Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple, Mangalagiri

Have you ever seen an idol accepting Prasadam, and that too exactly half of what is offered? At this temple, despite the presence of large quantities of jaggery water (Panakam) in numerous containers, there is not even a single fly around. No matter what, everyone must visit this temple at least once in their lifetime.

The History of Panakala Narasimha Swamy

In Kruthayuga, a demon named Namuchi prayed to Lord Brahma and gained a boon that he could not be killed by anything. Soon, he began tormenting the gods and people. Powerless against him, the gods approached Lord Vishnu for help. In response, Lord Vishnu, in the avatar of Narasimha Swamy, killed Namuchi and his massive demon army. To pacify the furious Ugra Narasimha, Goddess Lakshmi offered him Amritam (the nectar of immortality). This nectar transformed into different offerings across the yugas: Cow Ghee in Trethayuga, Cow Milk in Dwaparayuga, and Panakam (a mixture of jaggery, cardamom, and water) in Kaliyuga.

The temple is known for its unique rituals and miraculous occurrences. One such ritual is the offering of Panakam to Lord Narasimha Swamy. Devotees believe that the deity consumes exactly half of the Panakam offered, with the remainder returned as prasadam. During the offering, a swallowing sound can be heard, which devotees interpret as evidence of the deity accepting the offering. Another remarkable phenomenon is that despite the daily use of large quantities of jaggery, no flies are ever found in the temple. According to the Puranas, the presence of even a single fly would signify the Yuga Antha (end of the world). A similar belief exists at Indrakeeladri (Goddess Durga’s temple), where the Krishna River touching the nose ornament of the idol is said to signal the end of this yuga.

The temple complex includes two shrines. The upper temple, located atop Mangalagiri Hill, features the face of Lord Narasimha with a wide-open mouth, where Panakam is offered. The lower temple at the base of the hill, known as Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, houses a magnificent idol of Lord Narasimha alongside his consort, Goddess Lakshmi. This temple is renowned for its majestic gopuram, built in the 16th century, which stands over 150 meters tall and is one of the tallest in Andhra Pradesh.

At the base of the hill, there is also a Sivalayam, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva appeared in a dream to Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) and instructed him to install his idol here. This makes the temple complex a confluence of Vaishnavism and Shaivism, adding to its spiritual significance.

Visitors can easily reach the temple by taking a train to Vijayawada and traveling from there to Mangalagiri by bus or private vehicle. The temple is just 0.5 km from the Mangalagiri bus stand. It is important to note that the temple is open only until 3 PM (15:00 IST). This early closure is attributed to the belief that other gods visit to worship Lord Narasimha Swamy during the closed hours. While visiting, devotees are encouraged to also visit the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada, which is another significant pilgrimage site in the region. Please find that temple's blog link here.