OLD COUPLES YATRA TO HOLY HILLS (5)

---

OLD COUPLES YATRA TO HOLY HILLS (5)

After taking a brief rest in the room, in the evening we proceeded to visit the CHATRAVATA NARASIMHA SWAMY temple situated in Lower Ahobilam. It is at a distance of about 3 km. The image of the deity is in a small temple and is said to be installed under a peepal tree. The temple is surrounded by thorny bushes. Hence it is said that the Lord is called Chatravata Narasimha Swamy. Priests from Prahlada Varada Narasimhaswamy temple visit this temple also and perform pujas. At the time of our visit there are many tourists and priests are performing pujas. After worshipping the Chatravata Narasimhaswamy, we proceeded to Kasi Nayana Ashramam - cum - Yogananda Narasimha Swamy temple, which is at a further distance of about 2 km.

YOGANANADA NARASIMHASWAMY TEMPLE & KASI NAYANA ASHRAMAM: According to popular belief that after killing Hiranya Kasipu, Lord Narasimha taught Prahlada several yogic postures and yoga dhyanam and hence the Lord here is called YOGANANDA NARASIMHA SWAMY. This temple is situated on a small hillock. In the same premises is the Ashramam of Kasi Nayana, a great Sadhguru and Avadhoota, popular in Rayalaseema districts. It is said that Kasi Nayana garu travelled Kasi to Kanyakumari and is considered a great spiritual soul in this part of State especially in Rayala Seema area. His life is a series of miracles. A film on Kasi Nayana was taken with Gummadi acting as Kasi Nayana. But it is not known to me whether this film was realeased in Theatres. There are many Ashramams of Kasi Nayana in Rayala Seema area and he introduced Niratannadanam irrespective of caste, colour and religion in his Ashramams and the devotees are continuing the same tradition. At any time of the day, meals is provided in this Ashramam to the visitors. There are hundreds of Kasi Narayana temples and Ashramams in Rayalaseema area. A very beautiful circular temple was constructed by the Ashramam on this hillock and it is a worth visiting place to tourists to Ahobilam. We spent here till 7-30 pm and then returned to our rooms and took rest for the day.

BHARGAVA NARASIMHASWAMY TEMPLE: This temple is situated on a hillock at a distance of about 2 KM from Lower Ahobilam and there is a small pond known as Bhargava Tirtham. It is believed that Lord Parasurama stayed here for sometime and hence the temple is known as Bhargava Narasimhaswamy temple. Of course, we have not visited this temple in our itinery.

26th January, 2010 - Tuesday -

Today morning we started at 7-15 at Lower Ahobilam taking only coffee and carrying biscuit packets and water bottle on our mission to trek upto Jwala Narasimhaswamy temple. My wife opted out of this trekking on account of her difficulty in climbing steps.

KARANJA OR KARANCHA NARASIMHASWAMY TEMPLE : This shrine is situated on the way to Upper Ahobilam from Lower Ahobilam at a distance of about half a km diversion from the road. As we have to walk from the road, we have not gone to this temple. It is said that the small image of the Lord is under Karancha Tree and hence the Lord here is called Karanja Narasimhaswamy.

We reached the Upper Ahobilam temple by 7-45 AM. The UPPER AHOBILA NARASIMHA SHRINE IS THE MAIN TEMPLE AND THE LORD HERE APPEARS IN HIS FIERCE ASPECT AND HENCE CALLED UGRA NARASIMHA AND IS THE PRESIDING DIETY. HE IS CALLED AHOBILA NARASIMHA SWAMY AND IS SVAYAMBHU HERE. In the Mandapam before the Garbha Griham, it is believed that under the earth huge wealth was deposited by earlier Kings and is covered by a huge circular boulder. Many a thieves attempted to loot the same but they were not successful. The Government and temple authorities also appeared to have made attempts to lift the boulder and to see whether the popular belief of depositing of Gold and valuables by earlier Kings is true. But they were also not successful. After praying the Lord for the success of our trekking we proceeded further climbing a few steps and from there along the stream.


The trekking route along the Stream to Jwala Narasimha

KRODA OR VARAHA NARASIMHA SHRINE : Slowly walking on boulders, we reached this temple which is at a distance of about half KM. The deity which is situated in a small cave has the face of boar called Kroda or Varaha is with His consort Mahala Lakshmi. Before the cave a Mandapam was built for the benefit of pilgrims whom we have seen sitting and worshipping the Lord on their own. Here we met a Vaishnava Priest belonging to Secunderabad. He stated that he is a B.Tech engineering graduate and engaged in worshipping Narasimhaswamy as a priest. He explained us that if one worships Ahobila Nava Narasimhaswamy deities, there is no necessity to visit any other temples of Narasimha Swamy, as this is the place where He emerged from a Pillar in the house of demon king Hiranya Kasipa and after killing him wandered in this area and lived for sometime in this forest hills. We noticed that some of devotees regularly come to this serine temple, especially on swati nakshatram day and worship the lord for themselves sitting in the Mandapam.

After travelling a distance of about 3 km on the boulders along the stream, managing difficult terrain, flowing streams and slippery rocks,there came a small bridge with iron girdars connecting another hill. From here we have to climb about 350 steps to reach Jwala Narasimhaswamy cave temple. Here and there we have to walk on the edge of the Hill, the deep valley besides you creating a fearful sense as well as beautiful scenic pleasure. From here several monkeys travel along with you hoping that you will provide some food to them. They even snatch anything in your hand, including bags, etc. We have been warned by the fellow pilgrims that one should be very careful with monkeys. Here is the necessity for bamboo sticks to climb the steps as well as to threaten and protect from monkeys. But we have not carried any sticks. However, a pilgrim coming down from Jwala Narasimha temple gave his stick to me and slowly started climbing the steps. Just before reaching the cave temple, there falls water drops from the top of the hill on your head. It is said that this is the water source for pilgrims as well as for worshipping the Lord. It is said that the water oozes from the Hill throughout the year.

Finally we reached the small cave temple of Jwala Narasimhaswamy. This place is said to be the actual spot, where the fierce anger of the Lord reached its culmination when he tore Hiranyakasipa. Here are icons of Ugra Narasimha emerging from the Pillar, the icon of slaining demon king, Prhlada worshipping the Lord, the icon of Sukracharya. This form personifies the cumulative and intense anger of the Lord. It is said Kakatiya King Rudradeva constructed the Narasimha temples in Ahobilam in 1392 AD. Presently, just before the cave iron enclosure is put so that the monkeys will not enter into the cave and disturb the pilgrims as well as priests when they come for worshipping the Lord.

At the time of our visit we noticed that an ardent devotee of Lord Narasimha, by name Sri Gopal of Kapra area in Secunderabad , is in the cave and he informed us that he had taken diksha of staying in the cave for a period of 45 days. The biscuit packets, etc., provided by the pilgrims and the prasadam offered by priests when they come for worshipping the Lord once in a day, is the source of his living for these forty five days. The main Ahobila Narasimha Temple in Upper Ahobilam and the main temple in Lower Ahobilam are under the control of of HH Jeeyar Swamy of Ahobila Matt located in the Tamilnadu. The Jiyar Swamy exercises hereditary powers of worshipping the Lord in Ahobilam. It is believed that Ahobilam is the exact location of demon King Hiranyakasipu’s place and the Lord emerged from one of the pillars in the palace. This place still has remnants, relics and ruins of the demon’s palace. The pillar from which the God emerged is marked by its base stone and can be accessed after an almost vertical climb up the hill. It is believed that the entire mountain split up into two, due to the impact of pillar getting shattered by God when he emerged from the same.


UGRA STHAMBHAM FROM WHICH LORD NARASIMHASWAMY EMERGED

We have noticed that at various places, a devotee has pasted posters printing the Mahamantram of Lord Narasimha as under:

“ Shri Chenchulakshmi Nayika Sameta Sri Ahobila Narasimha Swamy ye Namah -
Ugram Veeram Maha Vishnum Jwalantham Sarvatomukham Nrusimham Bheeshanam Bhadram Mrutyum Mrutyum Namamyaham.”

Sitting before the icons of Jwala Narasimhaswamy we recited the above Mantram 108 times. Some of the other pilgrims also recited the above mantram along with us. Among the pilgrims there is an young couple with two kids of ages 7 and 5 who are on a visit along with the mother and brother. The husband and wife noted the above mantram on a piece of paper and devotedly recited the same along with us. After worshipping the Lord Jwala Narasimha Swamy, I enquired Mr.Gopal about our visiting the Ugra Sthambham. He vehemently discouraged us to go to that place as the journey involved vertically climbing the hill with the help of only rocks and boulders which is possible only for youngsters. The young couple also intended to go there but Mr. Gopal discouraged them also. The mother and brother of the lady discouraged her to go along with her husband to the top of the hill inspite of my encouraging her to go to the Hill top to visit Ugrasthambham. The husband, who is said to be working in army went alone to that place and we slowly started our return journey. Mr.Gopal advised us to cross the iron bridge and go up the hill so that we can visit caves and the temple of Malola Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and also the Prahlada Varada Mettu and the school where he studied and he said that this route is easiest compared to travelling along with stream. But on experience we found that this is the difficult route as it involved climbing several steps. By the time we reached the iron girdars bridge, the youngster who visited Ugrasthambham came and joined us and he stated that the journey is not as difficult as Mr.Gopal described. Then his wife also decided to go back and visit the Ugrasthambham along with her husband entrusting the children to her brother and mother.

We slowly with great difficulty travelled on this route climbing the steps and on the way seeing two beautiful caves. Finally we reached the temple of Malola Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple by 12-15 pm. The priest explained us that Malola means ‘Mahalakshmini lalinchina Narasimhudu’. It is here that Ugra Narasimha met Chenchu Lakshmi, a tribal maid, and an avatar of Mahalakshmi. Legend states that Goddess Mahalakshmi took birth as a human in a tribe, named Chenchus and married Narasimha after the death of Hirnyakasipu. The local tribals said to celebrate every year the marriage of Goddess Mahalakshmi as Chenchu Lakshmi and Lord Narasimha.

NARASIMHA SALAGRAMA SILA - MAY LORD BLESS ALL

RAGHAVARAO, U.V.G.V. DUGGIRALA
HYDERABAD, Dt.21st AUGUST, 2010.

---