This travelogue is about Pancha Narashima Kshetrams in Andhra Pradesh. Its highly significant to visit these five Narasimha temples. The Pancha Narashima Kshetram are : Vadapalli, Mattapalli, Kethavaram, Vedadri and Mangalagiri.
- Mattapalli Sri Lakshmi Narashima Swamy, The temple is situated on the banks of River Krishna at Mattapalli in Huzurnagar Talaq of Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh. The place is about 225 kms from Hyderabad, and 25 Kms from Huzurnagar.
- Vedadri Yogananda Lakshmi Narashima Swamy temple: The temple is on the bank of Krishna River and it’s located in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. It’s about 10 kms from chillakallu on the national highway from Vijayawada to Hyderabad
- Vadapalli This is the first pancha Narashima kshetram: This place is 20 kms from Miryalaguda station which is on Hyderabad to Chennai via Nalgonda.
- Mangalagiri Panakala Narashimar. The place is about 20kms from Vijayawada.
- Kethavaram Sri Narasimha Temple, Kedavaram is located in Guntur district
Mangalagiri
Four of us –  Hema and Ramani, Vyjayanthi and Sundararajan arrived at Vijayavada station from Tirupathi at about 2.00AM on Wednesday 10th July 2013.   We had contacted Sri Mukkur Niruhari Nivas Mattapalli, booked two AC rooms ( Rs 500 per day) at Matapalli and they arranged to send a car to pick us up from Vijayawada. We contacted the driver Kishore and met him near the clock tower outside the station. We asked him to take us to a place where we could bathe and get ready to go to Mangalagiri our first destination. We had to pay Rs.500/- for the room. We took bath, got ready and after our morning prayers Sandhyavandanam- japam , left the place by 5.30 AM. The driver knew Hindi and took us for coffee before our yatra started.
Our first stop was Lakshmi Nrisimha Temple. We saw a huge gopuram, imposing and majestic and very different in structure from the usual gopurams. It is 153 ft high 49 feet wide with 11 storeys. The temple houses Laksmi Nrisimha swami, Rajyalakshmi thayar, Sri Rama parivara and a vahana mandapa housing golden Garuda vahana, silver Hanuman vahana etc. We make our offerings (Before starting a yatra we buy diamond sugar candy, cashew nuts, almonds and raisins and mix them well.). As we make our way out the canopy of the temple chariot catches our attention.
From here we drive uphill to reach the famous Panaka Narasimha temple. We buy tickets for kalkandu panakam offering (Rs 70) and are puzzled to receive a small packet of kalkandu. Only after entering the cave we realize that this candy is not for the panakam but for offering. We are mesmerized by Sri Nrisimha with His mouth wide open. Where is the rest of Him we wonder as the priest pours panakam down His throat till we hear a swallowing gurgle at which point the priest stops the pouring. The effect was electrifying. We wanted to see this phenomenon again. Thankfully only one family had offered so we got to witness this Marvel again. Totally overwhelmed by our Bhaktha jana priya Narasimha ,The Simply Great God, we make our way out and drink the wonderful panaka prasada spiced with black pepper powder and climb up a few steps to see a huge image of Hanuman.
We climb further up to Thayar sannidhi. There is a beautiful golden door with Lakshmi images. We wait for sometime reciting Tiruppavai when we notice a cave further up. Inside we find Narasimha, Nammazhwar and Ramanuja.
From this point we could see the Lakshmi Narasimha temple Gopuram and the area around, while waiting we see the priest coming. He knocks at Thayar’s door goes behind the screen lights the lamp while we wait for the screen to open. We are blessed with the sight of Rajyalakshmi on the wall. Jaganmatha was so tiny and cute and captivating. Ashotthara archana was performed with kumkum. We offered Turmeric powder and kalkandu mix. We got four glass bangles as prasadam along with kumkum and happily made our way down.
Some of the pictures from Mangalagiri Temple:
Travelogue by: Vyjayanthi and Sundararajan
Our next Narasimha was Vedadri -Yogananda Lakshmi Narashima Swamy temple, to be continued in part 2 of this travelogue…
Thanks for sharing information. Will be very useful if we plan to go there.
I would love to visit these 5 kshetrams and will you please send me the telephone numbers of the contact at Mattapalli for the lodging and also the car to pick us from the Railway station, cover all these kshetrams and bring us back to Vijayawada Station. We are four and from Chennai.
Sri Mukkur Niruhari Nivas, Simhapuri, Mattapalli-508 204, Nalgonda District,A.P.cell: 094406 57333. They will arrange car according to requirement
kindly let me have the cell no. of mattapallai or vjayawada where we can get the cab for pancha nrisimha kshethra darsanam.
Sri Mukkur Niruhari Nivas, Simhapuri, Mattapalli-508 204, Nalgonda District,A.P.cell: 094406 57333. They will arrange car according to requirement
good description thanks for the information hope to visit soon
can you please tell me how much it will cost to go round the five kshetrams from vijayawada by car.
good description of the places and make us to believe that e should visit once in our life time
Thanks for the feedback. You should visit these kshetrams. Since Mukkur Swami’s guest house provides decent facilities and good prasadam and help in visiting all these places it will not be a problem.
Namaskaram, your pancha Narasimha kshetrams ( Mattapalli) part 1 was very useful and informative. I request you to send me the link for part 2, as we are making plans to visit the kshetrams. Thank you. (from chennai)
I would like to know how many days it will take to travel and what are the other near by places we can travel. kindly let me know.
thanking you
vidhya
Dear Smt. Suchitra Rajan, Please go to travelogue section and you will find part -2 and part-3 concluding part of Pancha Narasimhakshetrams.
I have visited pancha narasimha Khestram in the year 2014 May. I have completed after going through so many web site including yours. I stayed in Mukkur Swamigal’s guest house. They provided beautiful food and had a good darshan of all Narasimhars. Mukundan Hyderabad
dear Mr.Mukundan,
Since u had very recently visited, pl tell me how was the accommadation at Mattapalli mas guest house & waht time we can expect food being Ammavasai on 29th.
Did u stay at Vijayawada, if so pl tell me the place. We 7 of us propose to visit only Mangalagiri, Mattapalli & Badrachalam for paucity of time. Any suggestion reg lodging & boarding at Badrachalam.
can u give ref phone of yr travel agent & approx cost.
We will arrive at Vijayawada at 13.30 by train from Chennai, 28th Nov & return on 30th A/N 14.30.
My mail id tradewithhunter@gmail.com
Our compliments to Madam.Vyjayanthi Rajan for her excellent travelogue
Rangarajan
Mukkur swami’s guest house is praiseworthy.Glad to hear about your visit.
Namaskaram….if anybody knows, “where is the Sri Narasimha’s temple….here Sri Narasimha having Veena vadyam in His Hand? pl.let me know….venugpl60@gmail.com
Thanks for sharing, My mother wanted to visit all the 5 temples after reading your travelogue. Can you also share the part2 link?
Please go to Travelogue section and click on Pancha narasimha kshetram Part-2
At Badrachalam, very near to temple you have AP guest house. Good and reasonably priced. They have rooms with double occupancy as well as suite. Regarding food the guest house has a canteen, but we never tried that. Outside there are eateries.
Though we got down at Vijayawada, we just hired a room to wash and change. Hence did not go to a good hotel. Matapalli people arranged car for us and we had breakfast enroute. The driver is very knowledgeable and trustworthy. Better you contact Matapalli and seek their help. I dont anticipate any problem reg. food. They are our people and you can explain your position.
Wish you all (all your members) best of luck