Jwala Narasimha, Ahobilam

జ్వాలా నరసింహ స్వామి

Narasimha · Jwala Narasimha

Fierce form at the moment of slaying Hiranyakashipu

Achalachaya Meru hill, above Upper Ahobilam, Ahobilam, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh · Vaishnava tradition

Jwala Narasimha stands first in the Ahobila Math's mnemonic verse of the nine Narasimhas.

The story begins: “In the Bhagavata Purana, Hiranyakashipu strikes a pillar in his assembly hall to prove that his son's god is nowhere.”

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Walking and access
A hard climb. The Ahobila Math describes the route from the Upper Ahobilam temple as a rocky riverbed and narrow path, about 4 km and roughly an hour up, and recommends a guide (about Rs 200 through the guest house). More on access
Getting there
Train: Nandyal railway stationAir: Kadapa Airport

Not yet confirmed: darshan hours, dress code, phone rules, entry for visitors of other faiths. Ask at the temple office or enquiry counter — and if you know, tell us. hello@aalayakatha.com

Full visiting details

Sthala purana

The story of this place

Family note: this story includes violence or death.
Told in: The Ahobilam sthala tradition, as published by the Sri Ahobila Math and reported by the Deccan Chronicle (2018), set in the frame of Bhagavata Purana 7.8

Where the anger blazed

In the Bhagavata Purana, Hiranyakashipu strikes a pillar in his assembly hall to prove that his son's god is nowhere. Narasimha breaks out of it, catches the king, lays him across his thighs at the threshold and tears him open with his claws. Even after the killing the form is too fierce for anyone to approach (7.8.15–29, 7.8.34).

The Ahobila Math's guide gives that moment a place. Jwala Narasimha stands on the hill called Achalachaya Meru, about 4 km from the Upper Ahobilam temple, and the matha identifies it as the spot where Narasimha's anger reached its height while he was slaying Hiranyakashipu. The Deccan Chronicle's 2018 account puts it more plainly: this is believed to be where the Lord killed the demon king, in a cave on the hill.

The route preserves the aftermath. On the way back from the shrine is the Raktha Kundam, a small pool whose water looks reddish. Both the matha and the Deccan Chronicle record the explanation that Narasimha washed the blood from his hands in it. Outlook Traveller (2017) adds the plain observation that the mud on its bed gives the water its colour.

Higher still is the Ugra Sthambam, a cleft in the rock held to be where Narasimha emerged. The matha puts it about an hour's climb beyond Jwala and recommends a guide; the Deccan Chronicle mentions a symbolic iron pillar and the Lord's footprints there, and calls the climb the hardest of the pilgrimage.

The name Jwala ties the shrine to this episode, and the deity stays at the centre of the festival year. On Makara Sankranti, per the Utsav portal, Jwala Narasimha is brought down from Upper to Lower Ahobilam to begin the Paruveta procession through the villages; its ten-armed processional image is kept in the Lower temple. The Deccan Chronicle notes that lighting ghee lamps at this shrine in Karthika is considered especially auspicious.

Where this account comes from

  • Purana: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, Adhyaya 8, vv. 15–29, 34 (tr. on wisdomlib.org) wisdomlib.org
  • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, "Paruveta Utsavam, Ahobilam" event page utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

In one minute

Why Jwala Narasimha, Ahobilam matters

Each line says who it comes from and how settled it is. What the labels mean

  1. Ahobilam tradition places the slaying of Hiranyakashipu at this shrine, the point where Narasimha's anger peaked.

    2 sources for: Ahobilam tradition places the slaying of Hiranyakashipu at this shrine, the poin
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09

  2. The Raktha Kundam pool on the route has reddish water, which tradition explains as Narasimha washing the blood from his hands here.

    3 sources for: The Raktha Kundam pool on the route has reddish water, which tradition explains
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

  3. Jwala Narasimha stands first in the Ahobila Math's mnemonic verse of the nine Narasimhas.

    Source for: Jwala Narasimha stands first in the Ahobila Math's mnemonic verse of the nine Na
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09

  4. Its processional image is one of the two deities carried through the villages each year in the Paruveta Utsavam.

    2 sources for: Its processional image is one of the two deities carried through the villages ea
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, "Paruveta Utsavam, Ahobilam" event page utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Outlook Traveller, "All About The Unique Paruveta Festival In Andhra Pradesh", OT Staff, updated 23 February 2024 outlooktraveller.com · seen 2026-10-09

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Architectural style not yet identified

A cave shrine on Achalachaya Meru hill (Deccan Chronicle 2018). No published architectural study has been found yet.

  • Temple tank

    Raktha Kundam

    The small pool on the way back from the shrine with reddish water, traditionally where Narasimha washed his hands (Ahobila Math; Deccan Chronicle 2018). The matha calls it the most important of Ahobilam's tirthas.

  • Detail

    Ugra Sthambam

    The rock cleft beyond Jwala held to be the pillar Narasimha came from, with a symbolic iron pillar and footprints (Deccan Chronicle 2018). About an hour's further climb; take a guide (Ahobila Math).

  • Detail

    The approach along the Bhavanasini

    The trail follows the Bhavanasini up to the hill, along a narrow ledge past a waterfall (Outlook Traveller 2017).

  • Sacred water

    Raktha Kundam

    Reddish water attributed by tradition to Narasimha washing his hands (Ahobila Math; Deccan Chronicle 2018).

Yatra

Plan your visit

Darshan times

We could not confirm the opening times from the temple’s own notice, so we are not printing any. Please check with the temple office or the devasthanam before you travel.

Before you go

  • No dress code or entry rules have been confirmed for this temple yet. Traditional, modest clothing is always the safe choice; ask at the entrance.

Walking, steps and access

A hard climb. The Ahobila Math describes the route from the Upper Ahobilam temple as a rocky riverbed and narrow path, about 4 km and roughly an hour up, and recommends a guide (about Rs 200 through the guest house). A round trip covering Jwala, Kroda and Malola takes about three hours. Outlook Traveller (2017) notes a narrow ledge and a waterfall on the way, and that trails are hard going in the monsoon. Deccan Chronicle (2018) reported a doli (carried chair) service for Kroda, Malola, Jwala and the Ugra Sthambam at roughly Rs 2,500–3,500, and advised trekking in a large group with an experienced guide. Not suitable for wheelchair users; elderly visitors should plan for a doli or a guide.

Crowds: The deity is carried down to Lower Ahobilam on Makara Sankranti for the Paruveta Utsavam.

Getting there

  • By air: Kadapa Airport · about 120 kmDistance as given by the Ministry of Tourism's Utsav page for the Ahobilam Brahmotsavam. Outlook Traveller (2017) names Hyderabad as the nearest airport; check current services.
  • By train: Nandyal railway station · about 60 kmThe Utsav portal gives Nandyal at about 60 km and also lists Kadapa (about 120 km). The Ahobila Math's guide describes rail access via Kadapa from Chennai and via Kurnool from Hyderabad, then road.
  • By road: AllagaddaThe Utsav portal gives Allagadda at about 23 km; the Ahobila Math's guide gives about 30 km, with local buses to Ahobilam roughly every 45 minutes. Lower and Upper Ahobilam are linked by a ghat road the matha puts at about 12.8 km.

Routes are general guidance and not yet checked against an official source.

PIN 518543 (not yet checked with India Post)

The order of darshan

No published source gives the order in which to visit the shrines here, so we have not invented one. Follow the queue and the temple staff.

Festivals

  • Paruveta Utsavamపారువేట ఉత్సవం

    Jan–Feb · Makara (solar month), begins on Makara Sankranti · 40 days

    Prahladavarada Swamy and Jwala Narasimha Swamy are carried in procession to about 32 villages around Ahobilam over roughly 40–45 days, inviting people to Narasimha's wedding with Chenchu Lakshmi. The Utsav portal records that Chenchus shoot arrows at the palanquin at the temple entrance to mark it as under their protection.

  • Karthika ghee lamps

    Oct–Nov · Kartika

    The Deccan Chronicle reports that lighting ghee lamps at Jwala Narasimha in the month of Karthika is considered especially auspicious.

  • Swathi Thirumanjanam

    monthly, Swati

    A monthly abhishekam for all nine Narasimhas of Ahobilam on the day of the Swati nakshatra. The Ahobila Math notes that devotees travel in from Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore for it and advises booking rooms in advance.

Itihasa

Through time

Two registers, kept apart on purpose: what the Puranas tell, and what the historical record shows. They answer different questions and we do not force them to agree.

In the Puranas and tradition

  1. Hiranyakashipu slain

    Ahobilam tradition places the slaying here; the Bhagavata Purana does not name a place. Neither says in which yuga this happened.

    3 sources for: Hiranyakashipu slain
    • Purana: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, Adhyaya 8, vv. 29 (tr. on wisdomlib.org) wisdomlib.org
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09

In the historical record

No dated history of this temple has been sourced yet — no inscription, survey or study we can cite.

Around here

Worth the detour

  • Temple

    Ahobila (Ugra) Narasimha, Upper Ahobilam

    The main cave shrine of Upper Ahobilam, where the Jwala and Pavana trails begin.

  • Temple

    Kroda (Varaha) Narasimha

    About 1 km from the Upper temple, on the Jwala route.

  • Temple

    Malola Narasimha

    About 2 km from the Upper temple on Vedadri hill, roughly 100 steps up.

  • Temple

    Prahlada Varada (Lakshmi Narasimha) temple, Lower Ahobilam

    The main temple of Lower Ahobilam, with three enclosures, carved pillars and the processional images, including a ten-armed Jwala Narasimha (Ahobila Math). It is not one of the nine.

Also in Nandyal district

Sources

Where this page comes from

  • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, "Paruveta Utsavam, Ahobilam" event page utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Outlook Traveller, "All About The Unique Paruveta Festival In Andhra Pradesh", OT Staff, updated 23 February 2024 outlooktraveller.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Purana: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, Adhyaya 8, vv. 15–29, 34 (tr. on wisdomlib.org) wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, Adhyaya 8, vv. 29 (tr. on wisdomlib.org) wisdomlib.org

Cite this page

Aalaya Katha Foundation, “Jwala Narasimha, Ahobilam”, Aalaya Katha, version last reviewed 2026-10-09. https://www.aalayakatha.com/temple/jwala-narasimha-ahobilam (accessed ).

Last reviewed 2026-10-09. How we label sources and confidence