The district of Adilabad houses several religious sites that attract the faithful from far and wide. The Gudem Satyanarayana Swamy Temple is one such pilgrim center that has been deeply etched in the minds of tourists visiting Adilabad and its also a major tourist attractions of Telangana Tourism

Located on the banks of the Godavari river that borders both Karimnagar and Adilabad districts, the Satyanarayana Swami Temple enshrines Sri Satyanarayana Swamy, the God of truth. The temple is situated in Gudem, a village located about 40 km from Mancherial city of Adilabad district. The temple since its inception has acquired such prominence in Telangana owing to the presence of Lord Satyanarayana Swamy that people of Telangana hold it in the same esteem as Annavaram Devasthanam one of the most famous religious shrines of the country and part of ancient Temples of Telangana.

The Annavaram of Telangana, as the Gudem temple is also known, receives the maximum footfalls during the Karthik Masam. Every year during this time which corresponds to the English months of October – November devotees throng to Gudem to take a dip in the Godavari and perform puja and make offerings at the Satyanarayana Swami temple. Devotees perform ‘Satya Narayana Vrathams’, a special ceremony indicating their devotion to the Lord. This is followed by several other rituals which all form a part of the auspicious occasion.

The Vrathams however form a part of everyday rituals for most devotees who visit the temple. Every full moon day, the gathering of devotees reaches a peak as thousands of devout followers of Lord Satyadev gather together to participate in the various rituals.

The temple complex also comprises the Lord Ayyappa Abhinava Shabarimala temple which is built on the lines of the great Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Kerala. This is also considered to be one of the most popular temples in the north Telangana region. Devotees who are unable to travel to Kerala to offer their prayers to Lord Ayyappa can now fulfill their hearts desire in Gudem.

The Gudem village is encircled with holy shrines. On the other side of the Godavari in the Karimnagar district, the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is another shrine frequently visited by devotees. Both the Sri Satyanarayan Swamy Temple and the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple are connected to each other with a low level bridge in Rayapatnam located at a distance of 3 km from Gudem. Devotees can visit either of these holy places of worship by crossing this bridge.

The Sri Satyanarayan Swamy Temple has ample opportunities to develop its facilities so as to become a congenial place for devotees. The construction of cottages for devotees and various other facilities is yet to be taken up. However, the absence of these basic facilities has not acted as a deterrent for devotees who continue to throng this holy shrine to view their beloved lord and seek his divine blessings.

Special Attractions:
– The holy shrines of Sri Satyanarayana Swamy, Lord Ayyappa in Gudem as well as the shrine of Sri Lakshmi Narayana Swamy in Dharmapuri are the major attractions of the place.
– The small village of Gudem has been converted into a major pilgrimage center owing to the presence of the famous Holy shrines.

Nearby by Tourist Attractions:
– Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple
– Kuntala Waterfalls
– Gnana Saraswati Temple
– Hanuman Temple
– Sri Ram Temple

Timings: Information not available

Distance to Gudem Satyanarayana Swamy Temple:
– Distance from Hyderabad is 226 Kms (4.5 hours drive)
– Distance from Karimnagar is 62 Kms (1.5 hours drive)
– Distance from Mancherial is 33 Kms (40 min drive)
– Distance from Hanamkonda(Warangal) is 133 Kms (3 hours drive)

Where to stay: Gudem does not have good places of accommodation. Tourists can however avail the accommodation options in Adilabad/Mancherial while planning a visit to Gudem. Some of the popular Adilabad hotels include Haritha Hotel, Sanjay Lodge, and Kamadhenu Hotel.

How to reach Gudem Satyanarayana Swamy Temple:
– Gudem is located at a distance of 226 km from Hyderabad. It is easily accessible by road and rail from Hyderabad.
– State run buses are available from Hyderabad to Mancherial.
– Gudem is 33 Kms far from Maancherial. Plenty of buses ply from Mancherial and Karimnagar.
– Train Route: You can also reach Mancherial by train and take a bus to Gudem from Mancherial.
– The Gudem Gutta is located in Adilabad district at a distance of 61 kms from the neighboring district of Karimnagar. It is easily accessible from there by road. It can also be accessed from Rayapatnam ( 3Kms) Luxettipet (7Kms) and from Mancherial (32Kms).

Nearest Railway Station: Mancherial is the closest railway station and can be accessed from all parts of the country from here.

Useful Contact Numbers:
– Adilabad Tourism Officer : 9440816087
– State Tourism Department: 040-23450444