Nara Simham!

The Malluru Narasimha Swamy Temple Entrance

It was over two years ago, that a devout follower of Aalayam Kanden called me to speak about the Malluru Narasimhaswamy Temple. The way she went about describing it, I was hooked. I got in touch quite immediately with my colleague and friend in Hyderabad to explore possibilities of visiting. However, as with everything else, this desire too had to wait for the will of God, which only came true last week. And the same friend to whom I had first spoken excitedly about the temple was able to accompany us too!

I am not surprised any of this happened. Ever since Aalayam Kanden began, six years ago, I have come to clearly understand that whatever I write here, is purely dependent on His will, and so be it!!
So we set off, all excited at 4 am in the morning towards Malluru from Hyderabad. After crossing Warangal and Hanamakonda cities, we entered the dense reserve forests through which we drove for about five kms to reach the foothills of the Hemachala hill on top of which the temple is located.

The way to the temple through the dense Hemachala forest

It is believed that the Narasimhaswamy manifested as an Ugra moorthy in a cave on top of the Hemachala hill and was brought to light by Sage Agasthya. In order to pacify the Ugra Moorthy and calm him down, Agasthya installed Goddess Lakshmi in his chest and Lord Hanuman as the Kshetrapalaka.

We crossed the arch and the newly constructed shrines for Venugopalaswamy and Uma Maheswara and took the 74 steep steps that lead to the shrine of the now Yogananda Narasimha swamy. The sight of the magnificent lord is awe-inspiring. He is over 9.2 feet tall and the only swayambu Narasimha in standing posture. He is found with a crown and four arms carrying the conch, discus, mace and lotus flower.

Steps leading up to the temple

The Narasimha avatar, a combination of man and lion, was taken by Lord Vishnu, to answer the prayers of his devotee Prahalada. At Malluru, the Lord is said to be depicting the human form.

Over weekends and special occasions, the abhishekam is performed at 12 noon. The abhishekam comprises of smearing oil all over the body of the Lord who has emerged on the wall of the cave. Several devotees bring bottles of oil for this purpose. The priest pours the oil into a vessel and passes it around to the devotees who in turn drop coins into the oil, and make their wishes. It is believed that these wishes definitely come true.

The priest takes a Tulsi leaf and presses it lightly into the chest of the Lord and to the wonder of everyone watching, the leaf goes into the chest and disappears. When the priest removes his hand, the dent is no longer there! It is believed that Narasimha is found here in the human form, with flesh and muscle! Even the garlands are placed on either side of the shoulder and gently pressed and they cling to the body of the Lord!

Not just that, there is a secretion of sandal from his navel. No one really knows how this secretion happened on certain days of the month. The priest mentions that sometimes the secretion turns red or white. This, according to them, is the wound that Narasimha suffered while fighting Hiranyakasipu.

The paste that secretes from the navel is given to those couples who seek childbirth, or to those suffering from chevva, rahu or kethu dosham. The persons concerned have to come in person and perform some rites, before the sandal paste is given to them. Consuming the sandal paste grants couples bonny babies and they then come back with the new born to perform abhishekam and offer prayers.

There is a stream running near by called the Chintamani theertham. The name, Chintamani is said to have been given by Queen Rudramadevi. No one really knows the source of this stream, but the water is crystal clear and sweet to taste. It is an elixir for all chronic ailments and the stories of those who have been miraculously cured after consuming the water from this stream are plenty. Devotees bathe in this stream and carry water from here in containers and consume the same over days.

Photo courtesy : Google

The water does not get bad over time, unlike water from other rivers. The temple is said to date back to 4000 years to the time of the Satavahana king, Dilipakarana. The Kakatiya rulers, Rudramadevi and her grandson Pratapa Rudra have given several grants of land and money to the temple. The hill on which the temple is situated is crescent shaped and was called Hemachala in the past. Now it is known as Malluru.

The Chintamani Theertham that cures diseases

Every year in the month of Vaikasi, on Suddha Chaturdasi day both Kalyana Utsavam and Brammotsavam are performed in this temple with great pomp and glory.

How to get here: The temple is 70 kms from Bhadrachalam, and 127 kms from Warangal city. There are buses from Hanamakonda and also all buses that ply to Eturnagaram stop at Malluru.

Temple Timings: The temple is open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm with a lunch break between 1-2.30

Contact info: 9440634985, 9666887393

The Harihara Kshetra of Urukunda!

The Lakshmi Narasimha Veeranna Swamy Temple at Urukunda

Aalayam Kanden has been fortunate in bringing to its readers several lesser known and unique temples near Mantralayam in the past. Check out this link to read about all the other posts about temples near Mantralayam. Yet another to this wonderful list is the very unique Lakshmi Narasimha Veeranna Swamy temple at Urukunda, about 30 kms from Mantralayam.

So what is so special and unique about this temple?

The Sanctum Sanctorum in this temple comprises of a Peepal tree under which are the idols of Veerabadra Swamy and Lakshmi Narasimha and both are worshipped as per Veera Saiva Tradition! The Peepal tree is considered to be the main deity and there is no roof to the temple. Surprised? Let us go back into how this all came into being.

The Sanctum Sanctorum at the Lakshmi Narasimha Veeranna Swamy temple Urukunda
Photo Courtesy: Adoni Places

History of the temple: There was a sage named Hiranya (popularly called as Eranna or Veeranna in these areas) who did penance for many years under a Peepal tree in Urukunda village. All the cows that grazed in the village used to flock around him and he spent a lot of time pampering and talking to them. The villagers brought fruits and food to him and sought his blessings. Sage Eranna helped to cure chronic diseases and ailments of these kind villagers.

One day, Sage Veeranna disappeared from his usual place under the Peepal tree. At about the same time, an idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha appeared below the tree. The villagers believed that the sage had appeared before them again as Narasimha Swamy. They placed the idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha under the Peepal Tree and started worshipping him.

They also wanted to place an idol of Sage Veeranna alongside the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy for worship. Since Sage Veeranna had been like a guardian angel of the village, (Kshetrapalaka), they made a silver idol of him represented as  Sri Veerabadra Swamy and installed it next to the idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha.

There is also another version of the story, that Sage Eranna used to advocate a lot for Saiva-Vaishnava unity, and after he disappeared two idols of Veerabadra and Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy were found below the Peepal tree and the villagers started worshipping them together within the same Sanctum Sanctorum.

Both Veerabadraswamy and Lakshmi Narasimha are worshipped as per the Veera Saiva tradition to date.

Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy at the Sanctum Santorum of Urukunda temple
Photo Courtesy: Adoni places

Poojas and abhishekam are done to the holy Peepal tree. There is no roof to the Sanctum Sanctorum and one can worship the holy tree from the sides of the temple even if the main temple is closed. The temple draws several thousands of devotees through the year, who come to be rid of mental ailments and physical diseases.

Guru Raghavendra Swamy's visit: Once when Guru Raghavendra Swamy was travelling along the banks of the Tungabadra river, he is said to have told his disciples about the Urukunda temple and brought them there to worship Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and Veerabadraswamy.

Worshipping at the temple: As mentioned earlier, pilgrims throng the temple on Mondays, Thursdays and New Moon (Amavashya) days. The Telugu month of Sravana is very very special at this temple.

About ten to fifteen lakh pilgrims visit the temple during this time every year. On the third Monday of the month, the devotees make sweet rice on makeshift stoves outside the temple and offer it to Eranna Swamy and the devotees. Every year on this day, it rains very heavily in this area. However, devotees are able to cook the rice on the wet grounds using wet firewood which is considered to be a miracle of Sage Eranna.

On the last Monday of the month, there is a Pallaki Seva wherein the deities are carried to the river Tungabadra, for Abhishekam. During this month, people offer blocks of Vibhuti (holy ash) to Eranna Swamy and take it back to their homes. This vibhuti is then applied to the forehead of the person who is suffering from any ailment and is also taken orally and with the blessings of Eranna Swamy, the patient is cured.

People who stay in and around Adoni, take it upon themselves to visit Urukunda atleast once a year, especially during the month of Sravana, and offer rice, dal and jaggery which is used in the preparation of Prasadam. It is estimated that the temple provides food to a cost of around one crore rupees with the help of these donations during this month.

The Holy Peepal Tree at Urukunda under which Sage Eranna meditated

Marriage ceremonies in these areas usually begin with prayers to Eranna Swamy and once the rituals are completed, the groom and bride are brought back to the temple to seek blessings for a happy married life. They come back again after childbirth to offer the birth hair (tonsure) of the child to the Lord as token of gratitude.

The temple has been recently renovated and there is a large waiting area with shops outside the temple. This area would also serve as a place for people to stay and rest during the Sravana festival. Food is available at the Anna dhana chatra during the day for pilgrims who travel from long distances to visit the temple.

Shrine outside the Urukunda Temple

How to get here:

Urukunda is accessible by road and train from both Adoni and Mantralayam. It is about ten kilometres from Kupgal railway station and 27 kms from Adoni. Local jeep drivers at Mantralayam can help in taking pilgrims to Adoni, Basaladoddi and Budumuladoddi Hanuman temples and Urukunda which can all be visited in about half a day's time if one starts early from Mantralayam. (Articles about all these temples can be found in Aalayam Kanden here.) or one can take any local train and get down at Kupgal or Kosigi stations and take a share auto from there. Nearest place of stay would be Mantralayam or Adoni although there are a few modest cottages that belong to the temple.

Temple timings:

The temple is open throughout the day from 5 am in the morning till 8 pm at night.

Temple Address:

Urukunda Sri  Lakshmi Narasimha Veeranna Swamy Temple,
Urukunda, Kauthalam Mandal,
Kurnool District,
Andhra Pradesh - 518344
Phone: 9491000738 , 9966390671

For jeep/taxi services from Mantralayam to the temple, you can contact Mr Srinivas at 098850 27919/ 098859 72488

The waiting hall outside the Urukunda temple

Chevva Dosham ...no tension!

Narasimhapuram Temple tower

Chevva Dosham, also known as Sevvai Dosham, Guja Dosham and Manglik is the occurence of Mars  in the 2,4,7,8 or 12th house from Lagnam at the time of one's birth. When a person has such a planetary position in his or her horoscope, then the horoscope has to be carefully matched to find a suitable life partner. This process might delay the fixing up of marriage which is why it is a case of great worry to parents. There is an added anxiety as to whether the astrologer they are consulting is trained enough to identify a right and suitable match for their child. Astrology is a science and a good guide for those who take advice from ethical practitioners. A number of parihara sthalams have been identified to overcome the conceived challenges of Sevva Dosham and several people have benefitted from the same.

The Lakshmi Narasimha at Narasimhapuram on the Arakkonam- Thandalam- Perambakkam Road about 21 kms from Arakonam has been granting relief and solace to several devotees with Chevva Dosham.  A number of devotees flock to this lesser known temple about 2 kms away from Thiruvirkolam ( Cooum) Tiripurantaka Swamy Temple.

The renovated Lakshmi NarasimhaTemple at Narasimhapuram

This temple dating back to the Pallava period, and renovated and extended during the Nayaka period was quite dilapidated till recent times but it makes us happy to see it renovated nicely, without losing its original look. There are a number of special features and unique characteristics to this temple.

1. The Hanuman here is found in a separate shrine outside the temple,facing the Lord. He is a varaprasadhi with his tail twirled over his head.

The Hanuman shrine at Narasimhapuram

2. Garudalwar is almost four feet tall and is seen wearing sixteen snakes as ornaments on his body.Worshipping him is said to rid one of Naga Dosham. Childless couples worship this Garudan and are blessed with bonny babies.

Nagabharana Garudalwar at Narasimhapuram

3. The temple has separate shrines for each one of the Ashtalakshmis. This seems to have been the case with  perumal temples in this area constructed around the same period, as we saw in the case of Melvenpakkam Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal temple. The article on Melvenpakkam Perumal is available on Aalayam Kanden here.

A part of the Ashtalakshmi shrines that are found along the circumambulatory path
at Narasimhapuram

4.As we go around the temple after worshipping the Hanuman, Dwajasthambam, and the Lakshmis, we find Goddess Maragathavalli Thayar in a separate shrine. The speciality in this temple is that the Goddess sits on the Srichakram. The aged priest in the Thayar shrine told us, if you stood for one minute and looked at the compassionate eyes of the Thaayar, you can offload all your worries and walk away light-hearted. His words are very true. As we stood looking at the Thaayar, so carefully and beautifully decorated, we could feel our weariness lifting away and a sense of peace descending on us.

A view of Goddess Maragathavalli Shrine at the Narasimhapuram temple

5. The Ashtalakshmis are found along the circumambulatory path. After worshipping an equally beautiful Andal, we moved into the main shrine of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha. Words cannot describe the vibration found in the Sanctum Sanctorum. The Lord over seven feet tall, with the Lakshmi on his lap, looks at us with compassion. He is also known as Shanta Narasimhar unlike his Ugara (fierce) form in several other temples.
As the Lord is a Santha Swaroobi, the Goddess is not looking at him to pacify him. Instead, she sits close to her Lord with her hand around his waist, looking at the devotees who have come to visit them. Lord Narasimha unlike in other temples, is also holding his consort close and one can almost see a gentle smile around the corners of his mouth.

Sri Kalyana Lakshmi Narasimha at Narasimhapuram

As the Lord and Mahalakshmi are found in the Anyonya Bhavam, the Lord is also known as Kalyana Lakshmi Narasimhar. Worshipping him rids one of hurdles in marriage and doshams like Kalatra Dosham and Sevvai Dosham.

Procedure for Sevvai Dosha Pariharam:
1. Worshipping the Lakshmi Narasimha for 90 days continuously is said to rid one of all kinds of Doshams.
2. For those who cannot visit for 90 days, worshipping the Lord on nine continuous Swathi nakshatrams, lighting two ghee lamps at his shrine and circumambulating 32 times is equally beneficial.

The Lakshmi Narasimha avatar happened at the twilight zone. Worshipping Narasimha at Sandhya Kaalam, and Pradosham time, on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays brings health and wealth to the worshipper.

The Bhattar spoke about a number of happy families who return to the temple once their prayers have been granted to perform Thirumanjanam.

The temple is quite crowded on Saturdays and Swathi Nakshatram days.

How to get here:
The temple is just 55 kms from Chennai. If proceeding from Chennai, take the right at Empee Distilleries near Sriperumbudur. This road is Arakkonam Road. The road is not very well maintained and hence vehicles can only progress slowly. After crossing the Tiripurandaka Swamy temple the Narasimhapuram temple is on the main road and can be identified quite easily. There are a number of buses plying from both Koyambedu and Poonamallee to the temple.

Google Map Link

Temple Timings:
7.30 am to 12 pm
4.30 pm to 8 pm

Contact Details:
94425 85638/ Bhattar 94871 94649