Chaya Someswara Temple

A single shadow lies on the lingam all day, whatever the sun is doing, and the architect put it there deliberately — the pillars of the ardhamandapa and the gaps around the central shrine were set to cast it. Chaya is Telugu for shadow, hence the name. Behind the trick is a serious three-shrine temple of the mid-11th century, built by the Kunduru Chodas, its sanctums to Shiva, Vishnu and Surya sharing one hall of carved pillars retelling the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. It was in ruins in the mid-20th century and is only partly restored now. Crowded at Maha Shivaratri; Pachala Someshwara is next door.