Chatravata Narasimha, Ahobilam

ఛత్రవట నరసింహ స్వామి

Narasimha · Chatravata Narasimha

Smiling form keeping taala (rhythm), seated under a peepal tree

Near Lower Ahobilam, Ahobilam, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh · Vaishnava tradition

The deity sits under a peepal tree among thorny bushes.

The story begins: “Chatravata Narasimha sits under a peepal tree a few kilometres from Lower Ahobilam.”

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Walking and access
By road from Lower Ahobilam; the Ahobila Math calls it easy and Outlook Traveller (2017) notes a tar road to the site. 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

Told in: The Ahobilam sthala tradition as reported by the Deccan Chronicle (2018) and Outlook Traveller (2017)

Haha and Huhu

Chatravata Narasimha sits under a peepal tree a few kilometres from Lower Ahobilam. The Ahobila Math notes the tree and the thorny bushes around it.

The story attached to the place is about music. The Deccan Chronicle's 2018 account records that the Gandharvas Haha and Huhu — a pair of celestial musicians — pleased the Lord with their music here and received his blessing. Outlook Traveller (2017) gives the same pair as 'Aaha' and 'Oohu'.

The image carries the episode. Outlook Traveller describes a smiling Narasimha keeping taala, the beat, as if listening to a performance. It is a different register from the fierce forms on the hills above.

The tradition is still practised. The Deccan Chronicle reports that musicians often perform before the deity, and that Chatravata Narasimha is believed to grant mastery in music and the fine arts to those who seek it. The shrine sits on the road below the hills with Yogananda and Bhargava, so it is among the easiest of the nine for a visitor to reach.

Where this account comes from

  • 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
  • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09

In one minute

Why Chatravata Narasimha, Ahobilam matters

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

  1. The deity sits under a peepal tree among thorny bushes.

    Source for: The deity sits under a peepal tree among thorny bushes.
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09

  2. Tradition holds that the Gandharvas Haha and Huhu pleased Narasimha with their music here, and musicians still perform before the image.

    2 sources for: Tradition holds that the Gandharvas Haha and Huhu pleased Narasimha with their m
    • 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. The image is described as smiling and keeping taala, the beat of music.

    Source for: The image is described as smiling and keeping taala, the beat of music.
    • 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 Chatravata shrine has been found yet.

  • Sanctum

    The smiling image

    Narasimha smiling and keeping taala with his hand (Outlook Traveller 2017).

  • Sacred tree

    The peepal tree

    The peepal under which the deity sits, among thorny bushes (Ahobila Math).

  • Sacred tree

    Peepal

    Ficus religiosa

    The deity sits under it (Ahobila Math).

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

By road from Lower Ahobilam; the Ahobila Math calls it easy and Outlook Traveller (2017) notes a tar road to the site. Accounts differ on the distance — about 3 km (matha), 2 km south-east (Outlook Traveller 2017) or 4 km (Deccan Chronicle 2018).

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. The Gandharvas sing for Narasimha

    Haha and Huhu please Narasimha with music and are blessed. The accounts give no yuga or textual source.

    2 sources for: The Gandharvas sing for Narasimha
    • 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

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

    Yogananda Narasimha

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

  • Temple

    Bhargava Narasimha

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

  • Temple

    Karanja Narasimha

    Roadside on the ghat road about 1 km short of Upper Ahobilam.

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

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