Andhra Pradesh Temples

Srinivasa Mangapuram temple is an ancient Hindu Vaishnavite temple present at Srinivasamangapuram which is 12 km from Tirupati in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu and is referred to as Kalyana Venkateswara Temple.

The presiding deity of the temple is Venkateswara who is also Kalyana Venkateswara. The deity will be facing west and is in standing posture with four hands with left two hands one in varada mundra and one holding Chakra and right two hands one in kati mudra and the other holding Shanka.

What is the history of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

According to the history of Srinivasa Mangapuram temple, the temple itself is believed to have I existed from very ancient times and it is said that Sri Venkateswara is referred to even in the Rigveda. ‘Sri Venkatachala Mahatrnyam’ contains Puranic lores from the twelve Mahapuranas.

After celebrating the marriage of Lord Venkateswara Swamy with Goddess Padmavathi, he did not immediately return to the Tirumala hills. But instead he visited the sage Agasthya’s ashram to seek blessings. Yes, even the lord is humble enough to seek blessings from elderly and wise.

As it was scientifically wrong for the newlyweds to scale the hill for six months, the lord was unable to immediately return to the Tirumala mountain-temple. At this situation the sage Agastya suggested that Swamy Venkateswara along with his wife could stay at his humble ashram. Then, the Lord graciously accepted this request and blessed with the ashram with his presence for the entire six months.

About the temple history, this is no substantial indication about its construction. Devotees also believe that the ancient temple’s destruction took place in 1324, during the reign of Sultans. As per the inscriptions on the temple, one can say that the grandson of Sri Annamacharya, Sri Tallapaka Chinna Tirumala Acharya had renovated this temple during 16th Century. Moreover, Tallapaka Family maintained it over a long period of time.

Later it came under the administration of Archaeological Department, Government of India. Finally in 1967, it came under the control of TTD.

What is the significance of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Here’s the significance of Mangapuram Temple:

• Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple is an alternative to those devotees who are unable to visit the Balaji Temple on the Tirumala Hills. Many newly-wed couples also come here to seek the lord’s blessing for a happy married life.
• Sri Rama Temple, Sri Ranganayaka Temple, Sri Padmavathi and Sri Andal Temple are other shrines in this complex. Devotees can also find small shrines including Sri Sakti Vinayaka Swami, Sri Veerabhadra Swami, Sri Avanakshamma, Sri Parasareswara Swami and Sri Agastheeswara Swami.
• According to Vaikhanasa Bhagavat Shasthram Lord Venkateswara’s idol is ‘Sthanaka yoga Viraha Murthy’. Sthanaka means Standing, Yoga means this idol is mainly for Rishis who wish to attain Mukthi, Viraha means without Sanka and Chakra.
• The idol at Srinivasa Mangapuram is consecrated by Srikrishna Devaraya with the help of Vaikhanasa Priests at Tirumala so that He will be always in touch with the Lord Balaji as he is a diehard devotee of him. So it is a Pratista made by Humans. Whereas in the Tirumala Temple Lord Balaji is self existent and devotees believe that a self existent idol is more powerful than a Pratistitha idol.

What are the timings of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Here are the timings of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple:

Which festivals are celebrated at Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple are:

• The premier focus of the Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple is the “Kalyana Utsavam” every day.
• The “Bramhostav” held during the months of February and March.  On this occasion the Lord Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy ascends on a Simha Vahanam (Lion Carrier Ratham) to be a drawn-along with the devotees.

How to Reach Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Here’s how to reach Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple:

• By road: it is 12km from Tirupati. Local buses and autos are available making the journey easier.

Where to stay nearby?

Some of the places where one can stay near Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple are:

• Hotel Fortune Select Grand Ridge is one of Tirupati’s five star hotels at the intersection of Chennai-Bangalore highway, on the Tiruchanoor road. This hotel is just beside Shilparamam Theme Park..
• Situated at a distance of 17 km from Tirupati Airport, KVP Residency is another place that provides ample car parking space. Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vaari Temple is at a distance of 25 km from the place.

What are some temples nearby?

Some of the temples near Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple are:

• Kanipakum Temple:- You may visit one of the most important Vinayaka temple in south India, at a distance of 86 KM from the Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple.
• Tirumala Venkateshwara Swamy Temple:- It is at a distance of 12 KM. Frequent buses are available. Or you can reach through private vehicles.
• Srikalahasti Temple:- It is at a distance of 60 KM. One can also cover this distance under one and a half hours with a private vehicle or taxi cab. Srikalahasti temple is famous for the Rahu Ketu Pooja.

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:

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.

Simhachalam Temple is a hilltop temple situated in Vishakhapatnam (Vizag) in Andhra Pradesh. It is visited with great reverence by devotees of Lord Vishnu. It is dedicated to Lord Narasimha Swamy, a lion-man incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is beautifully adorned with really intricate carvings. The Sanskrit translation of “Simha” is a lion and “Achala” is a hill, hence the name Simhachalam. 

The deity is in the tribhangi posture, with two hands and the head of a lion on a human torso. The temple has the most exquisite stone-carved 16-pillared Natyamandapa and 96-pillared Kalyanamandapa. According to the legend, Narsimha’s avatar when he killed Hiranyakashyp was very fierce. His idol is covered with sandalwood throughout the year and is revealed only once a year. The day is celebrated as Chandanotsavam and on this day, the temple receives maximum devotees from all over the world.

Simhachalam Temple History

• The legend of Simhachalam relates to the story of Hiranya-Kasyapa, his son Prahlad and Lord Vishnu’s avatar, Narsimha. Hiranyaksha, the brother of Hiranya-Kasyapa intended to disturb the peace on earth and seized it. Lord Vishnu assumed the incarnation of Boar (Varaha Avatara) and destroyed him, thus rescuing the earth.
• Hiranyakasipu, with intent to avenge the death of his brother Hiranyaksha, performed austerities (tapasya) to seek immortality from Lord Brahma. Brahma grants him a boon that he could not be killed by animal or man, neither in the morning nor in the night. Hiranyakasipu, with an evil desire to bring the world to his feet, began punishing the gods, sages, and worshipers of Lord Vishnu.
• However, Hiranyakasipu’s own son Prahalad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Angered by Prahalad’s devotion, Hiranyakasipu tried several ways to end his life. He asked his servants to drown his son in the sea and place mount Simhadri over him. However, Lord Narayana rescued him by jumping over the hill and lifting up Prahalada from the sea. Simhadri is thus the place where the Lord rescued Prahalada.
• After Narsimha killed Hiranyakyshp, Prahalad built this Simhachalam Temple. However, Simhachalam Temple was neglected for centuries and it began to decay with time. When the next life-cycle began, Simhachalam Temple was discovered by Emperor Pururava of the Lunar Dynasty. Legend has that Pururava, and his wife Urvasi, were drawn to Simhachalam by a mysterious power. That is how they discovered the deity which was lying on the hill, embedded in crests of earth. It is also said that he received a message from the heavens not to expose the image but cover it with sandal paste. He was also instructed to worship the Lord in this form and only on the third day of the month of Vaisakha, could he remove the paste and reveal his nijaswarupa. Emperor followed these instructions and kept the deity covered with sandal paste, revealing it only once a year. He also constructed a temple around the deity, which has remained ever since.
• Based on the inscriptions discovered which dated back to the year 1087, endowments to the temple were made by Kulottunga Chola I of Tamil Nadu. According to another inscription, one of Velanandu chief Gonka III queens covered the image with gold during the of the years 1137-56. Yet another one mentions that the central shrine and the enclosing veranda were built in the 13th century by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimha I. There are over 525 inscriptions in the temple, written in Telugu and Oriya and one of them states that the monarch of Vijayanager, Krishna Deva Raya had visited the temple twice, once in 1516 AD and then in 1519 AD. There are details of his victories in the temple inscriptions such as the one where he defeated the Gajapati ruler of Orissa Gajapati Prataparudra Dev and provided offerings to the villages so that they could continue the worship. A valuable emerald necklace offered by the Emperor is still present in the temple. The trustees of the temple for the last 3 centuries have been the Royal family of Vizianagaram, also known as ”The Pusapati Gajapathi’s”.

Significance of Simhalchalam Temple

• The presiding deity of the Simhalchalam Temple is Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha, which resembles a Shiv linga and combines the iconography of Varaha and Narasimha. The idol, which is covered throughout the year in sandalwood paste, reveals itself once a year during the Chandana Visarjana and at that time, the pilgrims can see the deity.
• Simhalchalam Temple is an architectural marvel and deserves high praise. Simhalchalam Temple has a high tower surmounting a square shrine and a 16 pillared mandap. There is a portico in the front with a smaller tower above it along with a veranda, where a stone care structure rests with stone wheels and horses carved in stone. The structure is made of dark granite, which is intricately carved with conventional and floral ornament and scenes from the Vaishnavite puranas. One of the pillars is called the kappa stambham or ‘tribute pillar’. It is believed that the pillar has healing powers and cures infertility.
• The carvings and the architecture bear similarity with that of Temples in Konark such as the chariot, elephants, and flowers/plants. The 16 pillars of the Kalyana Mandap have carvings depicting the incarnations of Lord Vishnu and the outer sanctum is dedicated to depicting the images of King Narasimha.

What are the timings of Simhachalam Temple?

Darshan Timings: 7 AM to 4 PM, 6 PM to 9 PM.

Festivals celebrated at the Simhalchalam Temple

• CHANDANOTSAVAM: The main festival celebrated in Simhalchalam Temple is on akshaya thritheeya which is the 3rd day of Vaisakhamasam (usually during the month of April or May). Although throughout the year, the deity is covered in sandal paste preperation, on this day, the sandal wood paste is removed from the deity in a ceremony call Chandanayatra or Chandanotsavam. The devotees can then witness the Nija roopa darsanam (darshan without the chandan layer) of the Swamy. Over 1 lakh devotees visit the temple on this day to celebrate the festival.
• UGAADHI (TELUGU NEW YEAR): The Pandhiri raata utsavam is celebrated at the temple and Sri Swamy is dressed as the bridegroom (Chaitra Suddha Padyami).
• NARASIMHA JAYANTHI: The Narasimha Jayanthi festival occurs on the 14^th day of the 1^st half of month of ‘Vaisakha’ and is celebrated as Birthday of the Lord Narasimha.
• RADHOTSHAVAM: This is a festival celebrated at the temple before the God gets married.
• KALYANOTHSAVAM: Sri Swamy vari Vaarshika Thirukalyana Mahothsavam (From Chaitra Sudda Dasami to  Chaitrasudda Pournami) (march/april).
• VAISAKHA POURNAMI: This is the 2nd phase of Chandana Samarpana and is one of the most auspicious days at the temple.
• JYESTA POURNAMI: This is the 3rd and final phase of Chandana Samarpana and is celebrated early in the morning.
• TEPPOTSAVAM: Teppotsavam is celebrated on Pushya Bahula Amavasya and on this day, the ‘Utsava idols’ are taken in a palanquin from the temple to ‘Varaha Pushkarini’. The devotees get to have a look at the Lord and the procession begins on the hill at 3 p.m. and reaches the foot of the hill around 4.30 p.m.
• KANUMA: This day is celebrated by bringing the deity downhill to the garden for darshan and a fair is organized. The temple administration organizes this fair near the lake and scenes from Bhagwat Gita’ ‘Gajendra Moksha’ episode are enacted by the priests. The idols are then taken to Sri Pydithalli Ammavari temple.
• VYKUNTA EKADASI: On this day, the Lord Narasimha Swamy attracts the devotees on vykunta dwaram and is celebrated on Dhanusudda Ekadasi.
• GIRI PRADHAKSHINA: Generally, Giri Pradhakshina is celebrated in the month of June or July on “Aashada Pournami”. The devotees fast on this full moon day and walk around the Simhalchalam hill which is a stretch of 34kms. Only after the darshan and the Pradakshina do they break their fast and eat dinner. Alternatively, devotees may also circle 180 times around the temple if they find the 34km trek too tiring.

Poojas and Rituals at Simhalchalam Temple

The following poojas are performed at the Simhalchalam Temple throughout the year:

1. Ashtottara Sathanamarchana
2. Sahasranamarchana (05.00 PM – 05.45 PM)
3. Ammavaraki Ashtottara Sathanamarchana
4. Kappasthabham Aalinganam
5. Gopooja
6. Nitya Kalyanam (09.30 AM – 10.30 AM)
7. Garuda Seva
8. Swarnapushparchana (Every Thursday at 07.00 AM – 08.00 AM)
9. Laksha Kunkumarchana
10. Laksha Tulasi Pooja
11. Saswatha Laksha Kumkumarchana
12. Saswatha Laksha Tulasi Pooja
13. Nityapooja, Bhogakainkaryamu
14. Saswatha Nitya Kalyanam
15. Saswatha Garuda Seva
16. Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva (Every Saturday at 05.30 PM – 06.30 PM)
17. Sudarsana Narasimha Yagam (Monthly once on Swathi Nakshathram day)

How to reach Simhachalam Temple?

• By Air: The nearest airport to Simhachalam Temple is Vishakhapatnam airport,   Vishakhapatnam which is 10 km away (30min drive) from the Temple.
• By Train: The nearest railway station to Simhachalam Temple is Visakhapatnam Train Station which is 7 km away from the Temple. From the Vizag Railway station, it is 45 mins drive by road. If you get down at the Waltair Railway Station, you can visit Simhachalam by Bus (6A).
• By Road: Busses numbered 6A, 28 and 40 starts from the Dwaraka Bus Station (APSRTC Complex). Devotees who are starting from Gajuwaka, you can get Bus numbered 55 and devotees starting from Maddilipalem, get the bus numbered 540.

There is also a Trekking route available for trekking lovers from Madhavadhara side, two hours climbing to temple premises with steep natural stone steps and a beautiful view of Vizag city and at the other side the temple view from the hill top.

Hotels in Vizag: Where to stay

• Several cottages are available for devotees to stay in at the top of the hill, such as A.P.T.D.C.
• Chandana Tourist rest house, Temple Cottage and Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam Cottages. Apart from these cottages, there are several hotels and other accommodation options available down the hill in the city of Visakhapatnam.

Where to eat nearby?

In 1989, the Dharamakartha, Dr. P.V.G.Raju Garu introduced the Nityannadanam Scheme under which close to 1500-2000 devotees are served the Annaprasadam every day. This count has recently increased to 5000 devotees and the temple is welcoming more people. Apart from the meal at the temple, there are options available at eateries around the temple at the hill.

Nearby Temples

• Sri Ayyappa Swamy Temple – It is located on National Highway 5 in Sheela Nagar, Visakhapatnam and is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, who is the preceding deity. Kerala Vastu Shastra has been used to build the temple and it was constructed 25 years ago by the BHPV Employees Union. The Sri Ayyappa Swamy Temple is located 27kms away from Simhachalam Temple.
• Sri Sampath Vinayagar Temple – The temple is established in Asilmetta, Visakhapatnam and was built in the year 1962 by Late S.G. Sambandan, Late T.S. Selvaganesan, and Sri T.S. Rajeswaran. The devotees visit the temple believing the mythology that the powerful deity Sri Sampath Vinayagar will wash off their sins if they offer their prayers. The Sri Sampath Vinayagar Temple is located 20 kms away from Simhachalam Temple.
• Arasavalli Sun Temple – It is dedicated to the Hindu deity Surya or the sun, and is located in  Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. The temple was originally named Harshavalli which means and an abode of joy. The temple was constructed by the Kalinga rulers Devendra Varma of Orissa in the 7th Century AD. The Sun Temple is located 11 kms away from Simhachalam Temple.