Pakala

Pakala lies in southern Rayalaseema, in the country between Chittoor and Tirupati. The nearby temple of Vinayaka at Kanipakam honours Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity. Its construction is attributed to the Chola emperor Kulottunga I, and the rulers of Vijayanagara enlarged it in the fourteenth century. The temple stands among the sacred places that link this inland country with the religious traditions of southern India.