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Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Mangalagiri

Mangalagiri, Guntur district, near Vijayawada and Amaravati · Lord Narasimha (Vishnu) as Panakala Narasimha Swamy on the hill, and Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at the foot

The Narasimha who drinks half of the jaggery water you offer.

Mangalagiri is a town about 12 km from Vijayawada, with three Narasimha temples. The best known is the small shrine on the hill, where Lord Narasimha is worshipped as Panakala Narasimha Swamy. The idol is self-manifested, covered with a metal face, and only the wide open mouth is visible. Devotees offer panakam (jaggery water), which is poured into the mouth. Half is said to be accepted and the rest flows back as prasadam. At the foot of the hill stands the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple with an 11-storey gopuram.

Timings

Daily rituals

Darshan types and costs

Sevas and costs at Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Mangalagiri

Panakam offering – approx. ₹10 (June 2026 visitor guide; earlier guides say ₹5)

When: 7:30 AM to about 1:00 PM

Jaggery water is poured by the priest into the open mouth of the deity. About half is accepted and the rest is returned as prasadam.

How to book: Buy the ticket at the counter.

Persons allowed: Per offering

It may not be available on festival days.

Sahasranamarchana – approx. ₹200 (visitor guide, confirm)

When: Morning

Worship with the 1,000 names of the Lord.

How to book: Temple counter.

Persons allowed: Per ticket

Price from a third-party guide; confirm at the counter.

Shanti Kalyanam – approx. ₹1,500 (visitor guide, confirm)

When: Time fixed by the priests after you buy the ticket

A ceremonial wedding of the Lord and his consort, performed in your name.

How to book: Temple counter or the Endowments portal.

Persons allowed: Sponsoring couple

Many blogs list ₹1,116, which one guide says is the Tiruvanjanam rate.

Tiruvanjanam – approx. ₹1,116 (visitor guide, confirm)

When: Ekadashi, Swati and Fridays

A ritual bath (abhishekam) of the deity.

How to book: Temple counter.

Persons allowed: Per ticket

Price from a third-party guide; confirm at the counter.

How to book darshan

Darshan is walk-in. Sevas can be bought at the counters. A public guide says some can also be booked on the AP Endowments temples portal; availability varies. The portal's web address is on the Andhra Pradesh government domain tms.ap.gov.in.

AP Endowments Department portal

  1. Walk to the ticket counter at the foot of the hill or at the hill shrine and buy the seva ticket. Carry cash in case UPI does not work.
  2. Give the names and gotra of the devotees for sevas such as Kalyanam.
  3. If using the portal, check that the web address ends in .gov.in. Avoid third-party booking sites.

Booking safely

Buy sevas at the temple counter or on the .gov.in portal.

Prasadam and offerings

Dress code

Modest, traditional clothes. A visitor guide says the dress code is not strictly enforced. Footwear stays outside the sanctum.

Temple etiquette

Why it matters

Panakam is the central offering. The priest pours the jaggery water into the deity's open mouth. The remaining half flows back to be given to devotees.

The hill temple is open only until the afternoon. Devotees believe the gods and sages worship the Lord in the evenings, so there is no archana in the evenings.

Brahmotsavams in February or March, Sri Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Narasimha Jayanti and Vaikuntha Ekadashi are the main festival days.

Legends

Yudhishthira and the lower temple

The Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at the foot of the hill is said to have been founded by Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava.

History

1520 and 1538: Inscriptions

A stone pillar near the foot of the steps carries Telugu inscriptions dated 1520, and another stone near the Garudalvar temple records grants from 1538 (Wikipedia).

1807–1809: Lower gopuram

The tall gopuram at the foot of the hill was erected by Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu.

2004: Ghat road

A ghat road was built in 2004 so pilgrims can reach the hilltop shrine more easily, besides the stairway.

Architecture

The lower temple's gopuram is about 153 feet and 11 storeys, with sculptures, built in 1807–1809.

A stairway climbs to the hill shrine. The hill temple is small and plain, with the mouth of the deity as the focus.

What to see

How to cover the temple

The usual plan is to go up to the hill shrine in the morning, offer panakam, then come down to the Lakshmi Narasimha temple at the foot of the hill. Allow two to three hours.

  1. Go up the hill: Climb the stairway or take the ghat road to the Panakala Narasimha shrine. It opens at 7:00 AM.
  2. Panakala Narasimha Swamy: See the self-manifested deity with the metal face and the open mouth.
  3. Panakam: Buy the panakam ticket. The priest pours the jaggery water into the mouth. About half is accepted and the rest flows back as prasadam.
  4. Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple: Worship at the lower temple with its 11-storey gopuram.

Customs and traditions

Panakam offering

Jaggery water is poured into the open mouth of the deity. About half is accepted and the rest flows back.

It is the signature ritual of the shrine and is regarded as the Lord's acceptance of the offering.

Buy the ticket at the counter (approx. ₹10 in a June 2026 guide). It runs from about 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM. It may not be available on festival days.

No evening worship at the hill shrine

The hill temple closes in the afternoon.

Devotees believe that gods and sages worship the Lord in the evenings.

Plan your visit for the morning.

For elders and differently-abled visitors

Access: Moderate. The hill shrine can be reached by a ghat road, so elders need not climb the steep steps. The shrine closes by about 3:00 PM and gets hot, so go in the morning.

Waiting time

approx. under an hour on weekdays.

Brahmotsavams (February–March), Narasimha Jayanti and Vaikuntha Ekadashi.

Best time to visit

Early morning, October to February. The Brahmotsavam in February–March brings lakhs of devotees.

Festivals

Brahmotsavams (February–March)

Draw lakhs of devotees (a visitor guide).

Narasimha Jayanti, Sri Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Through the year)

Celebrated on a grand scale.

How to reach Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Mangalagiri

Road safety

Mangalagiri is a town on the Vijayawada–Guntur road, about 12 km from Vijayawada. The hill shrine can be reached by a steep stairway or by a ghat road built in 2004. Heat and traffic are the main problems.

A short, steep stairway or a ghat road climbs from the town to the hill shrine. The Lakshmi Narasimha temple is at the foot of the hill in the town.

Full road-safety guide

Where to stay

Most visitors stay in Vijayawada or Guntur. Ask the Endowments office whether temple rooms are available.

Suggested plan

Half-day plan

Tips

Frequently asked questions

Is it true the deity drinks half the panakam?

That is the belief and the reported experience. About half is accepted and the rest flows back as prasadam.

Why does the hill shrine close in the afternoon?

Devotees believe the gods and sages worship the Lord in the evenings, so the temple is open only until the afternoon.

Temples nearby

More Narasimha temples

All Narasimha temples

Managed by

Official website: tms.ap.gov.in

Sources

Last checked: 2026-10. Timings and fees change – confirm with the temple before you travel.