It shelters blackbuck, panthers, chinkara, spotted deer, nilgai, pangolins, leopards, soft-shelled turtles, porcupines, crocodiles and a variety of other animals, birds and snakes, in addition to the tiger. There is a successful crocodile reintroduction programme in Ethipothala, a cataract close to Srisailam. Nearby, the 512 m long from Srisailam Dam on the River Krishna is set amidst beautiful natural scenery - ghats, cliffs, craggy ridges, plateaus and dense forests.

The forests have attracted human visitors for centuries, not only because of the ecological systems that it supports, but also as a pilgrimage centre. Pilgrims bathe in the Pathalaganga - the local name for the River Krishna - before visiting the sacred shrines of Brahmaramba, Mallikarjunaswamy, Uma-Maheshwara and Saraswati.

Shiva's sacred bull Vrishabha is said to have performed penance at the Mahakali temple till Shiva and Parvati appeared before him as Mallikarjuna and Brahmaramba. The temple is one of the 12 hallowed jyotirlingas; Lord Rama himself installed the Sahasralinga, while the Pandavas lodged the Panchapandava lingas in the temple courtyard. Heroic legends from the Mahabharata and Ramayana are sculpted in stone on the temple walls and the Mahabharata epic refers to Srisailam as Sri Parvata - the blessed hill. There also hear the buzzing of a bee through a tiny hole in the Brahmaramba temple, where Parvati, in the form of a bee, slew the demon Mahisasura.

One of the nicest aspects of these temples is that everyone is allowed to pray here and touch the Lord's feet, unlike some other ancient temples. So come to Srisailam for that interesting holiday you've always wanted - it's a different world altogether.