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Sri
Varaha
Lakshmi
Narasimha
temple,
Simhachalam
is
a Hindu temple
situated
on
the Simhachalam
Hill
Range,
which
is
300
metres
above
the
sea
level
in Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh.
It
is
dedicated
to Vishnu,
who
is
worshipped
there
as Varaha Narasimha.
As
per
the
temple's
legend,
Vishnu
manifested
in
this
form
(lion's
head
and
human
body)
after
saving
his
devotee Prahlada from
a
murder
attempt
by
the
latter's
father Hiranyakashipu.
Except
on Akshaya
Trutiya,
the
idol
of
Varaha
Narasimha
is
covered
with
sandalwood
paste
throughout
the
year,
which
makes
it
resemble
a linga.
Simhachalam
is
one
of
the
32
Narasimha
temples
in
Andhra
Pradesh
which
are
important
pilgrimage
centres.
It
was
regarded
as
an
important
centre
of
Vaishnavism
in
the
medieval
period
along
with Srikurmam and
others.
The
earliest
inscription
at
the
temple
belongs
to
11th-century
CE
recording
the
gift
by
a
private
individual
in
the
era
of Chalukya
Chola king Kulottunga
I.
In
the
later
half
of
the
13th
century,
the
temple
complex
underwent
radical
physical
changes
during
the
reign
of
the Eastern
Ganga king Narasimhadeva
I. Narahari
Tirtha,
a Dvaita philosopher
and
Eastern
Ganga
minister
converted
the Simhachalam temple
into
an
educational
establishment
of
renown
and
a
religious
centre
for Vaishnavism.
It
later
received
patronage
from
many
royal
families,
of
which Tuluva
dynasty of Vijayanagara
Empire is
a
notable
one.
The
temple
underwent
40
years
of
religious
inactivity
from
1564
to
1604
CE.
In
1949,
the
temple
came
under
the
purview
of
the
state
government
and
is
currently
administered
by
the
Simhachalam
Devasthanam
Board.
Simhachalam
temple
resembles
a
fortress
from
outside
with
three
outer
courtyards
and
five
gateways.
The
architecture
is
a
mixture
of
the
styles
of
the Kalinga
Architecture, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas,
and
the
Cholas.
The
temple
faces
west
instead
of
east,
signifying
victory.
There
are
two
temple
tanks:
Swami
Pushkarini
near
the
temple
and
Gangadhara
at
the
bottom
of
the
hill.
The
temple
houses
a
number
of
sub-shrines
and
a
few
mandapams.
The
religious
practices
and
customs
of
the
temple
are
formulated
by
the Vaishnavite philosopher Ramanuja.
They
are
modelled
based
on
the Satvata
Samhita,
one
of
the
108
texts
of
the Pancharatra Agama.
Simhachalam
is
the
second-largest
temple,
after Tirumala in
Andhra
Pradesh,
in
terms
of
income
early
Devotees
believe
that
the
deity
is
capable
of
giving
progeny
to
women
and
fulfilling
the
wishes
of
devotees.
Kalyanotsava
and
Chandanotsava
are
the
two
major
festivals
celebrated
in
the
temple,
followed
by
Narasimha
Jayanti,
Navaratrotsava
and
Kamadahana.
The
festivals
celebrated
in
Simhachalam
influence
the
Dravida
Sampradaya.
Apart
from
those
by
well-known
poets,
the
temple
is
found
in
many
literary
references
and
lyrical
works
(dedicated
by
anonymous
writers),
which
are
preserved
in
the
Government
Oriental
Manuscripts
Library, Chennai.