SREE VARAHA LAKSHMI NARASIMHASWAMY, SIMMACHALAM
During the trip to Vishakapatnam, the first temple I had darshan was at Simmachalam. Simmachalam is 17 kms from Vishakapatnam and on a small hill at a height of 244 metres. Inscriptions in the temple date back to 1098 AD and was built in the 11th century by King Krishnadevaraya. A toll of Rs.30/- is being levied on vehicles taking the hill road. Buses ply from RTC complex, Vishakapatnam which takes around an hour and stops in front of the temple at the hill. The Devasthanam also runs buses from the foot of the hill to the temple.
The Moolavar idol is covered with sandal paste all through the year and there is a Chandanotsavam day on which this is applied. Hence on all normal darshan days, the lord can be seen as a linga shaped with sandal paste applied. It is said the sandal paste is applied on the lord to reduce the fury of the Lord after killing Hiranyakasibu. Hence the darshan of the the Lord as in the idol, Nijaroopa darisanam, for a period of 12 hours, can be had only on the day when the sandal paste is removed and reapplied. The Chandanostavam day is on the Vaisakha Month and on Thiruthiyai after the Amavasya every year. Currently he gives darshan with the sandal paste applied like shown in the picture below:
Legend of the temple is connected with the killings of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu. Prahalada wished to worship the Lord in the form he took to kill Hiranyaksha as also the form with which he would kill Hiranyakasipu. Hence the Lord took the form of Varahalakshmi Narasimha after killing Hiranyakasipu (Varaha for killing Hiranyaksha and Narasimha for killing Hiranyakasipu) and Prahalada was worshipping the Lord in this form. Later, after Satya Yuga due to neglect ant-hill formed over the idol and in the next yuga, King Pururava of Lunar Dynasty found the idol. As King Pururava along with his wife, was moving on a chariot on aerial route (Vimana), he was drawn by a mysterious power to Simmachalam. Some other account says that the Lord came in his dream and he found the idol. When he found the idol, Pururava heard a voice from the sky for the application of the sandal paste over the idol and worship the Lord in that form. He covered with the sandal paste as was told and even today the Lord gives darshan in this form only. The main sanctum of the temple itself resembles a chariot and the kalyanamandapa has 96 pillars, a part of which Natya Mandapa which has 16 pillairs and they depict the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
The temple also has Kappa sthambam and people embrace these pillars for wishes to be fulfilled including getting cured from illness. There was a lot of crowd at the Kappasthambam when I was at the temple at about 4.00PM. Plenty of shops selling flowers and Thulasi are available and also the counter for the ticket darshan is in front of the temple.
Temple Timings
7.00 AM-02.00 PM
4.00 PM-09.00 PM
The Moolavar idol is covered with sandal paste all through the year and there is a Chandanotsavam day on which this is applied. Hence on all normal darshan days, the lord can be seen as a linga shaped with sandal paste applied. It is said the sandal paste is applied on the lord to reduce the fury of the Lord after killing Hiranyakasibu. Hence the darshan of the the Lord as in the idol, Nijaroopa darisanam, for a period of 12 hours, can be had only on the day when the sandal paste is removed and reapplied. The Chandanostavam day is on the Vaisakha Month and on Thiruthiyai after the Amavasya every year. Currently he gives darshan with the sandal paste applied like shown in the picture below:
Legend of the temple is connected with the killings of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu. Prahalada wished to worship the Lord in the form he took to kill Hiranyaksha as also the form with which he would kill Hiranyakasipu. Hence the Lord took the form of Varahalakshmi Narasimha after killing Hiranyakasipu (Varaha for killing Hiranyaksha and Narasimha for killing Hiranyakasipu) and Prahalada was worshipping the Lord in this form. Later, after Satya Yuga due to neglect ant-hill formed over the idol and in the next yuga, King Pururava of Lunar Dynasty found the idol. As King Pururava along with his wife, was moving on a chariot on aerial route (Vimana), he was drawn by a mysterious power to Simmachalam. Some other account says that the Lord came in his dream and he found the idol. When he found the idol, Pururava heard a voice from the sky for the application of the sandal paste over the idol and worship the Lord in that form. He covered with the sandal paste as was told and even today the Lord gives darshan in this form only. The main sanctum of the temple itself resembles a chariot and the kalyanamandapa has 96 pillars, a part of which Natya Mandapa which has 16 pillairs and they depict the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
The temple also has Kappa sthambam and people embrace these pillars for wishes to be fulfilled including getting cured from illness. There was a lot of crowd at the Kappasthambam when I was at the temple at about 4.00PM. Plenty of shops selling flowers and Thulasi are available and also the counter for the ticket darshan is in front of the temple.
Temple Timings
7.00 AM-02.00 PM
4.00 PM-09.00 PM
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