Religious Tourism of Nandyal 1

Religious tourism or spiritual tourism showing the pilgrimage and ancient religious monuments and artefacts of Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh state, India.

Ahobilam Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple🛕

||श्रीमते श्रीलक्ष्मीनृसिंह परब्रह्मणे नमः||

The Nava Narasimha swamy temples in different forms are a wonder of belief and strength, located in Nallamala forest, Ahobilam town of Allagadda mandal of Nandyal district, AndhraPradesh.

It is surrounded by picturesque hills of the Eastern Ghats with several mountain hills and gorges. Ahobilam is the holy place where Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Sri Narasimha and destroyed the demon king, Hiranyakashipu and saved his staunch devotee Prahalada.

Sri Mahalakshmi took avatar as Senjulakshmi, Senju tribal hunters of the hills, and married the Lord.

There is a prapatti sloka about Ahobilam (The Strength):

अहो वीर्यम् अहो सौर्यर्ण अहो बहुपराक्रमः।
नरसिंहं परम् दैवम् अहोबिलम् अहो बलम्।

Traditionally Ahobilam place is called as ‘Narasimha Kshetra’. There are 9 (Nava) Narasimha Temples with Prahaladavarada Varadhan in the foothills of mountain. The main Narashima Swamy temples at each site were built or expanded by the emperors of Vijayanagara in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The ‘Clean Ahobilam Green Ahobilam’ Initiative was taken by Sri Vineet Kumar IFS as District Forest Officer Nandyal with Ahobila Mutt to make this historical religious place and Ahobilam Forests better.

UgraSthambham a cleft of the mountain dividing it into two visible parts, Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha swamy and Rakthakundam theertham where Lord Narasimha after killing demon Hiranyakasipu, washed his hands, the water is still reddish in appearance.

The Eastern Ghats are likened to the great serpent Adhisesha (आदिशेष) basking in the sun with its head (or hood) at Thirumala, its middle at Ahobilam and its tail- end portion at Srisailam – all the three with famous temples on them.

Blog by: ©Rupak 2023

Disclaimer:All the photos and content belongs to the author.