Sakshi Ganapathi Temple is a small shrine located at a distance of about 3 km from Srisailam Shiv Jyotirling Sri Mallikarjuna Temple which has been attracted by pilgrims over a long time. An important part of any Srisailam tour, this temple is visited by every devotee who comes to seek blessings of Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy. Amid the panoramic background of nature, this temple is located just a few km away from the Shikaram.
It is traditionally believed that Lord Ganapathi in this temple keeps a regular account of all its devotees and marks the evidence (Sakshyam) of their visit to this temple, and hence he is named Sakshi Ganapathi. It is believed that a visit to Srisailam goes unrecorded if a devotee doesn’t visit Sakshi Ganapathi Temple. The main deity of this temple is Lord Ganesha. It is belief that Lord Ganesha keeps a record of everyone who visits Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, which is then shown to Lord Shiva. Hence, devotees visit this temple to register their visit in front of the Lord Ganesha in order to seek blessings of Lord Shiva. The common practice is to visit and offer prayers at Sakshi Ganapathi Temple first and then the other temples in Srisailam. Once in the temple, devotees inform their gotra and name for the Lord to take a note of.
The sculpture of this deity is exquisitely made holding a book in the left hand and a pen in the right hand in such a way as noting down the names of devotees. It is in practice that devotees during their return had the darshan of this Ganapathi and informed their name and gotra to him.
Srinatha the renowned poet of 14th Century A.D. in his Kasikhandam states that this Sakshi Ganapathi is visualized by sage Agasthya during his pilgrimage to Srisailam.