Karanja Narasimha, Ahobilam

కారంజ నరసింహ స్వామి

Narasimha · Karanja Narasimha

Seated under a karanja tree beneath a cobra hood, holding a discus and a bow

Ghat road below Upper Ahobilam, Ahobilam, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh · Vaishnava tradition

The deity is installed under a karanja tree, which gives the shrine its name.

The story begins: “Most of the Ahobilam shrines take their meaning from the night Narasimha came out of the pillar.”

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Walking and access
Roadside on the ghat road between Lower and Upper Ahobilam, about 1 km short of the Upper temple (Ahobila Math; Outlook Traveller 2017). The matha calls it easy. Reachable by bus, auto or jeep without a trek.
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

Told in: Local tradition as reported by Outlook Traveller (2017); the image as described by the Sri Ahobila Math and the Deccan Chronicle (2018)

The bow under the karanja tree

Most of the Ahobilam shrines take their meaning from the night Narasimha came out of the pillar. Karanja Narasimha, on the ghat road a kilometre below the Upper temple, takes its meaning from a different devotee.

The Ahobila Math describes the deity as installed under a karanja tree, and the Deccan Chronicle (2018) gives the details of the image: a hooded cobra spreads above him as a canopy, and he holds a discus and a bow. The bow — saranga — supplies the shrine's second name, Saranga Narasimha. The Deccan Chronicle records the belief that worship here brings knowledge and wisdom.

Outlook Traveller's 2017 account of the pilgrimage reports the local story behind the bow. Hanuman, whose devotion is to Rama, refused to recognise his Lord in any form other than Rama's. The image that resolves the refusal is the one in this shrine: Narasimha holding the bow that marks Rama.

The published accounts tell the story only in that outline, and it is not filled in here. The episode is not in the Bhagavata's account of Narasimha, and no Purana chapter was found for it; it belongs to the local tradition of the shrine.

What a visitor can see bears it out: a Narasimha with a bow in his hand and a serpent's hood above, under the tree the shrine is named for.

Where this account comes from

  • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • 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 one minute

Why Karanja Narasimha, Ahobilam matters

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

  1. The deity is installed under a karanja tree, which gives the shrine its name.

    2 sources for: The deity is installed under a karanja tree, which gives the shrine its name.
    • 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. He holds a bow; the Deccan Chronicle gives the alternative name Saranga Narasimha from it.

    2 sources for: He holds a bow; the Deccan Chronicle gives the alternative name Saranga Narasimh
    • 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. It stands beside the ghat road about 1 km short of the Upper Ahobilam temple, so it can be reached without a trek.

    2 sources for: It stands beside the ghat road about 1 km short of the Upper Ahobilam temple, so
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Architectural style not yet identified

No published architectural study of the Karanja shrine has been found yet.

  • Sanctum

    The armed image

    Narasimha holding a discus and a bow under a hooded cobra canopy (Deccan Chronicle 2018).

  • Sacred tree

    The karanja tree

    The tree under which the deity is installed and from which the shrine takes its name (Ahobila Math).

  • Sacred tree

    Karanja

    The deity is installed under it (Ahobila Math; Deccan Chronicle 2018). Botanical identification not sourced.

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

Roadside on the ghat road between Lower and Upper Ahobilam, about 1 km short of the Upper temple (Ahobila Math; Outlook Traveller 2017). The matha calls it easy. Reachable by bus, auto or jeep without a trek.

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

  • 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. Hanuman and the bow

    The local origin story reported by Outlook Traveller (2017). No yuga or textual source is given.

    Source for: Hanuman and the bow
    • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.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

    Bhargava Narasimha

    About 2 km from Lower Ahobilam by the Bhargava tirtha; jeep or auto.

  • Temple

    Yogananda Narasimha

    About 2 km south-east of Lower Ahobilam on a paved road.

  • 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

Cite this page

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

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