Ahobilam Temple Timings, Poojas, and History

Ahobilam Temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha and is located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. There are two sects – the upper Ahobilam and the lower Ahobilam.  In total there are nine Narasimhasthalams. They are:

• Jwala Narasimha
• Ahobilam Narasimha
• Malola Narasimha
• Kroda Narasimha
• Karanja Narasimha
• Bhargava Narasimha
• Yogananda Narasimha
• Chatravata Narasimha and
• Pavana Narasimha.

Also, the main temple- Ahobilam Narasimha Swamy temple is a holy place that enthralls visitors every time they visit the place. It is a majestic sight to see through bare eyes. The temple is also one of the earliest, falling under Narasimhasthalams. It is at a distance of 70km from Nandyal and 150 km from Kurnool.

What is the history of the Ahobilam Temple?

According to the history of Ahobilam temple’s, there is a legend according to which this is the place where Lord Narasimha blessed Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakshipu. Mythology says another story that Lord Vishnu once appeared as half-lion and half-man which is one of his incarnations.

The Devas seeing him shouted crying “Ahobala” (powerful) and “Ahobila” (the cave where currently the sanctum is located) . so this place thus got its name Ahobilam or Ahobala.

What is the significance of Ahobilam Temple?

The significance of Ahobilam Temple is that:

• The temple follows the Vadakalai mode of worship.
• The shrine of the Ahobilam temple is on the top of the first range and is also popular as Upper Ahobilam and down below is the Lower Ahobilam.
• The “sacrosanctum” at Upper Ahobilam was carved out of a big egg-like rock with mandapams.
• According to beliefs, the presiding deity is a ‘swayambhu’.
• The Lord is also popular as ‘Ugra Narasimha’ or the ‘Fierce One’ as the Lord appears in his fierce avatar.
• Also, there are two Devis residing within the temple. They are Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Senjulakshmi.
• The temple also projects intricate stone art where the entire history of its building has been carved out in the stone form. The temple also is the abode of Adivan Sathagopulu.
• Also, the tower above the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is famous as Guhai Vimanam and the Pushkarani (temple tank) of this temple are Pavanasini, Bhargava, Indra, Nrisimha and Gaja Pushkarani.

What are the timings of the Ahobilam Temple?

Here are the timings of Ahobilam temple:

Timings	From	To
Open	5:30 a.m.	8:30 p.m.

Which festivals are celebrated at Ahobilam Narasimha Swamy Temple?

There is one major festival famous as Brahmotsavam whose celebrations take place with much grandeur and splendour during the month of February.

How to reach Ahobilam Temple?

Here’s how to reach Ahobilam Temple:

• Road: The state buses from Hyderabad, Tirupati, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Nellore and Chennai are available.
• Rail: Nandyal town (74 km. on Guntur-Hubli line) and Cuddapah (118 km. on Madras-Bombay line) are the ones to avail.
• Air: Hyderabad and Tirupati are the nearest airports where regular flights are available.

Where to stay nearby?

Here are some places where one can stay near Ahobilam Temple:

• The Haritha Hotel at Ahobilam is a great place to check-in. It is a very suitable and homely place.
• Malolan guest house at Sannithi street, Ahobilm is another place where one can stay. It also has a very soothing atmosphere with great amenities.

What are some temples nearby?

Some of the temples near Ahobilam Temple are:

• Bhargava Narasimha Temple is on a hill near a pond popular as Bhargava Theertham where Bhargava Rama performed his penance. Hence the Lord of the temple is Bhargava Narasimha Swamy.
• Yogananda Narasimha Temple is another place at a distance of 2km from Lower Ahobilam. it is the place where Lord Narasimha appears in yogic posture.
• Further, The Prahlada Varda temple has its design as per the architectural style of the Vijayanagar Temple. Moreover, it is in the Lower Ahobilam and primarily dedicated to Prahalada Varada. A beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara also exists in the southwest direction of the Narsimha temple.