Nestled in the magnificent Nallamala Hills, Ahobilam is the stronghold of one powerful deity: Lord Narasimha, the Man-Lion who roars and echoes all over these ranges. His influence is pervasive and everything follows from the legend. At the root of Ahobilam’s fame are ten stanzas of poetry sung by the 8th century Tamil poet Tirumangai Alwar and consequently finds itself among the list of 108 Divya Desams, essential spots of Vaishnavite worship.
However, the temple town itself wears none of this on its face. In fact, had it not been for the presence of a temple in its midst, Ahobilam would still be a sleepy tribal village.
The town is split into two levels – Upper and Lower Ahobilam, or Eguva Ahobilam and Diguva Ahobilam. The town then consists mainly of three streets: the arterial road you find yourself on and two roads leading to the right. The first of these is dotted with buildings, and houses a few satrams or lodgings, and the second leads straight to the temple. This street corner is more or less the hub of things outside of the temple and this is where you will find autos and guides.
Upper Ahobilam is reached by keeping to the main road, going past the temple road, and turning left at a marked turn to climb 5 km through a narrow winding ghat road. The upper level has no roads at all; you simply arrive at a large ledge overlooking the Bhavanasini Gorge, and park here. The temple and the lodgings must be climbed up to by way of wide steps.
TIP Amenities in Ahobilam are pretty basic, so it’s best to stock up on the essentials
THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Ahobilam has two primary temples, one at the upper level and another at the lower level. The upper level houses the original Ahobila ‘Ugra’ Narasimha, while the lower has the later-dated Prahaladavarada Narasimha. Exactly how old the shrines are is uncertain but the evidence from over 30 inscriptions points at the earliest to the Chalukyan King Kirtivarman II (8th century CE) extending upto the 16th century CE to the time of the Vijayanagara king Venkatapatiraya II. In the main temples, historians see a distinct early Vijayanagara influence in the architecture.
Fascinating though they are, the main attractions of Ahobilam are not just the main temples. The hills are home to nine shrines, or the Nava Narasimha, that together string a fairly potent thread of myth and legend. Naturally, the brownie points pile up as you tick them off, and it is a point with the devout as well as the merely adventurous to visit all nine.
There are many ways to get around Ahobilam. Buses ply between the two levels and the accessible Narasimhas are best done by auto.
Ugra Narasimha Temple
The Ugra Narasimha Temple, 2,800 ft above sea level, has all the markings of an old temple – ornate pillars, a lovely garuda sthamba (the mandatory temple-pillar), and the sculptures of Jaya-Vijaya, the traditional door keepers of Vaishnavite temples. In contrast to the rest of the lofty temple, the sanctum sanctorum is actually a low-roofed cave, with water dripping intermittently from secret rock sources. The Narasimha here is ‘ugra’, a roused, fierce god and is placed facing a sculpture of Prahalada, the devotee who invoked this avatar of Vishnu. It is believed that this idol was swayambhu: not carved by human hands, but in fact, self-manifest, which adds to the mystique of the tale. The temple also houses a shrine of Ugra Narasimha’s consort Chenchu Lakshmi.
TIP Photography is not permitted inside
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple
The road to the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is rather typically lined with shops offering devotional tapes, photo graphs of the reigning deity, beads, strings, flowers, prasad as well as sundry items such as binoculars and bright toys designed to catch the eye of fractious children.
This temple is a more spacious one with several serial entrances, intricately carved mandapas and even a pushkarni, the old-fashioned bathing ghats of yore. The Narasimha here is in the ‘shanta’ mode, a becalmed god, beatific and munificent. This temple is almost an afterthought and doesn’t count among the Nava Narasimhas. It is not without its share of mythological glory however, for this is where Narasimha was worshipped by Lord Srinivasa, the lord of Tirupati. So enamoured is Srinivasa of this deity that adorning silks and jewellery still come from Tirupati.
TIP Photography is not permitted inside the sanctum
The Nine Narasimhas
Counting the main shrine at Upper Ahobilam, there are nine shrines in the hills, strewn over a 7-km radius. Some of these are within easy distance but at least three are fairly difficult to reach, and requires the traveller to brave streams, rocky trails and brambly forest to get there. The easier shrines are best done by auto, but the more remote ones demand a rigorous trek. Guides are available from Lower as well as Upper Ahobilam.
Bhargava Narasimha
Only 2 km northeast of Lower Ahobilam, this temple is placed near a pond called Akshaya Tirtham and is normally easy to reach, except during the monsoons when a part of the trail is under water. Named after the sage Bhargava who prayed at this spot, the shrine has long steps leading up to the sanctum.
Yogananda Narasimha
Two kilometre southeast of Lower Ahobilam, the Yogananda temple has the god in the classic yogic posture, padmasana, the story being that Narasimha taught his devotee Prahalada the principles of the ancient spiritual system.
Chatravata Narasimha
Also 2 km southeast of Lower Ahobilam, this point has a convenient tar road leading to it. Named for the chatravata tree that covers it, this temple houses a joyous form of Narasimha: his face sports a smile and his left hand keeps taala, the rhythm that accompanies classical music and dance. The story goes that two Gandharvas once delighted the lord with their soulful music. Pleased, he asked if they had a wish they wanted fulfilled, and they requested that their names forever be associated with appreciation of dance and music. And so it is that ‘Aaha’ and ‘Oohu’ came to be immortalised in our exclamations of praise.
Kroda/ Varaha Narasimha
A kilometre from the Upper Ahobilam temple, the walk to this temple is charming, over wooden planks and bridges set across gushing streams. This idol combines two avatars of Vishnu – Varaha and Narasimha – and depicts the god in the form of a boar, carrying Mother Earth on his shoulders.
Karanja Narasimha
The second idol to take its name from the tree shading it, this Narasimha is just a kilometre short of the Upper Ahobilam temple, on the ghat road leading up to it. Curiously, unlike any other idol here, this one holds a bow. It is said that Hanuman meditated here, but when Narasimha appeared to reward him, Hanuman refused to recognise his god in any form but Rama’s. As a concession, Narasimha is said to have donned Rama’s characteristic weapon, the bow.
Malola Narasimha
Two kilometres uphill from the Upper Ahobilam temple, Malola finds Narasimha in a genial, romantic mood. ‘Malola’ translates as ‘beloved of the goddess’ and the sculpture demonstrates this amply for it has a gentle Narasimha with Goddess Lakshmi on his knee. The temple is set in a sylvan flatland on the Vedadri Hill and is a lovely spot to take in the beauty of the Nallamala Range.
Jwala Narasimha
There are two routes to Jwala Narasimha – the first, 3 km from Malola and the second, 4 km from the Ugra Narasimha Temple. With Jwala Narasimha we come to the heart of the matter, for this is where legend places the actual destruction of the demon Hiranyakashipu. The trek, tracing its way up the Bhavanasini river to the peak of the Achalachaya Meru Hill, is fairly arduous but dotted with gorgeous views. The temple must be approached through a narrow ledge hugging the hill and through a thunderous waterfall. The god here is at his fiercest, arms at the ready to disembowel the rakshasa stretched across his lap. On the way back, watch out on the left for a small spring-fed pool; the mud lining the bottom gives the water a reddish hue and to good effect, for this is the Raktakundam – the pool of blood – where Lord Narasimha is supposed to have washed the blood off his hands after the killing.
Pavana Narasimha
The most difficult of the nine to access, Pavana Narasimha is 7 km south of Upper Ahobilam, on the banks of the River Pavana. This is the Kshetra Ratna, the jewel of the pilgrimage, and is reached by trekking through dense forest and Chenchu settlements. There is an alternate route that allows a four-wheel drive, but the drive is equally nerve-wracking. The Chenchus are custodians, so to speak, of this shrine and in deference to his consort Chenchu Lakshmi’s tribal customs, the Narasimha here is worshipped by Shakta rites, and animal sacrifices are routine.
WHERE TO STAY
In Lower Ahobilam, the best rooms by far are to be had at Haritha, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism hotel (Tel: 08519-252060; Tariff: ₹945- 1,531). The rooms here are neat and comfortable. Among other options is Malola Guest House (Tel: 252045, 252089; Tariff: ₹600-1,000) next to the temple, which is serviceable as far as stay is concerned. Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam also runs a bareminimum accommodation (₹200), which is managed by the Ahobila Mutt. There is a Padmasaleeya Satram (Tel: 252054, Cell: 09490515284; Tariff: ₹300) which has clean, bare rooms that provide basic shelter and caters mostly to the Padmasalee community. The Arya Vaisya Choultry (Tel: 252015/ 87; Tariff: ₹450) has single and double rooms with attached bathrooms that are more modern. People of the Arya Vaisya community get preference for accommodation but it is possible for others to book.
In Upper Ahobilam, there are three community-run choultries. The Arya Vaisya Satram (Tel: 200199; Tariff: ₹400), the Togativeera Kshatriya Satram (Tel: 252871, Cell: 09490515284; Tariff: ₹100 per head, ₹450 for common hall, which can accommodate 30 people) and the Brahmana Satram (Tel: 221052, 242104, Cell: 09490515284; Tariff: ₹400). All of these provide only bare minimum facilities.
WHERE TO EAT
Almost all the satrams here serve simple but wholesome fare three times a day. These meals are free and donations are left to the discretion of patrons. There is also a private canteen offering vegetarian food near Malola Guest House.
If you are looking for uncomplicated food of the billed kind, you can try APTDC’s Haritha (Tel: 08519-252060). The place doesn’t have an exhaustive menu but at least you won’t go hungry. There are also several small stalls in Lower Ahobilam that serve tiffin and snacks.
When to go Ahobilam is an all-year destination. However, it is still best to avoid the monsoons when the rain-soaked trails to the Nava Narasimhas pose quite a challenge Location In two parts, at the base of and in the Nallamala Hills of the Eastern Ghats in far southeast Kurnool District Air Nearest airport: Hyderabad Rail Nearest rail: Kondapuram, Nandayal, Cuddapah