Mangalagiri Temple - Andhra Pradesh
On top of the auspicious hills of Mangalagiri that resembles a kneeling elephant, stands the most sacred and powerful Mangalagiri Temple, also known as Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple welcoming the devotees from different parts of the country.
There you can witness Lord Narasimha Swamy who is fond of Panakam (jaggery water). The temple premises embrace you with eternal peace and fills you with the divine grace of the Lord.
You can witness the devotees offering Panakam to the Lord and can hear the gurgling sound from the idol as if the Lord is drinking it which will take you by surprise.
As the Lord accepts only half of the Panakam, the rest is given as prasadam to the devotees which is very tasty. From the Mangalagiri Hills, the view of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at the foothill is really fabulous and awe-inspiring.
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is known for its awesome architecture and 153 feet tall amazing gopuram. A visit to the Mangalagiri Temple makes you feel blessed and give you a satisfying experience like never before.
History:
A lot of myths and legends surrounds the Mangalagiri Temple. The most famous one is about Hrasva Srungi who was the son of ancient king Pariyatra. Hrasva Srungi was born with bodily deformities. So, in order to regain his normal physical stature, he went on pilgrimage to many sacred places and finally reached Mangalagiri Hills. He stayed there for three years and performed penance. When king Pariyatra knew this, he came to take his son back to his kingdom. But Hrasva Srungi was not willing to go with his father, instead assumed the shape of an elephant to become the abode of Lord Vishnu. This is how the mountain of Mangalagiri came into existence. And here Lord Vishnu is locally known as Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy.
Another legend is that there lived a demon named 'Namuchi' who ill-treated the people of all lokas. So, Lord Brahma and other gods asked Lord Vishnu for help. Narasimha Swamy who was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu tried to kill the demon 'Namuchi' with the Sudarshana Chakra. But he escaped and hid in the Mangalagiri Hills. He disguised as an insect and obscure itself between the rocks. On realizing this, the Lord closed the hole thereby suffocating the demon and thus killing him. Even God's couldn't control the anger of the Lord and they prayed for appeasement. So, in response, Lord Narasimha Swamy asked them to offer amrutam (nectar) and he drank it and cooled down. Since then, the practice of pouring drinks into the Lords’ mouth started. People offer Honey in Satyuga, Ghee in Treta Yuga, Milk in Dwapara Yuga and now in Kali Yuga, they offer Panakam.
Speacilty:
Mangalagiri was originally known as Thotadri which is one among the 8 Mahakshethras where Lord Vishnu manifested himself.
It is also believed that Lakshmi Devi has done tapas on the Mangalagiri Hills.
From all the directions, the shape of the Mangalagiri Hills resembles a kneeling elephant.
The three temples in Mangalagiri dedicated to Lord Narasimha are collectively known as Mangalagiri Temple. The main temple is known as Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple. You can see Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at the foot of the hill and Gandala Narasimha Swamy Temple on the top of the hill.
Unlike other temples, the Panakala Narasimha Swamy temple doesn't have an idol, but you can see the widely opened mouth of Lord Narasimha Swamy which is covered with the metal face of God.
Panakala Narasimha Swamy is known as the God who drinks Panakam or the jaggery water.
The most interesting thing is that you can clearly hear the gurgling sound when the priest pours the Panakam from the conch into the mouth of Lord Narasimha Swamy idol as if the Lord is drinking it.,/
Only half of the Panakam is consumed by the Lord Narasimha Swamy and the rest of the jaggery water will come out of the open mouth of the Lord.
Another highlight is that regardless of the offering of the large quantity of Panakam to the Lord, not a single ant can be spotted near the Lord or around the temple.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy is the main deity of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple. Yudhishthira who is the eldest of the Pandavas is said to be the founder of this temple.
The main striking feature of the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is its astounding 11-storied gopuram which is 153 feet high and 49 feet wide, forming one of the highest gopurams in South India. ,/
Another speciality of this temple is the garland of Lord Narasimha Swamy which is made with 108 saligrams.
There is a small naturally formed cave near the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple that leads to Undavalli caves that situates on the banks of the Krishna River.
The Gandala Narasimha Swamy Temple contains no deity.
Festivals:
The 11-days long Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Brahmotsavam is the annual festival of Mangalagiri Temple. It mainly falls between the months of February and March and is celebrated with great fervor and zeal. It is believed that this festival was first brought in by Dharmaraja, the eldest of the Pandavas who was the successor to the throne at Hastinapur, at the behest of Lord Krishna.
Mangalagiri Temple also celebrates festivals like Narasimha Jayanthi, Hanumanth Jayanti, Srirama Navami, Maha Shivaratri, and Mukkoti Ekadashi.
During the grand celebrations of Maha Shivaratri, there is a procession carrying the idol of the Lord on a small chariot.
Dress Code:
There is no special dress code for Mangalagiri Temple. But make sure you are wearing traditional attire or decent clothes while visiting Mangalagiri Temple.
Way to Reach:
By Air - Vijayawada Airport is the nearest airport to Mangalagiri Temple which is situated at a distance of 32.1 Km.
By Rail - Vijayawada Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Mangalagiri Temple which is situated at a distance of 15.4 Km.
By Road - Vijayawada bus station is the nearest bus station to Mangalagiri Temple which is situated at a distance of 146 Km and is well connected to the major cities like Chennai, Vizag, Nellore, etc.