Mangalgiri Temple

Of the three well known temples of Andhra Pradesh that enshrines Pankala Narasimha, the Mangalgiri Temple is situated at a short distance from the city of Vijayawada. Mangalgiri is divided into two shrines. The one located atop the Mangalgiri hill is dedicated to the worship of Pankala Narasimha. The other shrine is located at the foothills of the Mangalgiri hill and is dedicated to the worship of the consort of Pankala Narasimha, Lakshmi Narasimha.

It is believed that the temple was founded by the epic hero Yuddhisthira. The temple dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi Narasimha has been constructed architecturally to support the 11 storeyed Raja Gopuram that was constructed by the chieftain of the region. The interiors of the temple have inlaid inscriptions that reveal that the famous King of the Vijaynagar Empire, Krishna Deva Raya had visited this temple. The temple tank placed adjacent to the temple is believed to be created by the Gods and is named Lakshmi Pushkarini.

A unique feature of this temple of Pankala Narasimha in Mangalgiri is the magical disappearance of the jaggery solution offered to the shrine. Half the liquid poured into the mouth of the deity is believed to be regurgitated by the shrine. This miraculous act rekindles faith and spiritualism in the tourists who visit the temple.

The Mangalgiri Temple is placed at the summit of the Mangalgiri hill that is shaped in the form of an elephant. Other than the temples in Simhachalam and Ahobilam, the Mangalgiri Temple is one of the only temples dedicated to the worship of the Pankala Narasimha and is one of the primary travel attractions in Vijayawada.

Mangalagiri travel experience is counted as one of the most memorable ones as it take the tourists to the holy premises of Panakala Nrusimhaswamy shrine. Being located at a distance of about 13 km from Vijayawada Mangalagiri can be arrived at through buses that ply regularly to the place. Although there are options of railway services, but most of the tourists prefer to reach at Mangalagiri by buses only.

Known as one of the sacred places near Vijayawada, Mangalagiri attracts large number of tourists due to the holy temple which is enshrined with Lord Narasimha. One of the unique event that takes place inside the temple is the partial acceptance of the plate of jaggery mixed with water by the Lord. Offered to deity as a mark of respect, this mix of water and jaggery is called by the name of Panakam in Mangalagiri.

Apart from regular devotees, Panakala Nrusimhaswamy temple of Mangalagiri is also visited by a large number of tourists. The major festivals that are followed in the temple of Panakala Nrusimhaswamy include Lakshmi Narasimha Jayanti, Sri Ram Navami, Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Sri Panaka Lakshmi Narasimha, Narsimha Swamy Brahmotsavam and Hanuman Jayanti.

Mangalagiri is one of those places near Vijayawada which has an ancient heritage. Be it the religious shrines or the natural treasures, Mangalagiri is a store house of enigmatic appeals. Tourists come to Mangalagiri not only from all parts of India but also from other countries. This itself shows the importance of the place among the many tours from Vijayawada.

As a whole Mangalagiri stands tall in the tourism map of Andhra Pradesh with its attractive destinations.



Last Updated on 07/16/2013