 |
AHOBILAM
- NARASIMHA SWAMI |
Sthalapuranam :
It is believed that Lord Vishnu has incarnated as Narasimha Swamy here. Things like the
red blood streaks of Hiranyakasapa that move on to the cave of Guhanarasimha and the
half-broken pillar from which Narasimha was said to have emerged are shown as proofs. The
pillar is known to remain undisturbed by even the greatest calamities like earthquakes.
Ugranarasimha idol shows the posture of killing the demon king Hiranyakasapa.
 Legend says that Garuda, worshipped Lord
Vishnu with a desire to see his Narasimha Avatar. Pleased with his worship, Vishnu
is said to have manifested in the nine forms of Narasimha at Ahobilam. Lord Rama, after
getting separated from Sita is also said to have worshipped Lakshmi Narasimha here.
Another legend says that Mahalakshmi has
taken birth here in the family of hunters as "Chenchulakshmi"
and married Narasimha to calm him down after he killed Hiranyakasapa in the avatar. A
festive annual fair is carried over to this extant in the Tamil month of Maasi,
when the local tribe actively participates. |
