Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Simhachalam, Vizag

We all want to break the monotony of everyday life and spend some time in the serenity of nature, right? Something which can relax our mind. Something which can help us de-stress our inner soul and look forward to daily chores. How about planning a trip to Visakhapatnam and visiting the Simhachalam Temple on your Vizag tour?

Beauty Of the Temple

Originally known as Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Simhachalam Temple is a famous shrine that offers holy and mystical vibes to the devotees of Lord Narsimha and has an exceptionally calm atmosphere to attract tourists from all around the world.

Dedicated to the Hindu community, the Simhachalam Temple boasts of an excellent hilltop location with lush greenery all around the place. One of the popular tourist places to visit in Visakhapatnam, the temple holds much importance among the locals for its strong traditional values and follows a detailed prayer routine for all days of the year.

The magical environment allows you to forget everything as soon as you step inside the temple and the backdrop of the beautiful landscapes makes the overall setting look even more amazing. Here you can also enjoy a spectacular view from a height of 800 meters above the sea level along with offering your prayers to Lord Narsimha, who is believed to be another form of Lord Vishnu. This place is widely recognized for its rich significance of history and is undoubtedly a must-visit attraction for holidaymakers of all ages.

Celebration of the Festival

Another highlight of this temple is its annual celebration of the Akshaya Tritiya festival that happens to be in April or May every year. On the occasion of this festival, the covering of sandalwood is removed from the idol of Lord Narasimha and the deity comes in its original form for 12 hours i.e., from 4 AM to 4 PM and a grand pooja is also organized. Once the Abhishek of the idol is completed, the devotees are allowed to catch a glimpse of the Lord. This festival is called as ‘Chandanotsavam’.

History Of The Temple

Simhachalam 16 km. away from Vishakhpatmam, it is the Eleventh Century old temple dedicated to Lord Varaha Narasimha. Moreover, it is also called ‘Simhagiri’ or ‘Lion’s Hill’. It lies in the northern direction of Visakhapatnam, which is a District Headquarters of Andhra. It has been hailed as the most famous and the best-sculptured shrine. It has Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy as the presiding deity. Simha means ‘lion’ and chalam means ‘hill’.So, this is lion’s hill, the hill of Lord Nrsimhadeva. The Deity here, Sri Varaha Laxmi Nrsimha Swamy, is popularly known in Sanskrit as Simhadrinatha or in local Telugu language as Simhadri Appanna (‘the Lord of the Lion Hill’). Simhachalam temple is known as the second richest temple (after Tirupati) for earning revenue. It is highly popular among the devotees of Lord Vishnu. The temple architecture represents a combination of Odishan and Dravidian style.

Appearance Of The Deity

The image of the deity in the shrine is overcovered with a thick coating of sandal paste, which is said to have appeased the fury of the Lord after the destruction of Hiranyakasipu. This coating is removed only once a year, on the Visaka day in May, and that day is considered to be especially sacred, and people visit the shrine to have Darshan of the Lord on the day. Lord Siva assumed the shape of a bird or Sarabha and pacified Lord Narasimha. The consecration of this image of the Lord in this form is said to destroy enemies, secure success in battles, cure all ailments, and procure every good.

Legend Behind The Temple

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. Simhachalam is one of the 32 Narasimha temples in Andhra Pradesh which are important pilgrimage centres.

Speciality Of The Temple

Simhachalam is also the second-largest temple, after Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, in terms of income earned. 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.

A Never Before Experience

On the first day of my Vizag trip, I visited the ‘Simhanchalam Temple’ and was mesmerized by the serenity. It is an Eleventh Century’s old temple that lies in the northern direction of Visakhapatnam, which is a District Headquarter of Andhra. I visited the fantastic pagan on the 10th of October,2019, and managed to have a rare darshan of hardly two minutes and offered my prayers despite the volunteers pushing and stampeding with each other to move ahead. But, it was worth the wait. Because during those 2 minutes in front of the deity (Lord Varaha Narasimha) I felt immense peace and sense of contentment.

My Spiritual Experience

I got a mixed feeling of awe and enlightenment. It felt like the only truth existed there is – ‘the existence of God’. In plain and simple words, it is the place which must be visited by anyone who is visiting Vizag. Spiritually, the trust and faith get reassured in its peace and tranquillity in the early morning. For nature lovers, the place will offer unforgettable pleasant memories. You can go through the cab facilities like uber, Ola or taxi and local buses according to your benefits.

Local Attraction

In the temple compound, I met an old lady named Vijayalaxmi who earns her livelihood by selling buttermilk within the Simhachalam temple compound. Churning refreshing buttermilk, also known as “Majjiga” in Telugu, for one and all, she offers this popular summer cooler in an old fashioned pot. To quote her –

“I have been doing this for the past eleven years. My work usually begins at around 10 in the morning when I bring freshly prepared buttermilk in a pot or two. Flavoured with curry leaves, ginger, and green chillies, it is liked by the devotees and the regular visitors to the temple. Most of the tourists are not content with a single glass. They keep drinking till  3 to 4 glasses. On average, I manage to sell about 80-90 glasses and earn about Rs 850 before calling it a day around 5 in the evening. The numbers drop during the winter season. Summer is a profitable month for me. I have no plans to quit selling buttermilk any time soon and have no other job to do at home and this is what keeps me going.”

Well, I do agree with her statement. The drink which comes with a low cost of 10/- INR per glass was so tasty that I drank 3 glasses in a single go. Among all the buttermilk vendors, Vijayalaxmi interested me. She had a unique charm that pulled me towards her. She’s my best memory of Simhachalam so far. So, I’m going to preserve her memory forever. My suggestion would be if you want to get refreshment after having the divine darshan, then don’t forget to buy and drink the delicious buttermilk from the native vendors.

I keep visiting Visakhapatnam once in a year and now onwards whenever I visit the Vizag city I’ll surely make a point to re-visit the Simhachalam Temple. Because this beautiful temple is the reason why I fell in love with Andhra Pradesh.

Simhachalam Temple is Ranked 8 among Things to do in Visakhapatnam

Time Required: 1-2 hrs

Entry Fee: There is no entry fee to visit Simhachalam Temple in Visakhapatnam. It is open for its visitors from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on all days of the week.

Timings:

• 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM,
• 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Travel Tips for Simhachalam Temple, Visakhapatnam

• Do not carry your mobile phones and cameras along with you. It is strictly prohibited to capture the pictures inside the temple.
• Make sure to leave your footwear outside the premise.

How to Reach Simhachalam Temple, Visakhapatnam?

Getting to Simhachalam Temple in Visakhapatnam is quite easy for both locals and tourists. Located at a distance of only 20 km away from the heart of the city centre, the temple offers several modes of transport options for your convenience.

By Air:

To reach Simhachalam Temple in the least possible time, it is recommended to board a direct flight from the major cities of India. Domestic flights such as Air India, IndiGo, Spice Jet, Air Asia, and Alliance Air are operational from here. For international travellers, international flights to Singapore, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur have also started.

By Train:

If you are starting directly from Visakhapatnam Railway Station, you can either opt to travel by Bus (6A) or simply hire a private taxi from the list of top car rental companies in Visakhapatnam to experience a more comfortable journey. The railway station connects the neighbouring towns and cities by serving regular trains from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Delhi.

By Bus:

Also known as the 3rd largest bus stand complex in Andhra Pradesh, Dwarka Bus Stand offers the facility of a local bus service to and from the temple on an everyday basis. You can catch the bus number 6A or 40 to reach your destination. For all those who are staying somewhere close to Gajuwaka, the local government runs the Bus number 55 and from Maddilipalem, it is 540 to visit Simhachalam Temple.