At Palakollu in the West Godavari region of Andhra Pradesh, the Ksheera Ramalingeswara temple is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras, enshrining a fragment of the great Shiva linga shattered by Kumara Swamy in the legend of Tarakasura. The linga here is of a milky-white hue — ksheera meaning milk — and tradition holds that it was worshipped by Lord Rama, and that Shiva once drew forth milk from the earth at this very spot, giving the place its name.
Crowned by one of the tallest temple gopurams in Andhra Pradesh, rising some nine storeys and visible from afar, the shrine is a landmark of the delta country. With the Goddess honoured as Parvati and the fragment traditionally consecrated by Vishnu, Ksheerarama is a serene and deeply revered seat among the five Aramas.
