Ahobilam Nava Narasimha Kshetram
Ahobilam, Allagadda mandal, Nandyal district (Nallamala forest, Eastern Ghats) · Lord Narasimha in nine forms (Nava Narasimha) in the hills, and Prahlada Varada Lakshmi Narasimha at Lower Ahobilam
Nine Narasimha shrines scattered through a forest gorge where the man-lion is said to have burst from the pillar.
Ahobilam, deep in the Nallamala forest of Andhra Pradesh, is believed to be where Narasimha, Vishnu's man-lion avatar, appeared from a pillar to kill the demon-king Hiranyakashipu and save the boy Prahlada. Narasimha is worshipped here in nine forms, the Nava Narasimhas, in shrines spread across a steep gorge and its hills, some reached by road, others only by trekking up stream beds or by jeep. A tenth temple, Prahlada Varada, stands in the village of Lower Ahobilam. The site is one of the 108 Divya Desams praised by the Alvar saints, and the birthplace of the Ahobila Mutt, one of the oldest Sri Vaishnava monasteries.
Timings
- Prahlada Varada temple, Lower Ahobilam: approx. 6:30 AM – 1:00 PM and 3:00 – 8:00 PM (check locally)
- Ahobila Narasimha, Upper Ahobilam: approx. 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:00 – 7:00 PM (some sources say 6:00 PM)
- Karanja Narasimha: approx. 6:00 AM – 12:00 noon and 4:00 – 8:00 PM
- Pavana Narasimha: approx. 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 3:00 – 5:30 PM
- Other hill shrines (Jwala, Malola, Kroda, Bhargava, Yogananda, Chatravata): approx. 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM; daylight only. Priests may not be present all day at remote shrines
- Note: No official timetable is published online; all times are from secondary guides. Confirm at the Malola Guest House (08519 252045 / 252024).
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan at all shrines – Free
- Jeep to Pavana / Bhargava – Check locally – fares are set by local jeep operators (no current official fare found)
- Guide for Jwala and Ugra Stambham – approx. ₹200 (Mutt figure, varies)
- Doli (carried chair) to Upper Ahobilam – approx. ₹4,000 per person (Casual Walker, unofficial)
Sevas and costs
- Swathi Thirumanjanam (all nine Narasimhas) – ₹5,000 for all nine shrines (per the Ahobila Mutt; check current rate) (Every month on Swathi nakshatra)
- Archana – Check at counter (During temple hours)
- Daily Thirumanjanam and Divya Prabandham – Free to witness (Mornings at the main temples)
- Annadanam donation (Annamacharya Nitya Annadanam Trust) – Any amount (running costs over ₹20,000 a month, per the Mutt) (Any day)
- Brahmotsavam (Prahlada Varada, Lower Ahobilam) – Free to attend (10 days in Phalguna, from Shukla Panchami to Purnima (Feb–March); 2027 dates around…)
- Narasimha Jayanti – Free to attend (Vaisakha Shukla Chaturdashi (Apr/May; May 2027, check panchang))
How to book darshan
There is no online darshan or seva system. Rooms at the Mutt's Malola Guest House and the Swathi Thirumanjanam are booked by phone with the guest house manager (08519 252045 / 252024, 94905 15284); online reservation is not available. AP Tourism's Haritha hotel can be booked on the APTDC site. Jeeps, guides and dolis are hired on arrival at Lower Ahobilam.
Visiting Ahobilam (Ahobila Mutt)
Dress code
Traditional dress at the temples (dhoti or trousers with shirt for men, saree or churidar for women). For the treks wear sturdy, quick-drying clothes and shoes with grip; carry a dhoti/saree to change into if you wish, or simply wear modest clothes. Footwear is removed at each shrine.
Best time to visit
November to February (cool and dry). Avoid peak summer (April–June) and heavy-rain days in the monsoon, when the Jwala stream route can be slippery or flooded. Brahmotsavam (Feb–March) and monthly Swathi days are special but crowded.
How to reach
- air: Kadapa airport approx. 100 km; Kurnool (Orvakal) approx. 110 km; Hyderabad approx. 380 km; Bengaluru approx. 350 km.
- rail: Nandyal (about 60–65 km via Allagadda) and Kadapa (about 100 km) are the most convenient stations; Kurnool is about 150 km.
- road: Allagadda on the Kurnool–Kadapa highway is about 24–30 km away; town buses run from Allagadda to Ahobilam roughly every 45 minutes (last bus from Ahobilam about 9:45 PM per the Mutt). Lower to Upper Ahobilam is about 8 km by ghat road; taxis, autos and jeeps are available.
Festivals
- Brahmotsavam – Phalguna Shukla Panchami to Purnima (10 days, Feb–March); 2027 around early-to-mid March (check)
- Narasimha Jayanti – Vaisakha Shuddha Chaturdashi (Apr/May)
- Swathi nakshatra days – Monthly
- Vaikuntha Ekadashi – Dec/Jan (around 20 Dec 2026, approx.)