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SIMHACHALAM
- VARAHA LAKSHMI NARASIHMA SWAMI |
The Temple & its History :
The temple unlike many others faces the West. According to the religious belief, the East
facing entrance is said to be bringing prosperity while the West facing one brings
victory.
This temple is seen to be built with a combination of
Orissan and Chalukyan features of temple construction. The artwork here shows a great
resemblance to that of Konark. The temple walls depict the images of a royal personality
that is said to be the King Narasimha. Apart from this are the Beautiful stone chariot
drawn by the horses, and the 16 pillared Kalyanamandapa with depictions of the
various incarnations of Lord Vishnu, Narasimha Avatar being the main one of these.
The temple History as evident from the inscriptions, describing the antecedents of
the temple, says that the current structure owes its existence to the Chola King
Kulothunga and all the later major modifications are done by the King Narasimha I, of the
Eastern Ganga Dynasty. Sri Krishna Devaraya is also known to have made a number of
endowments here, the emerald necklace seen in the temple now being one of them. The family
of the Raja of Vizianagaram is acting as the temple trustee form past two centuries.
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