India’s first Siva shrine at Gudimallam, housing 1.6-metre-tall Linga, remains a hidden gem

The temple is remarkable for its unique iconography, depicting a near-perfect representation of an erect male organ (Urdhvaretah). Despite being located close to the world-famous temple city of Tirupati—which draws millions of devotees—the shrine has often gone unnoticed, largely because it is tucked away from the main routes