Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Vedadri

Getting there

• By air

  The airport at Gannavaram gives air connections to major metropolitan cities of the country.

• By train

  Vijayawada Junction station was established in 1888.

• By road

  Vedadri lies in Jaggayyapeta mandal, and the town of Jaggayyapeta is near National Highway 65, which connects Pune and Machilipatnam. APSRTC buses run from Jaggayyapeta bus station, which has a bus depot.

Why devotees come here

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple stands on the bank of the Krishna River, in the village of Vedadri in NTR district, Andhra Pradesh. It is dedicated to Narasimha, and it is one of the Pancha Narasimha Kshetras.

Vedadri is counted among the Pancha Narasimha Kshetras. The temple's own tradition, the sthalapurana, says Vedadri stands for the Vedas in the form of a hill. Vedadri is a village in NTR district, in Jaggayyapeta mandal of the Vijayawada revenue division. In one legend, a demon called Somakasura stole the Vedas from Brahma and hid them in the ocean.

The temple is said to have gained prominence under the Kakatiya Empire. In the 1800s, Raja Vasireddy Muktiswara Prasad Nayudu, a zamindar ancestor of the Muktyala Raja, renovated it, renewed its dhwajastabham (flag post), and built steps from the hillock down to the Krishna River.

The main image shows Narasimha with Lakshmi sitting on his left lap. Five forms of Narasimha are worshipped here. It is a major pilgrimage site in Andhra. Thousands of devotees visit every year. The temple also has separate shrines for the 12 Tamil Vaishnavite Alvars, and for Rishis Kashyapa and Atri, who are counted among the founders of the Vaikhanasa Agamas.

Festivals

• Vaisakha Suddha PurnimaNarasimha Jayanti

  A popular annual festival held at the temple.

Tips for your visit

• The hillock has 108 steps down to the Krishna River, built in the 1800s.
• Look for the separate shrines for the 12 Tamil Vaishnavite Alvars, and for Rishis Kashyapa and Atri.

Questions people ask