The forest shrine of the Chenchus
Pavana Narasimha is the last name in the Ahobila Math's list of nine, and the Deccan Chronicle places it deep in the Nallamala forest. The matha places it on the bank of the Pavana river, about 6 km from the Upper Ahobilam temple, and names the shrine after the river. Outlook Traveller (2017) and the Deccan Chronicle (2018) both give about 7 km.
The image, per the Deccan Chronicle, is a Lakshmi Narasimha — Narasimha with his consort — sheltered by Adisesha, the serpent on whom Vishnu rests.
The consort matters here more than at most of the nine. Ahobilam's tradition, as the matha records it, holds that Lakshmi was born among the Chenchus, the hunters of these hills, and married Narasimha. Outlook Traveller's 2017 report found the Pavana shrine in the keeping of Chenchu custodians, with worship following Chenchu custom in honour of Chenchu Lakshmi. It describes the rites as Shakta and reports that animal sacrifices were routine at the time of writing. That account is given here as reported, without judgement.
The road to the shrine passes through the same Chenchu country. Outlook Traveller describes dense forest and Chenchu settlements along the way, and calls it the most difficult of the treks.
Of the nine, it is the shrine where the published accounts describe Chenchu custodians in charge — the forest people of the Chenchu Lakshmi story as hosts, not only as guests at a festival.
Where this account 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