Re: [racchabanda] Re:Simhadri - NORTH INDIAN NARASIMHA TEMPLES
Narasimham Parinandi
There are nRsiMha temples in North also. Some of them are not popular in AP.
The most popular in North is in Mathura (janmabhoomi - brajabhoomi).
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Vishram Ghat -There are about 25 ghats in Mathura, the most important of which is the Vishram Ghat. Where according to legend, Shri Krishna took his rest after killing Kansa. Vishram Ghat is the place from where the traditional parikrama (circumbulation of all the important religious and cultural places of the city) starts and ends. The Vishram Ghat is lined with elegant temples and some of Mathura's most important shrines are found here - the Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman and Narasimha temples."
Even the great Puri Jagannath temple has sculptures of Narasimha. Orissans/Oriyas are fond of the Lord "Narasimha" - They call "Norosingho" "Nrusingho". In the Bododevulo (Puri temple), the sculptures in the middle of each side are housed in two storey shrines (13th century addition); these depictVamana (north), Narasimha (west) and Varaha (south). The deep recesses between the principal niches are occupied by large figures of fully modelled maidens.
Even the Khajaraho temples have Narasimha idols and Lakshmi Narasimha temples.
Look at the Chattisgarh temples (Raipur, MP):
Rajim
Situated on the right bank of the river Mahanadi was one of the important urban centres in the Mahakoshal region. It is famous for its fine group of temples. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Rajivalochana Temple. The twelve pillars of the temple have tall single figures sculptured on the face like Durga with eight arms, the Ganga and Yamuna and exquisitely carved incarnation of Vishnu, Rama, Varaha (boar) and Narasimha (Man-cum-Lion) etc. There is also a black stone statue of the Budha meditating under the Bodhi tree. There are other temples around the main temple of Rajivalochana dedicated to different incarnations of lord Vishnu such as Vamana (dwart) Narasimha (Man-cum-Lion) Badrinath and Jagannath. Of the ruins of numerous temples found nearby the most remarkable is that of Kuleshvara Mahadeva Temple. The tongue of the land on which the temple stands became severed from the main land by the river and is now actually on an island. Three inscriptions bel
onging to Somavanashis, Nalas and Kalchuris are found here.
Look at Lakshmi Narasimham Temple in GOA:
The Shri Lakshmi Narasimha TempleCrouched on the side of a steep, densely wooded hill, the secluded Shri Lakshmi Narasimha Mandir at Velinga, 3 K.M southwest of Mardol, is one of the more picturesque temple around Ponda. To the west of Farmagudi about 1.5 K.M to Velinga Village. Transferred here from Salcete in 1567, the Lakshmi-Narasimha devta housed inside this temple, aconventional eighteenth-century structure surrounded by neat lawns and pilgrim's hostels, is Vishnu's in his fourth incarnation as the man-lion Narashima, aka Narayan fed by an eternal spring, this is fringed by lush curtainof coconut palms.
Even in Ayodhya (Rama Janmabhoomi), there is a small Narasimha Swamy temple.
In Bengal:
Around Mayapur : Narasimha Palli (Deva Palli)
This is where Lord Narasimha rested after killing Hiranyakasipu. There is alake here where Lord Narasimha washed Hiranyakasipu's blood off his hands.Located at this spot is an ancient deity of Narasimha said to date back to Satya-yuga, with a decapitated Hiranyakasipu. Prahlada Maharaja is takingshelter directly under the Lord's foot. Shri Chaitanya and his associates used to come to this place.
In Nepal: There are Narasimha Swami idols and Vaishnava cult is pretty much seen.
In Badarinath: There are Narasimha Swamy temples. Badrinath is the abode of the Nara-Narayana sages and is a great place of pilgrimage. According tothe Srimad Bhagavatam, even five thousand years ago this holy place was being visited by such holy persons as Uddhava, and even at that time the place was known to be very old. It is one of the eight self-manifested holy tirthas in India (Svayam Vyak-ta Kshetras).
In Himachal Pradesh, near Kulu, there is a Narasimha Swamy Temple.
In the North, Narasimha cult has been prevalent. There are many many Narasimha temples in the North. Especially, look at the history of the Simhachalam temple. I will post on that separately.
¯-pAlana
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Indian Diaspora
"Appala Narasiah/Narasayya".
More interested becasue my dad's name is Appala Narasayya.
Bhaskar
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