The temple is at the top of the hill facing east with Gopurams-towers on four sides.  The main entrance is at eastern gopuram.  There is a Nandhi made of stone in front hall at the entrance.  Lord Siddhi Vinayaka blesses the devotees at the entrance.  There are six temples said to have been built by Pandavas.  There is also a temple built in marbles for Lord Shanmuga.  Temples of Mother Rajarajeswari, Mother Annapoorani, Lord Sahasralingeswarar and Pancha Nadeeswaram are of spiritual importance.  The South Tower is called Ranga Mandapam.  The marriage hall-kalyana mandapam is at the east entrance.

Mechanized boats are available to visit Nagarjuna dam.  There are chatrams for the convenience of the devotee.  The temple is 3 km upward from the foot of the hills.  As the temple is in a dense forest region, private vehicles are prohibited from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m next morning.  Only Government buses are allowed.  The devotee crowd is huge on Mondays and Fridays.

Prayers of devotees are many and varied.  To realize their wishes, they perform wedding festival to Lord and Mother.

Chandra Gupta was the ruler of Mallikapuri region.  His daughter Chandrarekha, a Shiva devotee was worshipping Lord with jasmine and Arjuna flowers available in the region, hence the name Mallikarjuna of Lord here.  It is the faith of the Hindus that worshipping Nandhi Bhagwan during the Pradosha days even in small temples promises their wishes, the benefit of doing so at Srishailam, the very birth place of Nandhi is certainly manifold promising total salvation.

Sri Shailam in Andhra Pradesh is one among the 12 Jyothilinga Sthalas.  If Mount Kailash is the capital of Shiva sthalas, Sri Shailam occupies the second place.  The holy land is third in  rank among the 51 Shakti Peetas of Mother Uma.  It is said that the benefits of offering lakhs of alms-Dhans at Kurukshetra, bathing 2000 times in holy Ganga, performing penance on the banks of Narmada, living thousand years in Kasi can be derived by worshipping Lord Mallikarjuna once in life time, declares Skanda Maha Purana.

The hill is but Nandhi Himself on whom Lord Shiva is seated and ruling.  It is in this place  Nandhi became the vahan of Lord Shiva.  It is very beautiful.  While the Shiva shrine is at a lower level, Mother Pramarambal shrine is up by 30 steps.  The statue of devotee Mallamma shedding Bhakti tears is so realistic that no visitor can afford to miss.  There is a mutt here where Pandavas are said to have stayed.  The foot prints of Bheema are carved on a rock.  As Lord Shiva stood here with His trident, this is placed on the Vimana of Lord Mallikarjuna.

Sage Siladha performed severe penance on Lord Shiva seeking child boon.  Two sons were born to him, Nandhi and Parvathan.  Sanakadhi Rishis called on the sage and said that Nandhi would live on earth only for a short while.  Siladha fell in grief.  Nandhi assured his father and said that he would win death by his penance on Lord Shiva.  Pleased with his penance, Lord Shiva appeared and made him His vahan and also passed the order that devotees should come to Him only after being allowed by Nandhi.  Nandhi’s place of penance is at the foot of the hills known as Nandiyal.  His brother also performed penance of Lord and became a hill – Parvatha Hill – Parvatha Malai in Taimil.