AHOBILAM (pedda ahobilam, chinna ahobilam)



Ahobilam is a major center of pilgrimage in south India. This is where Lord Narasimha blessed Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakashipa. It is an important place of worship for Vaishnavas. It is one of the 108 Vaishnava Divyadesams.





 Diguva and Eguva (Lower and upper Ahobilas): 




In the lower Ahobila Lakshmi Narasimha Swami is in a peaceful form. The temple has exquisite stone art. The history of Ahobila temple is sculptured in the stone form. Lord Srinivasa himself is said to installed the main deity here. He is said to have sought the blessings of Narasimha before his wedding but finding the Narasihma in fierce form in Upper Ahobila, he is said to have installed the peaceful form in the lower Ahobila. The temple complex also had temples for Adivan Sathagopulu. The sculptures of coronation of Lord Srirama (Sreerama Pattabhishekha), the ten incarnation of Lord Vishnu (Dasavatharas), statues of Poet Annamacharya are present on the walls of the temple. Annamacharya is said to have spent some time here composing songs praising the Lord Narasimha. The great sage Lord Pothuluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy is said to have meditated here to write Kalagnana (the knowledge of the future) which set forth a spiruitual movement. It is a common practice to worship the Prahlada Varada Narasimha (the Narasimha who gave boons to Prahlada) in lower Ahobilam before worshipping Eguva (Upper) Ahobila Narasimha, who is present eight kilometers away on a hilltop inside a cave. After worshipping the Lord, it is another practice to visit Navanarasimhas (nine Narasimhas). The legend says Lord Narasimha, after slaying Hiranyakasipa was roaming around the forest hills of Ahobilam making fearsome laughs and settling at nine places to bless the devotees. Here are the Nava Narasimha temples. Another legend describes when Lord Garuda did penance to see Lord Vishnu in Lord Narasimha form. Thereafter, Lord Narasimha took nine different forms in this hill. 

Nine(Nava) Narasimhas - Lord Narasimha in nine forms are

Bhargava Narasimha Swamy This Lord is present on a hillock at a distance of 2.5 km from Lower Ahobilam, with Akshaya (inexhaustible) thertha (lake). Lord Parsurama is said to have performed penance for Lord Narasimha. An worship of the Lord after a bath in the Akshaya Theertha would make the Lord give Lakshmikara (hand possessing Goddess Lakshmi or prosperity) thus blessing in all manners.

Yogananda Narasimha Swamy This place is suitable for meditation. Prahlada is said to have obtained all the prosperity after meditating upon the Lord here. The compassionate Lord here rescues the people who seek help out of difficulties.

Chatravata Narasimha Swamy One of the astrological planets, Ketu is said to have worshipped the Lord here and gained all comforts. People willing to study fine arts seek blessings from this Lord.

Ahobila (Ugra) Narasimha Swamy This is the main Lord of all Nava Narasimha's and is also referred as the main temple in Upper Ahobilam. Goddess Chenchu (local forest tribe who have been ardent worshippers of the Lord for ages) Lakshmi is with the Lord. Heart-felt prayer to the lord destroys all fear and timidness.

Varaha Narasimha Swamy Located at a distance of 1 km from Upper Ahobilam,Present with the divine consort Lakshmi, Lord removes the obstacles and ensures success to the worshippers.This temple is also referred as Kroda Narasimha swamy. The statue is in side a small rock cut formation facing the perennial stream of water.

Malola Narasimha Swamy This temple is present in Lakshmi Parvata (Hill). Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi along with the Lord, bestows blessing on the devotees. Worshipping this Lord brings Brahmananda (unlimited joy) to this world and the higher world.

Jwala Narasimha Swamy Lord Narsimha appears fierce slaying Hiranyakasipa with his nails. Serving the Lord ensures success in all efforts, marriages are made. Lighting a ghee lamp in the month of the Karthika and meditating on Lord dispels all sins and brings fame and name. This temple is the toughest to reach compared to other Narasimha temples. A small red water pond named "Raktha Gunda Theertham" can be seen on the way to the temple which is said to be the place where Narasimha swamy washed his hands after slaying the Demon.

Paavana Narasimha Swamy This is said to be the most peaceful form among the Nava Narasimha Kshetras. This is said to Kshetra Ratna (jewel among the Kshetras)and is also referred as Pamuleti Narasimha swamy. Sages have said that the Lord here liberates the devotees from all the sins in the past lives and sins in the current life (knowingly or unknowingly).

Karanja Narasimha Swamy Serving the Karanja Swamy with three austerities (thought, word and action) brings enlightenment and the Lord bestows all desires.

                                                     
                                                    Every year, in the month of Phalguna Brahmotsavas (ceremonies performed by the Lord Brahma) are held. Apart from this, every month, on the star day of the Lord, which is Swathi, Gramotsavas (village ceremonies) are celebrated. On that day, Thirumanjan Seva (service) is performed with 108 Kalasas(holy vessels) grandly, A lot of pilgrims visit the temple on the auspicious Swati nakshatra day.

Each of these nine forms have a beautiful story woven with strands of myth, fancy legends and epic tales. According to popular belief, one form of the Lord, the Pavana Narasimhaswamy, when offered the prasad returns half of the offering back to the devotee. On these lines, the Jwala Narasimhaswamy is supposed to be the ferocious form. This form personifies the cumulative and intense anger of the God. It is believed that the original site of shrine of Jwala Narasimhaswamy was the mouth of a volcano and it is only the proxy shrine which is accessible to the devotees.

Belief is that the navagrah's attained their power of being the planet by worshiping these deities of Narashimha. It is believed that the people having malefic effect of any planet could get some reprieve by worshiping Narasimha.

Legend also states that Goddess Mahalakshmi took birth as a human in a tribe, named Chenchu Lakshmi and married Lord Narasimha after the death of Hiranyakashpu. Narasimha Jayanthi will be celebrated with pomp and glory. The annual festival is during the Tamil month of Maasi. The local tribals celebrate the marriage of Goddess Mahalakshmi as ChenchuLakshmi and Lord Narasimha.


Reach This Place:

By bus : Ahobilam is located in the Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located at a distance of 40 km from Nandyal, and is conveniently accessibly by bus from Nandyal, Kurnool and Hyderabad.

The other and easy route is to get down at Kadapa which is a district headquarters and an important railway station in the Madras - Bombay route. From Kadapa one has to travel to Allagadda, which is forty miles over and from there by bus to Ahobilam

Rail: The closest railway stations are Nandyal (on the Bangalore-Vizag(Vishakapatnam) route) and Kadapa (on the Mumbai-Chennai route).
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