Ahobilam Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The nearest airports are a few hours away by road.

• By train

  The temple itself is not directly served by rail.

Why devotees come here

Ahobilam is a holy town in the Allagadda mandal of Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh. The town is surrounded by the Eastern Ghats, with several mountain hills and gorges. Its temples honour Narasimha, the lion-headed avatar of Vishnu, and the shrines are spread across the hills and a steep gorge.

Ahobilam is one of the nine Hindu temples and shrines dedicated to Narasimha, the lion-headed avatar of Vishnu. It is also one of the 108 canonical Divya Desams. Legend says the idol of Lakshmi Narasimha at Lower Ahobilam was installed by Venkateswara before his wedding with Padmavathi. The main pilgrimage attraction in the lower town is the Prahladavarada temple, dedicated to the mild aspect of the deity.

Upper Ahobilam, about 8 km east, has nine shrines of Narasimha, each showing a different aspect of the deity. The Ahobilanarasimha shrine is the earliest, and it is dedicated to the fierce aspect. Vijayanagara rulers gave the shrines significant patronage from the 15th century, starting with the Saluva dynasty. Krishnadevaraya visited in the 16th century. In 1579 a commander of the Golconda Sultanate raided the site and sacked the temple, and its bejewelled idol was taken to the sultan. The shrines remained beyond the reach of devotees until the 1970s.

Festivals

• Eve of Makara Sankranthi, and the annual BrahmotsavamMakara Sankranthi and Brahmotsavam

  Local Chenchu tribes receive special honours on both occasions.

Tips for your visit

• The ideal time to start the trek to all nine Narasimha shrines is around 5 AM, from Upper Ahobilam.
• The trek to the Paavana Narasimha shrine is arduous.

Questions people ask