Sri Varaha Lakshminarasimha Temple is atop a hill at
Simhachalam in
Visakhapatnam District. It is 18 km from
Visakhapatnam. The
Chalukya kings are believed to be the renovators of this ancient shrine, which was long back a forest shrine. It is known to be the second richest temple of
Andhra Pradesh after
Tirupati.
The deity combines the features of both Varaha and
Narasimha. In deference to the local belief of the overwhelming ferocity of the deity when exposed to human sight, the idol is perpetually covered in sandal paste throughout the year, except for an auspicious day. That day is the biggest festival called 'Chandana Visarjana' when devotees flock to the temple.
The prime feature of the temple is the combination of the Orissan and Chalukyan architecture in the construction work and has similarities with that of Konark. Other features include beautiful stone chariot drawn by horses, the Kalyana Mandapa with 16 pillars with intricate carvings that depicts the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. In addition, several depictions of Narasimha are seen in throughout the temple.
Simhachalam is accessible via rail or by air until Visakhapatnam. Local transport and cab facilities are readily available from near the railway station and airport.
