One of the legend says that it has come to existence from the Satya Yuga when Garuda in the process of freeing his mother from slavery has inadvertently spilled a drop of ambrosia into the surrounding lake.

Srisaila Khanda of Skand Purana praises this temple as 'Nirvrutti Sangameswara' because of its reputation of devotees giving up lives in devotion to Lord Shiva.

[4] The name Pushpagiri derives from a local legend that to extricate his mother Vinutha from the shackles of slavery of his stepmother Kadruva, Garuda has embarked on a journey to the heavens to conquer Lord Indra and fetch the holy nectar of Amrita.

Garuda while returning from the heavenly abode passed by the hamlet then called - Kampalle, where he unintentionally spilt a drop into a local pond formed by the river Pinakini.

Upon seeing this unprecedented miracle, the Devas approached God Vishnu who instructs Garuda to cover up the pond with a rock from a nearby mountain.

[5][6] The temple complex is located at 380 metres (1,000 ft) above the sea level and covers an approximate area of 7.5 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi).

There is lush greenery surrounding the hamlets that include in the temple complex with crops watered from the rain as well as the river year round.

Apart from the small arid mountainous area where the mound is supposed to have fallen, the entire region is full of greenery on all sides with plenty of crops mainly paddy.

Sage Agastya after crossing the Vindhya mountains, vowed not to return to stop the range from growing in competition with Himalayas.

Since there is a belief among the later kingdoms that reigned the region that from the joyful cosmic dance of God Shiva at the Bhoga Nandeeswara Swamy temple on top of the Nandi Hills, three rivers took their origin.

Somadeva of Vaidumba Dynasty who usurped power from the Cholas has provided grants to the temple including the Pallava king Chiddana Devaraja.

Saluva as asked his feudatory Vankara kumara Dhuli Basivi Naidu to safeguard the pilgrims who are on their way to this place.

Naidu initially revolted against the rulers of Vijayanagara Empire and used to harass the pilgrims as a way to show his disloyalty but started to obey the king once he was made the in-charge of the surrounding villages with the capital at a place called "Jillella".

Rameswaram-Varanasi -Rameswaram was one of the Char Dham routes followed and prescribed by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya who proposed the Advaita Vedanta and also established a mutt in these premises.

In one of the inscriptions, A tantric saint by the name Aghora Shivacharya has been credited with constructing the main Gateway-Tower (Gopuram) of the Chennakesava Swamy temple.

Further, the links of the local Mutt of Sri Pushpagiri Shankara Peetham to Srisailam temple as the patron-institution corroborate the fact that Veerapasupatha or Shakteya cults of Hinduism have been practised here by the roaming monks and Sadhus.

Srisailam has a temple dedicated to Hatakeswara, renowned as the Lord of Pasupatham cult and is famous for various Vamachara along with Samyachara ways of worship.

At a time when South India has been experiencing widespread tensions because of the difference of opinion regarding the superiority of their own cults, this area cuddled in almost obscurity of the forests and mountains has been a place of worship for both Shaivas and Vaishnavas alike.

The architectural styles of the Pushpagiri temple complex range from the age of Ikshvakus to the modern chieftains that subordinated to the kings of Vijayanagara empire.

To name a few, it has remnants of the past belonging to Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Cholas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Vaidumbas, Kayasthas and Vijayanagara empires.

[21][22] The Vaidyanatha Swamy temple is a splendid structure and is adorned with a variety of rock-cut sculptures and reliefs of various Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

The entire temple consists of two shrines one dedicated for Vaidyanatha Swamy and another for Kamakshi Devi which is surrounded by various idols of the Hindu deities and Hero-Stones that were excavated and preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Long before the struggle between Shaivites and Vaishnavites started, there was a sense of communal harmony amongst the people of Cuddapah district, especially those in the Pushpagiri region, It is evident from a variety of undamaged structures in the region that have stood side by side with no vandalism instigated by the various communal philosophies.

Another inscription dated 1182 CE grants some land in the area of Mulakanadu for the daily worship of the presiding deity of the temple.

The Chennakesava temple faces west with a tall Dwajasthambam (flag-staff) overlooking the Penna river as it changes course from east to south.

The architectural styles of the temples that adorn the complex have undergone quite a lot of changes during the rules of various Kings and their feudal subjects.