Deities

Sri Kalahasthi is named after the staunch devotees of Lord Shiva. They were Spider(Sri), The Serpant(Kala) and The Elephant (Hasti). Appeared with their unflinching devotion, Lord Shiva gave them a boon that their names be merged with the Vayu Linga and called as Sri Kalahastheeswara.

Hasti Used to clean Shiva Linga by carrying river water with its trunk and placing Bilva Leaves on top of the Shiva Linga.

The Spider protects deity from external damage by weaving his web to provide shelter for the Shiva LIngam.

The Snake(Kala) used to Place its precious gem on The Linga to adorn the Lord. In this way, they all worshipped The Vayu Linga seperately without knowing what the other was doing.

One day, the Spider had built a very thick web around the deity to protect from dust and weather while Snake place its gem. The Elelphant not knowing this and assuming that this form of Pooja by Sri and Kala is a desecration by the Seeming miscreants, pours water on it and cleans it up. This causes war between the three. The Snake punishes the elephant by entering its trunk and in the process kills itself, while the Elelphant runk amok and hits its trunk and head against the Shiva Linga. During this Struggle, the spider is squashed against Linga by the Elelphant's trunk and the elephant dies due to the Snake's poison.

Lord Shiva then appeared and gave moksha to all of three of them for their selfless devotion. The Spider takes rebirth as great king while Elephant and The Snkae reaches heaven for satisying all its karma.

Sri Gnanaprasunambika Devi is the consort of Sri Kalhastheeswara Swamy, She is one of the manifestation of Goddess Parvathi.

Lord Shiva initiated Goddess Parvathi with Sacred Panchakshari mantra and asked her to perform Japa with concentration. But she failed to do so He threw wild and cursed her to born as woman on the earth. Goddess repented for her curse and prayed Lord to relieve her from.

As per the curse in her human birth, she should perform penance and worship Shiva linga near Kailasa Mountain, With the help of sage Narada Maharshi. In human birth, Parvathi came to Dakshina Kailasa here, performed penance and worshiped Lord. Pleased with her with Panchakshari. On attaining Panchakshari Japasiddi ( the merits of reciting Panchakshari Mantra), She has been worshipped as Gnanaprasunambika upon her devotees.