Nava Narasimhar temple (Dakshina Ahobilam)

[Padmanabhan.J]

Nava Narasimhar temple (Dakshina Ahobilam) at Avaniyapuram.





Location:

Avaniyapuram is

• 16km before Arani
• 26 km from vandavasi and
• 20 kms from cheyyar

Highlights:

• Twin temples on a small hillock
• One at the middle tier for Lord Narasimhar with Goddess Lakshmi also with the lioness face (Avani meaning Lion).
• There are nine Narasimhars and so is called Dakshina Ahobilam
• The top tier temple is for Lord Venkateshwara
• Shrines for Sholingar Narasimhar, Sri Ranganathar and Varadhraja Perumal. Thus we see all the main pancha divya desa moorthies – Kanchi, Srirangam, Sholingur, Tirumala and Ahobilam.
• The Lord is said to have obliged Brigu Maharishi by appearing before him in the forms of five divya desa deities.
• The temple is believed to have been built during the Pallava regime.
• There is a natural rock formation in the form of a Lion with eyes, beard, nose etc., more importantly with the front left leg raised in a blessing posture. A swayambu Narasimhar?
• Avaniyapuram Avaneeswarar temple - A temple with margatha lingam installed by Sri Aadhi Sankarar is present at the base of the avaniyapuram hill

Legend: Agasthiar worshipped here. Once on an ego battle between Brahma and Vishnu, they set off to reach the top and bottom of Shiva as a competition. During that time Thazamboo gave a false witness to Shiva that Brahma had reached the top of Shiva. Knowing this, Shiva cursed Thazampoo that it should not be used in any Shiva pooja. In order to get rid of the curse, it stands here as the Sthala Vruksham. Nandhi’s footsteps are seen here.


http://shanthiraju.wordpress.com/2009/04/28/avaniyapuram/