Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/jVh_N1iUv_g
Location: “Sri Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple,
Kothapeta Rd, Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh 522503”
References: https://www.tirthayatra.org/pankala-narasimha-temple-mangalagiri/
https://www.mangalagiri.org/temple.html
Shri
Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple, Mangalagiri
Mangalagiri is one of the Pancha Narasimha Kshetras
spread over the Telengana and Andhra Pradesh and is home to Panakala Narasimha
Kshetra on the hill. Meaning the auspicious hill, it got its name Mangalagiri
after Goddess Shri Laxmi performed penances here. There are 3 Narasimha
temples, one at the foot of the hill, one at the top of the hill and the last
one inside the forest at the top of the hill.
Famous for the offering of “Panakam” which is a
mixture of jiggery water with cardamom and other spices, the deity here is
swayambhu or self-manifested with a very interesting feature that the deity is
represented with an open lotus mouth and literally no body.
Also known as Sudarshana Narasimha, the temple is
situated around 20 KMs from Vijaywada, the Mangalagiri hill is of the shape of
an elephant. A very very interesting and important feature about the temple is
that despite the sweet Prasad, one can find no single ant or fly around.
Legend:
King Pariyatra’s son Hrsava Srungi, after travelling
to many places reached Mangalagiri, and performed penances there to please Lord
Vishnu. The King visited here to take Srungi back to kingdom, but he denied and
decided to become a hill in the shape of an elephant, serving Lord Vishnu.
The appeareance of Panakala Narasimha here relates to
the killing of the demon Namuchi, who was given the boon by Lord Brahma that he
would not be killed by anything dry or wet. Soon becoming a threat to human and
celestials, Indra with the help of Lord Vishnu set out to kill Namuchi. Indra
annihilated Namuchi’s army, when Namuchi hid inside a cave after assuming an
extremely small size. On this, Lord Vishnu’s sudarshana chakra created a huge
tidal wave which went inside the cave, shuting down the entry of air to the
cave. Accordingly the name Sudarshana Narasimha too.
The blood of Namunchi filled the pool below the hill.
The Lord who was extremely angry while killing the demon was calmed down after
being appeased by the choicest prayers of the demigods and sages followed by
the consumption of amrita i.e. nectar.
The lord declared he would be happy with offerings of
ghee in Treta Yuga, milk in Dwaparyuga and panakam in Kali yuga and so came to
be known as Panakala Narasimha in Kali Yuga.
Laxmi
Narasimha Swamy temple at the foot hill
At the foot of the hill, there is another temple (recognized
for its tall towering gopuram), whose origin is traced to the time of
Yudhishtira, the eldest of the pandavas. Yudhishtira is said to be the founder
of the chief image of this temple and the deity here is called Sri Lakshmi
Narasimha Swamy. In Vijayawada itself, which is 8 miles from Mangalagiri there
is a hill called Indrakeeladri in which Arjuna is said to have done tapascharya
(penance) in order to obtain the weapon Pasupata from Lord Siva. About 200
years back Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu who ruled from Amaravati as his
capital constructed a stupendous gopuram (tower) on the eastern gate of the
Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy. It is one of the highest gopurams in South India and
only one of its type in this part of India. It is 153ft. in height and 49 feet
wide with 11 storeys, and gates facing east and west. This great and imposing
tower dwarfs the central shrine. The devoted patience of thousands of skilled
craftsmen and the labour of many more apprentices which had gone into this
great structure is a testimony to the religious fervour which characterized the
builder. After constructing the gopuram, it was leaning towards one direction.
The Kancheepuram Architects suggested to dig a tank opposite to the tower. After
digging the tank, it is said that, the tower became straight.
The Image of the Lord in the form of Narasimha
(man-lion) and that of Lakshmi Devi to his left are of stone. The garland of
the Lord with 108 saligramams is of special significance here. Dakshanavrutha
Sankham, a special conch believed to be one that was used by Lord Krishna and
resented by the Maharaja Sarfoji of Tanjore, is one more possession of
significance of the Lord. There is also an ancient ratha (temple car) belonging
to the temple with ornamental wood carvings depicting the scenes from the great
epics of Bharata, Bhagavatha and Ramayana. Thimmaraju Devaraju a military
chieftain of the Vijayanagar rulers improved this temple. He had constructed
prakarams (compound walls), mandapas, gopurams (towers), five images of Lord
Bhairava, a festival chariot, ten varieties of courts for annual ceremonies,
flower gardens lakes and tanks. He had also installed utsava vigrahas in the
temple (metal images intended for being taken out in procession). To the north
of the temple there is a temple of Sri Rajyalakshmi to the south that of Rama
with Sita and Lakshmana and to the west vahanasala (the store house for the
vehicles of which the golden garudavahanam, the silver Hanumanthavahanam and
ponnavahanam are noteworthy). The Lakshmi narayana temple and the Anjaneya
Mandiram in Pedda Bazar are the other places of worship in the town.
Architecture:
The Lakshmi Narasimha temple at the bottom of hill is
built in a Dravidian style with 4 gopurams on 4 sides including the huge Raja
gopuram in front. The temple has a big prakhara, and a huge mandapa leading
into the sanctum sanctorum.
Festivals:
1) Shri
Panakala Laxmi Narasimha Swamy Brahmotsavam, the celebration was inaugurated by
Dharmaraja at the behest of Lord Krishna.
2) Shri
Rama Navami
3) Hanumanajayanthi
4) Narasimhajayanthi
5) Vaikuntha
Ekadasi
6) Mahashivaratri.
During Ekadashi, one can have darshan of Panakala
Narasimha nijja-rupa (without the mukuta) after attending the Mangalagiri aarti
at 5 AM.
Temple
Timings:
The temple opens at 7 am in the morning for darshan
and panakam offering. The darshan closes by 3 pm and there are no further
darshan after 3 PM.
Panakala Lakshmi
Narasimha Swamy Temple Timings
|
Morning
|
07-00 |
Opening
the doors |
|
|
07-00
to 07-30 |
Morning
Archana |
|
|
07-30
to 01-00 |
Special
Archana for the devotees and offering Panakam |
|
|
01-00 |
Maharnivedana |
|
|
03-00 |
Closing
the doors |
It is said that, in the evenings, Gods, and Sages worship the Lord. So, there
is no Archana in the evenings.
Sri Lakshmi
Narasimha Swamy Temple Timings
|
Morning
|
05-00 |
Opening
the doors |
|
|
05-30 |
Offering
the Theertham |
|
|
06-00 |
Morning
Archana |
|
|
07-30 |
Ghoshti
(Using the theertham offering) |
|
|
07-30
to 11-00 |
Special
Archana for the devotees |
|
|
11-30 |
Maharnivedana |
|
|
12-30 |
Closing
the doors |
|
Evening |
04-00 |
Opening
the doors |
|
|
04-00
to 07-00 |
Special
Archana for the devotees |
|
|
07-30 |
Evening
Archana, Harathi, Theertha Ghoshti |
|
|
08-30 |
Closing
the doors |
How
to reach:
Since Mangalagiri is one of the Pancha Narasimha
Kshetras, the site is covered under various tirth travels covering the Pancha
Kshetras like Bhadrachalam Yatra
By Road: Mangalagiri is around 20 KMs from Vijaywada
city and 24 KMs from Guntur city. Buses and private taxis are available from
these cities. By own vehicle too it is not an issue. There are well constructed
roads that take one up till the temple at the hill top.
By Air: Vijaywada airport is the nearest airport
around 30 KMs from Mangalagiri.
By Rail: The nearest railway station is Mangalagiri
around 1.5 KMs from the temple. Trains are available from Vijaywada, Bangalore
Cantt., Narsapur, Hubli, and Guntur which stop here. For travelling from
further places, please take a train for Vijaywada, which is a major railway
station.
Parking
and Photography:
At both the locations there are ample space for
parking. For the temple at the bottom, there is a dedicated parking around 200
meters from the temple. Do not carry your own vehicle during any festivals as
parking won’t be available.
Photography is completely allowed except garbagrihas.
Drones can be used from hill top as well as near from the bottom of hill temple
too.
Stay
options:
Vijaywada is the best place to stay with plenty of
stay options
Nearby
places to visit:
1) Kanaka
Durga Temple (on hill top)
2) Bhavani
Island
3) Undavalli
Caves
4) Akkana
Mardana Caves
5) Pavitra
Sangamam
6) Amaravati
Stupa and Amareshwara temple
7) Mogalrajapuram
temple
8) Ancient
temples at Iluru, Shrikakulam, Mopidevi, Pedakapalli and Yanamalkudduru,
9) Sangameshwara
temple, Bhavanarayana Temple at Diviseema
10) Bhattiprolu
Buddhist stupa
11) Avanigadda
Laxmi narasimha temple
12) Ghantasala
Buddhist stupa and temple
13) Shri
Kashi Vishweshara temple at Chinakakani
14) Veerabhadra
Temple, Kondipalli.