue, and avoid planning a tight circuit around a single festival day, when crowds and traffic diversions are common. Book sevas and rooms only through official temple or Endowments Department channels, carry a copy of your passport, and keep small cash for offerings and footwear counters (note that Chilkur accepts no cash offerings). Wear modest traditional clothing; our temple visit guide covers dress code and etiquette, and our temple safety tips help in crowds. If you cannot travel, our guide to Hindu temples in the USA lists places to worship abroad.

Also read: Famous temples in Andhra Pradesh: source-checked guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which Telangana temples are covered in this guide?

Eight temples with source-checked records: Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Yadagirigutta, Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy at Vemulawada, Chilkur Balaji, Bhadrakali in Warangal, Balkampet Yellamma and Bhagyalakshmi at Charminar in Hyderabad, Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy at Ananthagiri near Vikarabad, and the Sai Baba temple in Dilsukhnagar. Other well-known temples, such as Bhadrachalam and Keesaragutta, are not yet in our source-checked set.

What is Kodemokku at Vemulawada?

Kodemokku is a vow in which a bull, the vahana of Shiva, is taken around the shrine. Telangana Today describes it as a ritual unique to Vemulawada and the most sought-after offering there. During the current renovation, darshan, arjitha sevas and Kodemokku have been moved to the nearby Bheemeshwara Swamy temple.

Why is Chilkur Balaji called the Visa Balaji temple?

Head priest C.S. Rangarajan has said the name arose in the 1990s, when students from nearby engineering colleges prayed with the 11-round pradakshina and then got their visas. A devotee makes a wish while walking 11 times around the sanctum and returns to complete 108 rounds once the wish comes true. The temple has no hundi and no VIP darshan.

When are Telangana temples most crowded?

The records name weekends and the Brahmotsavam at Yadagirigutta; Maha Shivaratri, Karthika, Sankranti and the weeks before the Medaram jatara at Vemulawada; Sundays, Tuesdays and Ashadha (Bonalu and the Kalyanam) at Balkampet Yellamma; Karthika at Ananthagiri; and Sharannavaratri at Bhadrakali.

Why does the Yadagirigutta temple look new?

It was rebuilt on a much larger scale in black granite between 2016 and 2022 and reopened on 28 March 2022 after a Maha Kumbha Samprokshanam. The original hilltop cave shrine and an old rock carving of Hanuman were preserved within the new complex.

Do I need to book darshan in advance?

Our records do not list a booking requirement for these temples. Arrangements change, especially at Vemulawada during renovation, so confirm timings and sevas with the temple office or the Telangana Endowments Department, and book only through official channels.

Will praying at these temples guarantee a visa, a house or a cure?

No. The records report what devotees believe, such as prayers for visas at Chilkur, for a home at Ananthagiri and for relief from illness at Yadagirigutta and Balkampet. These are matters of faith, and no outcome is guaranteed.

Editor's note (20 October 2026)

Every temple fact in this guide comes from HinduTone's source-checked temple records, which were researched against district administrations, Telangana Tourism, the Endowments Department, newspapers and temple directories and checked on 11 October 2026. This article replaces an older list on the same address. We have left out claims that rest on a single source and temples that are not yet in our verified set, such as Bhadrachalam and Keesaragutta. Timings, renovations and seva rules change; please confirm with the temple before travelling.

Related guides

• Venkateswara and Balaji temples in India and abroad
• Narasimha Swamy temples in India
• Vemulawada Sri Raja Rajeshwara temple guide
• Chilkur Balaji pradakshina guide for NRIs
• Karthika Masam 2026: Shiva temples in Telangana
• Importance of Tuesday in Hinduism
• Hindu temple visit guide: darshan, dress code and etiquette