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144-548: Simhadri may refer to: Simhadri or Simhachalam , a temple and town in Andhra Pradesh India, considered an abode of the god Vishnu Simhachalam Hill Range , the hill range containing the town Simhachalam bus station Simhachalam railway station Simhadri Express , an Indian passenger train Arts and entertainment [ edit ] Films Simhadri (1996 film) ,
288-457: A "mark, sign, emblem, characteristic," the "evidence, proof, symptom" of God and God's power. The lingam of the Shaivism tradition is a short cylindrical pillar-like symbol of Shiva, made of stone, metal, gem, wood, clay or precious stones. It is often represented within a disc-shaped platform, the yoni – its feminine counterpart, consisting of a flat element, horizontal compared to
432-588: A 1996 Kannada film directed by Raj Kishor Simhadriya Simha , 2002 Telugu film Simhadri (2003 film) , a 2003 Telugu film directed by S. S. Rajamouli Simhachalam (film) , a 2003 Telugu film Simhadri (2014 film) , a 2014 Kannada film directed by Shivamani Others Simhadri Narasimha Satakam , a poetry collection written Gogulapati Kurmanatha Kavi People [ edit ] Simhadri Satyanarayana Rao , an Indian politician Y. C. Simhadri , former Vice Chancellor of Andhra University Other uses [ edit ] Simhadripuram ,
576-615: A Jayastambha (pillar of victory) at Simhachalam. He gifted ornaments to the deity for the merit of his parents. His wives Tirumala Devi and Chinnamma Devi also gifted ornaments. The Tuluva kings supported the perpetuation of the property of Simhachalam up to 16th century CE. After the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire, the Muslim states of Deccan asserted independence. The Qutb Shahi dynasty began its rule with Golkonda as their capital. A solitary inscription dated 1604 CE records gifting
720-508: A boon. He saw Urvasi , an apsara at the Kailasa mountain and both fell in love. They visited Simhachalam and settled here for a while. Urvasi recollected a dream and located the idol. Pururava performed penance at Gangadhara for the same. They unearthed the idol and consecrated it after renovation. Despite his best efforts, Pururava could not find the idol's feet. A divine voice consoled him, saying that he need not worry about that, adding that
864-432: A chain of emeralds, a 100-tola gold bracelet, and a golden crown. A number of sub shrines are housed inside the temple complex. Two of them are dedicated to Andal , one of the 12 Alvars and Lakshmi, the consort of the principal deity. The latter is housed in a small room located near the north western wall; it served as a cell of the temple's treasury in the past. Lakshmi is referred to as Simhavalli Thayar, and her idol
1008-563: A culture that had become too feminine and dissolute. To the Hindus, particularly the Shaivites , these icons and ideas were the abstract, a symbol of the entirety of creation and spirituality. The colonial disparagement in part triggered the opposite reaction from Bengali nationalists, who more explicitly valorised the feminine. Swami Vivekananda called for the revival of the Mother Goddess as
1152-482: A debate at the Puri Jagannath temple , Vaishnavite saint and philosopher Ramanuja visited Srikurmam and Simhachalam temples. Simhachalam's deity was believed to be Shiva due to some reasons. The notable ones were the unusual position of the deity's idol, the gate at the lower terrain named Bhairava Dwaram, and the second temple tank being referred to with the name Gangadhara. The annual celebration of Kamadahana,
1296-504: A disposable material ( kshanika ). The construction method, proportions and design is described in Shaiva Agama texts. The lingam is typically set in the center of a pindika (also called yoni or pithas, symbolizing Shakti). A pindika may be circular, square, octagonal, hexagonal, duodecagonal, sixteen sided, elliptical, triangular or another shape. Some lingams are miniaturized and they are carried on one's person, such as by Lingayats in
1440-416: A feminine force, inviting his countrymen to "proclaim her to all the world with the voice of peace and benediction". According to Doniger, the terms lingam and yoni became explicitly associated with human sexual organs in the western imagination after the widely popular first Kamasutra translation by Sir Richard Burton in 1883. In his translation, even though the original Sanskrit text does not use
1584-420: A figure of Lakulisha , the ascetic manifestation of Shiva , carved on the front, holding an antelope and axe in his hands. He stands on top of a Apasmara (demon) dwarf , who symbolizes spiritual ignorance, greed, sensual desires or Kama and nonsensical speech on the spiritual path, hence must be subdued in spiritual pursuits. In this earliest representation, the phallic representation illustrates
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#17329208039231728-506: A linga. Another Indus stamp seal often called the Pashupati seal , states Doniger, has an image with a general resemblance with Shiva and "the Indus people may well have created the symbolism of the divine phallus", but given the available evidence we cannot be certain, nor do we know that it had the same meaning as some currently project them to might have meant. The word lingam is not found in
1872-560: A lingam, is still in worship in the Parashurameshwara temple, Gudimallam , in a hilly forest about 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh . It has been dated to the 3rd-century BCE, or to the 2nd century BCE, and is mostly accepted to be from the 3rd- to 1st-century BCE, though some later dates have been proposed. The stone lingam is clearly a representation of an anatomically accurate phallus , with
2016-418: A necklace. These are called chala-lingams . The Hindu temple design manuals recommend geometric ratios for the linga, the sanctum and the various architectural features of the temple according to certain mathematical rules it considers perfect and sacred. Anthropologist Christopher John Fuller states that although most sculpted images ( murtis ) are anthropomorphic or theriomorphic, the aniconic Shiva Linga
2160-618: A new temple. The present temple was built under the Ganga ruler's guidance. Narahari Tirtha , a Dvaita philosopher and Eastern Ganga minister converted the Simhachalam temple into an educational establishment of renown and a religious centre for Vaishnavism . It later received patronage from many royal families, of which Suryavamshi Gajapati Dynasty of Odisha and Tuluva dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire are notable. The temple underwent 40 years of religious inactivity from 1564 to 1604 CE. In 1949,
2304-673: A number of sub-shrines and a few mandapams. The religious practices and customs of the temple are formulated by the Vaishnavite philosopher Ramanuja . They are modelled based on the Satvata Samhita , one of the 108 texts of the Pancharatra Agama . Simhachalam is the second-largest temple, after Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, in terms of income earned. Devotees believe that the deity is capable of giving progeny to women and fulfilling
2448-414: A pillar in the evening of this day to save Prahlada, the celebrations are held in the twilight. An inscription dated 1287 CE recorded the arrangements made by Raghavanayaka and his grandson for the food offerings to the deity for this day. Another one dated 1356 CE notes a donation of 20 ganda madas on Vaisakha Suddha Chaturdasi for food offerings. The celebrations commence at around 6:00 pm. Most of
2592-477: A ratha (temple car) pulled by devotees. This event is known as Rathotsava. The deities enter the marriage hall at around 10:00 pm and the marriage of Varaha Narasimha and his consorts is performed. From the 12th day, the daily worship is performed in the usual day. Religious discourses on sacred Hindu texts take place in the morning. In the night, musical, recital and other similar entertainment activities are performed by scholars. The next day, priests invoke
2736-461: A sunset. It is said that asuras were born to them as a result of their union at the time of dusk, which was said to be an inauspicious time for such a deed. To tease lord Brahma and other gods, Hiranyaksha ensured that earth loses its vitality and sinks into the rasatala , the lowest level in the cosmic universe. Vishnu assumed the form of a boar referred to as Varaha and restored earth to its normal position. Varaha later killed Hiranyaksha in
2880-507: A time governed by the Suryamaana (sun-centric) system followed in Tamil Nadu, unlike that of Andhra Pradesh which follows Chaandramaana (lunar-centric) system. Kalyanotsava (celestial marriage) and Chandanotsava (sandalwood festival) are the two most important annual utsavas celebrated in the temple among others. Kalyanotsava, the annual celestial marriage of Varaha Narasimha, is celebrated on
3024-509: A tradition usually observed in Shiva's temples, was practiced here which added strength to the beliefs. Ramanuja argued that the idol of Varaha Narasimha is in a posture in accordance with the Pancharatra Agama rules. He added that Kamadahana is celebrated here for the temple's purification as per the Sishtachara traditions. Ramanuja pointed out that Shiva's manifestation Bhairava is neither
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#17329208039233168-520: A village and a mandal in Kadapa district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant , a coal-fired thermal power plant located south of Visakhapatnam city, in Andhra Pradesh Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Simhadri . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
3312-432: A war that lasted for thousand years. Hiranyakashipu vowed to seek revenge and prayed to Brahma. He gained a boon which made him invulnerable to death either by day or night, either in the morning or the night, and either by a human or a beast. When the gods headed by Brahma visited Vaikuntham to tell an account of the happenings to Vishnu, a guardian named Sumukha obstructed them. They manage to meet Vishnu and also convey
3456-520: Is a Hindu temple situated on the Simhachalam Hill Range ,which is 300 metres above the sea level in the city of Visakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh , India. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu , who is worshipped there as Varaha Narasimha . As per the temple's legend, Vishnu manifested in this form (lion's head and human body) after saving his devotee Prahlada from a murder attempt by the latter's father Hiranyakashipu . Except on Akshaya Trutiya ,
3600-506: Is a donation of Eastern Ganga Dynasty king Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of Kalinga who conquered Utkala ( Odisha ) and ruled from Ganga to Godavari. After an offering of private individual, this is the first Royal donation to the old temple of Simhachalam in 11th-century CE. In the later half of the 13th century, the temple complex underwent radical physical changes during the reign of the Eastern Ganga king Narasingha Deva I who built
3744-411: Is an important exception. The lingam is conceptualized both as an emblem of generative and destructive power, particularly in the esoteric Kaula and Tantra practices, as well as the Shaivism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The lingam and yoni together symbolize the merging of microcosmos and macrocosmos , the divine eternal process of creation and regeneration, and the union of
3888-518: Is applied. The sandalwood paste that covers the deity is removed early in the morning at 4:00 am. The prayers and abhisheka are completed by 6:00 am after which the devotees are allowed to enter the sanctum to see the original form of the deity's idol. The evening ritual begins with a number of bathing services to the moolavar; the prominent ones are Chandanabhisheka (abhisheka with water mixed with sandalwood powder) and Sahasrakalasabhisheka (abhisheka with water from thousand metal pots). All
4032-456: Is celebrated as Navaratrotsava (Festival of nine nights) with Vijayadashami being the last day. These occur in the month of Ashvin and are conducted for the glory of the principal goddess Lakshmi. For the first nine days of the month, special rituals are carried out in Lakshmi's shrine in the temple. The utsava idol of the goddess, referred to as Chaturbhuja Thayar, is taken round the temple and
4176-452: Is covered with sandalwood paste imported from Srivilliputhur , Tamil Nadu. After application of the sandalwood paste, the moolavar resembles a four feet tall Shiva Lingam. There is enough space for the devotees to offer pradakshinas (circumambulations) to the deity inside the Prahlada mandapa. There are only four main ornaments used in the temple: a Thirunamam made of diamonds and rubies,
4320-468: Is formless. According to Sivananda Saraswati , the lingam speaks unmistakable language of silence: "I am one without a second, I am formless". It is only the outward symbol of formless being, Shiva, who is eternal , ever-pure, immortal essence of this vast universe, who is your innermost Self or Atman , and who is identical with the Supreme Brahman , states Sivananda Saraswati. To some Shaivites
4464-457: Is in a lotus position with four hands. The fore arms display abhayamudra and varadamudra , and the rear arms hold a pair of lotus flowers. The remaining eleven Alvars are accommodated in separate rooms. Sub-temples are dedicated to Ramanuja, Manavala Mamunigal and Vishvaksena inside the main complex. The staff of the temple is divided into three groups: the ones involved in religious duties, those who help in preparations for worship, and
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4608-472: Is kept in a separate hall named Prahlada mandapa. In its original form, the idol of Varaha Narasimha is two and a half feet tall. The deity stands in a tribhanga posture with a boar's head, a human torso and a lion's tail. On either side of the deity, the idols of Sridevi and Bhudevi holding lotus flowers are seen. The sculpture of Varaha Narasimha has no ornaments and drapery carved on the body. Its limbs and face are disfigured due to vandalism. The moolavar
4752-528: Is kept on the left thigh, and the rear arms hold a weapon and a conch. On the northern wall, a sculpture of Varaha is seen, which is similar to the ones found in the Belur Chennakeshava and Hoysaleswara temples. Krishna's images are found above these two sculptures. The southern wall depicts a scene of Kalinga Marthana and the northern wall has an image of Krishna lifting the Govardhan Hill . In
4896-510: Is offered to the deity. The pilgrims are not allowed to visit the sanctum for the next half an hour. Rajabhoga consists of cooked rice, dal , soup, cooked vegetables, ghee and curd. Another half an hour break is given to the deity at 2:30 pm. Devotees are then allowed to visit the sanctum up to 7:00 pm. In the evening worship, which begins at 6:00 pm, begins with the Divviti Salam (salute with torches) ceremony. Two men go round
5040-529: Is one of the important utsavas conducted in the temple. Linga Saiddhantika Non - Saiddhantika A lingam ( Sanskrit : लिङ्ग IAST : liṅga , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga , is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism . The word lingam is found in the Upanishads and epic literature , where it means
5184-473: Is performed; priests offer jaggery and coconut after which the mangala harathi (incense) is provided to the deity. Devotees are allowed to visit the sanctum sanctorum from 6:30 am for the next five hours. The actual worship continues up to 8:00 am which consists of shodasha upachara (sixteen services). Abhisheka (anointment) is performed to the Yogananda Narasimha idol. The last phase of
5328-458: Is persuasive evidence in later Sanskrit literature that the early Indians associated the lingam icon with the male sexual organ; the 11th-century Kashmir text Narmamala by Kshemendra on satire and fiction writing explains his ideas on parallelism with divine lingam and human lingam in a sexual context. Various Shaiva texts, such as the Skanda Purana in section 1.8 states that all creatures have
5472-431: Is placed on a seat in the assembly hall. Sri Sukta is read aloud while performing a sacred bath to the deity. This is then followed by Pushpapuja (flower worship) and final offering. On the last day, Shami tree ( prosopis cineraria ) is worshipped and the deity is taken around the village on the hill. Elephant vehicle is used for the same and it marks the end of the celebrations. Kamadahana (Burning of desire) occurs on
5616-555: Is referred to as the Varaha Pushkarini. They are similar to the ones found in the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple . In addition, there are three natural springs named Akashadhara, Chakradhara, and Madhavadhara. At the foot of the hill, two gardens are available where festivals are celebrated. Simhachalam temple resembles a fortress from outside with three prakarams (outer courtyards) and five gateways. Majority of
5760-620: Is shown that the said Skambha is put in place of the eternal Brahman . Just as the Yajna (sacrificial) fire, its smoke, ashes, and flames, the Soma plant, and the ox that used to carry on its back the wood for the Vedic sacrifice gave place to the conceptions of the brightness of Shiva's body, his tawny matted hair, his blue throat, and the riding on the bull of the Shiva, the Yupa-Skambha gave place in time to
5904-443: Is situated on the top of the northern side of the hill in an amphitheatre like structure. The height of the temple is nearly 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above the sea level. A natural valley is seen running along the north western slope of the hill, which covers almost half of its height. The hill range, cut into terraces, was used later to cultivate large plantations of pineapple, jack fruit, and Banana. A small village grew around
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6048-471: Is the gross body (sthūla śarīra), or concrete reality as it appears to the sense organs. In between the Ultimate and concrete reality is Prakṛti , also called Pradhana which is the imperceptible substratum of the manifest world or pre-matter. Out of this imperceptible cosmic substance, all things have come out, and to which they will return ultimately. The Gudimallam Lingam , one of the oldest examples of
6192-539: Is the liūga of the thing. The insight of the Shvetashvatara Upanishad conveyed through the word liūga is formulated explicitly in Samkhya and schools of Yoga or ways of looking at things , that is, looking at their appearance and at Ultimate Reality. Liriga here denotes the subtle body , (liṇga śarīra) underlying and ontologically preceding anything perceptible. The perceptible state, in this context,
6336-414: Is the head priest. Equivalent to Sthanacharya, the head priest has the additional responsibility of decorating the deity with ornaments on important occasions. The priests of the sub-temples and shrines are called Nambyas or Samardhaka Brahmins. Paricharakas assist the archakas by performing tasks such as cleaning vessels required for rituals, bringing water to the kitchen, and collecting items required for
6480-484: Is the smoke. It is a religious symbol in Hinduism representing Shiva as the generative power, all of existence, all creativity and fertility at every cosmic level. In early Sanskrit medical texts, linga means "symptom, signs" and plays a key role in the diagnosis of a sickness, the disease. The author of classical Sanskrit grammar treatise, Panini, states that the verbal root ling which means "paint, variegate", has
6624-414: Is then placed on the swing and are moved to and fro in a ceremonial way. The Kamadahana ceremony begins at 8:00 pm at a small hut built near the entrance of the temple. The hut houses the deity as the priests conduct a fire ritual. They offer sacrifices in an elaborate manner to burn every aspect of desire. The hut is then burnt, symbolically representing the annihilation of Kama (desire). This ceremony
6768-522: Is used in Shvetashvatara Upanishad , which says "Shiva, the Supreme Lord, has no liūga", liuga ( Sanskrit : लिऊग IAST : liūga ) meaning he is transcendental, beyond any characteristic and, specifically, the sign of gender. The term also appears in early Indian texts on logic, where an inference is based on a sign (linga), such as "if there is smoke, there is fire" where the linga
6912-456: Is wrong; the lingam is only the external symbol of Shiva's formless being. He further states that it is the light or power of consciousness, manifesting from Sadashiva . The popular belief is that the Siva Lingam represents the phallus or the virile organ, the emblem of the generative power or principle in nature. This is not only a serious mistake but a grave blunder. In the post-Vedic period,
7056-635: The Rigveda , or the other Vedas. However, Rudra (proto-Shiva) is found in the Vedic literature. Worship of the lingam was not a part of the Vedic religion . The worship of the lingam originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva Veda Samhita sung in praise of the Yupa-Stambha , the sacrificial post. In that hymn, a description is found of the beginningless and endless Stambha or Skambha , and it
7200-454: The Four Kumaras , who were the mind-born sons of Lord Brahma, visited lord Vishnu 's abode Vaikuntha as children. Jaya-Vijaya , the demigod gatekeepers of Vaikuntha, failed to recognise them and denied their entry. In resentment, they cursed the duo stating that they would have to give up divinity, born and live the lives of mortal beings on earth. Vishnu failed to revoke the curse of
7344-606: The Harappan sites , objects that resemble "lingam" have been found. That includes "a seated trident-headed ithyphallic figure", which was found on Indus seals, "has been compared to Shiva as meditating ascetic ", states Srinivasan. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, while Harappan discoveries include "short cylindrical pillars with rounded tops", there is no evidence that the people of Indus Valley Civilization worshipped these artifacts as lingams. Scholars such as Arthur Llewellyn Basham dispute whether such artifacts discovered at
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#17329208039237488-569: The Indus Valley civilisation . According to Chakravarti, "some of the stones found in Mohenjodaro are unmistakably phallic stones". These are dated to some time before 2300 BCE. Similarly, states Chakravarti, the Kalibangan site of Harappa has a small terracotta representation that "would undoubtedly be considered the replica of a modern Shivlinga [a tubular stone]." According to Srinivasan, in
7632-692: The Purva Mimamsa Sutra and the Vedanta sutra , as well as the commentaries on them, the term linga appears quite often, particularly in the form of "lingadarsanacca" as a form of citing or referencing prior Hindu literature. This phrase connotes "[we have found an] indicative sign", such as the "indicative sign is in a Vedic passage". The term linga also appears in Buddhist and Jaina literature, where it means "sign, evidence" in one context, or "subtle body" with sexual connotations in another. The lingam of
7776-478: The Rigveda , Samaveda , and Yajurveda . In the medieval period, a group of sanis or devadasis used to perform four important tasks: performing dance and music, singing mangalagitas and namasankirtanas , waving fly-whisks to the deity, and cleaning and decorating the temple's premises. They were looked upon with respect as the temple's dancers. Women were either gifted as sanis or voluntarily dedicated themselves for
7920-488: The Shaivism tradition is a short cylindrical pillar-like symbol of Shiva, made of stone, metal, gem, wood, clay or precious stones. Various styles of lingam iconography are found on the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. The historic lingam iconography has included: A lingam may be made of clay ( mrinmaya ), metal ( lohaja ), precious stone ( ratnaja ), wood ( daruja ), stone ( sailaja , most common), or
8064-583: The Shiva-Linga . In the text Linga Purana , the same hymn is expanded in the shape of stories, meant to establish the glory of the great Stambha and the superiority of Shiva as Mahadeva. There is a hymn in the Atharvaveda that praises a pillar ( stambha ), and this is one possible origin of linga worship. According to Swami Vivekananda, the Shiva-linga had origins in the idea of Yupa-Stambha or Skambha of
8208-516: The Upanishads and epic literature , where it means a "mark, sign, emblem, characteristic". Other contextual meanings of the term include "evidence, proof, symptom" of God and God's power. The word lingam is found in Sanskrit texts , such as Shvetashvatara Upanishad , Samkhya , Vaisheshika and others texts with the meaning of "evidence" of God and God's existence, or existence of formless Brahman . The original meaning of lingam as "sign"
8352-516: The Vishnu Samhita , a temple facing west signifies victory unlike the east ones which denotes prosperity. It is believed that the Gangadhara's flow from the east to the west might be a reason why the temple faces west. A prakaram covers the entire temple with two gateways on the northern and western sides. The temple has a five-tier rajagopuram (main tower) on the western gateway. Devotees enter
8496-448: The lingam symbolizes the axis of the universe . According to Shaiva Siddhanta , the linga is the ideal substrate in which the worshipper should install and worship the five-faced and ten-armed Sadāśiva, the form of Shiva who is the focal divinity of that school of Shaivism. Scholars, such as Wendy Doniger and Rohit Dasgupta , view linga as extrapolations of what was originally a phallic symbol. According to Doniger, there
8640-488: The 108 texts of the Pancharatra Agama . There are five metallic idols associated with the deity which serve as the substitute of the moolavar for certain practices. Yogananda Narasimha is the snapana bera (bathing idol), Govindaraja is the utsava bera (festival idol), and Sudarshana Chakra is the bali bera (guardian idol). Madanagopala and Venugopala, two forms of Krishna, are the kautuka bera (representative idol) and
8784-506: The 11th day of the first quarter of the Indian lunar Chaitra month. This utsava is celebrated for five days. This utsava is not mentioned in any inscriptions of the temple. However, an inscription dated 1401 CE records the gift of a flag staff named the Garudaroha Kamba for celebrating the Divya mahotsavas (sacred key festivals). The gift was made on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of
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#17329208039238928-555: The Chaitra month. For the same reason, Kalyanotsava is considered as the mahotsava of Simhachalam. Also, the principal items used for mahotsavas in other South Indian Hindu temples are utilised for this marriage event. The Kalyanotsava begins with hoisting of the Garudadhwaja (flag of Garuda). Kalyanotsava resembles the weddings seen in Hindu families. The procedure of this utsava consists of
9072-631: The Christian missionaries and the British era, states Doniger, stripped all spiritual meanings and insisted on the Victorian vulgar interpretation only, which had "a negative effect on the self-perception that Hindus had of their own bodies" and they became "ashamed of the more sensual aspects of their own religious literature". Some contemporary Hindus, states Doniger, in their passion to spiritualize Hinduism and for their Hindutva campaign have sought to sanitize
9216-486: The Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Chennai . The Sthala Purana (local legend) of Simhachalam consists of 32 chapters; the number denotes the manifestations of Narasimha. According to Dr. V. C. Krishnamacharyulu, the legends of Simhachalam and other Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh were written in the 14th century after the attempted establishment of Islam in the region. He added that
9360-478: The Harappan sites. The "finely polished circular stand" found by Mackay may be yoni although it was found without the linga. The absence of linga, states Parpola, maybe because it was made from wood which did not survive. Indologist Wendy Doniger rejects Srinivasan's interpretation, and states that this relatively rare artifact can be interpreted in many ways and has unduly been used for wild speculations such as being
9504-564: The Indian subcontinent, the most significant being one in Kashi ( Varanasi ) followed by Prayaga, Naimisha and Gaya. The colonial-era archaeologists John Marshall and Ernest Mackay proposed that certain artifacts found at Harappan sites may be evidence of yoni-linga worship in Indus Valley Civilization. Jones and Ryan state that lingam/yoni shapes have been recovered from the archaeological sites at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro , part of
9648-554: The Kumaras and felt sorry. He later offered two solutions: either being Vishnu's devotees in seven human lives or his enemies in three demonic lives. Jaya-Vijaya could not bear separation with Vishnu for a long time and chose the second possibility. In their first demonic lives during the Satya Yuga , Jaya-Vijaya were born as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha to sage Kashyapa and Diti (a daughter of Daksha ) in an inauspicious time during
9792-451: The Linga has become symbolic of the generative power of Lord Siva. Linga is the differentiating mark. It is certainly not the sex mark. The traditional lingam rituals in major Shiva temples includes offerings of flowers, grass, dried rice, fruits, leaves, water and a milk bath. Priests chant hymns, while the devotees go to the sanctum for a darshana followed by a clockwise circumambulation of
9936-512: The Shaiva philosophical texts and spiritual interpretations, "deny that the linga is a phallus." To the Shaivites, a linga is neither a phallus nor do they practice the worship of erotic penis-vulva, rather the linga-yoni is a symbol of cosmic mysteries, the creative powers and the metaphor for the spiritual truths of their faith. According to Swami Sivananda , the correlation of the linga and phallus
10080-421: The Vedic rituals, where the term meant the sacrificial post which was then idealized as the eternal Brahman . The Yupa-Skambha gave place in time to the Shiva-Linga , quite possibly with influence from Buddhism's stupa shaped like the top of a stone linga, according to Vivekananda. Shvetashvatara Upanishad states that, of the three significations of Lingam , the primary one is " the imperishable Purusha ",
10224-549: The absolute reality , whereby the linga is "sign", a mark that provides the existence of Brahman , which is itself formless. Furthermore, it mentioned that Shiva is transcendent, beyond any characteristic or liūga , specifically the sign of gender. Linga, "sign", not only signifies the existence of perceptible "things" but also denotes the imperceptible essence of "a thing" or pieces of Brahman called Atma even before that thing has come to exist in any concrete form. The imperceptible essence of "a thing", in its potentiality,
10368-584: The administration and supervision related personnel. The Parikshagar and the Sthanapati (or Sthanacharya) were the biggest dignitaries of the temple. These two posts were held by the family members of the Tirumala Peddinti family. At a later point, due to reluctance of the family members, the office of the Sthanapati was merged with that of the Parikshagar. The main duty of a Parikshagar was to ensure that all
10512-525: The archaeological sites of Indus Valley sites are yoni. According to the Indologist Asko Parpola , "it is true that Marshall's and Mackay's hypotheses of linga and yoni worship by the Harappans has rested on rather slender grounds, and that for instance, the interpretation of the so-called ring-stones as yonis seems untenable". He quotes Dales 1984 paper, which states "with the single exception of
10656-464: The base of the vimana bear lion statuettes symbolising Narasimha. On the eastern face of the vimana, images of Indra and Gajalakshmi are found. A gold plated dome with a Vaishnavite symbol caps the vimana. On the southern wall of the sanctorum, a sculpture of Narasimha killing Hiranyakashipu in Prahlada's presence is present. Narasimha is seen in a standing posture, a unique feature of the temple's architecture. The fore arms lay on Hiranyakashipu whose
10800-463: The bust of a male with his left hand holding a vase and the right hand in the abhaya (no-fear) mudra. The pillar itself is, once again, a realistic depiction of phallus but neither symbolizes fertility nor sexuality, but the refined energetic principles of Urdhva Retas during Sannyasa or Asceticism . The Mathura archaeological site has revealed similar lingams, with a standing Shiva in front (2nd century CE) and with one or four faces around
10944-587: The centrality of the energetic principle of Urdhva Retas ( Sanskrit : ऊर्ध्वरेतस् IAST : Ūrdhvaretas , lit. "ascent of vital energies or fluid") the upward flow of energy in spiritual pursuits and practice of celibacy ( Brahmacarya ), contrary to fertility or release of vital energies. Lakulisa as an ascetic manifestation of Shiva is seen in later peninsular Indian scriptures whose ithyphallic aspects connotes asceticism and conserved procreative potentialities ( Brahmacarya or celibacy ), rather than mere eroticism . According to Stella Kramrisch,
11088-516: The command of Narasingha Deva I . Simhachalam is one of the 32 Narasimha temples in Andhra Pradesh which are important pilgrimage centres. It was regarded as an important centre of Vaishnavism in the medieval period along with Srikurmam and Jagannath Temple , Puri . The earliest inscription at the temple belongs to 11th-century CE recording the gift by a private individual in the era of Chola Chalukya king Kulottunga Chola, son of Raja Raja Narendra of Rajamahendravaram. The second earliest inscription
11232-571: The construction. The thirty two manifestations of Narasimha, including the temple's deity, are carved on the pillars of the Kalyana mandapa. In the Mukha mandapa (main hall), there is a pillar named Kappam Stambham which is believed to have curative powers. It is consecrated using the Santana Venugopalaswamy Yantra and is known to grant unfulfilled wishes. The moolavirat of Varaha Narasimha
11376-565: The contributions made by the kings, their officers, and the citizens. Majority of the inscriptions are bilingual, written in Sanskrit and Telugu languages. While some are exclusively in Sanskrit, there are 46 Odia and three Tamil language inscriptions. As per the common acceptance of historians, Simhachalam temple has been recognised in the 11th century CE due to an inscription by the Chola king Kulottunga I . The earliest inscription discovered in
11520-526: The daily and special rituals were being conducted in accordance with the injunctions of the past. On the other hand, the Sthanapati used to initiate every proceeding on the temple and served as the representative of the trustees. At present, the temple is maintained and administered by the Simhachalam Devasthanam board, which is under the purview of the Government of Andhra Pradesh . The priests of
11664-471: The death of the demon Holika . The importance given to this festival shows the influence of Orissan culture in Simhachalam. Dolotsava starts in the afternoon as the deity's utsava idol is brought to the garden located at the foot of the hill. The deity is made to occupy a special seat and red powder is sprinkled on him as the priests chant the hymns. This procedure is referred to as Churnotsavam. The deity
11808-465: The deity can provide salvation in its current form. Urvasi was instructed in the dream that the idol of Varaha Narasimha should be covered with sandalwood paste for the whole year except on the third day of the Vaisakha month. This custom is practiced strictly even today. The reconstruction of the temple by Pururava is covered in the last four chapters of the legend. In the 11th century CE, after winning
11952-406: The deity's anger for violating the rule, sandalwood paste was applied again which stopped the blood stream. They presumed that the deity wished to look like a Lingam and continued the tradition except for one day. Few Vaishnavites oppose this legend, calling it a deliberate attempt to "debase the prestige of Vaishnava shrines in general" and of Ramanuja in particular. Sri Kantha Krishnamacharyulu
12096-550: The donations made to the Simhachalam temple are related to the conduction of festivals. The festivals are referred to with the name utsavas. Except for Kumara Punnami, almost all the utsavas are celebrated even today. The utsavas are divided into two categories: those governed by the Agama texts and the ones regulated by the customs and traditions ( sishtachara ). The performances and festivals are also classified into daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, and annual ones. These are meant for
12240-402: The feminine and the masculine that recreates all of existence. The lingam is regarded as the "outward symbol" of the "formless Reality", the symbolization of merging of the 'primordial matter' ( Prakṛti ) with the 'pure consciousness' ( Purusha ) in transcendental context . Sivaya Subramuniyaswami elaborates that the lingam signifies three perfections of Shiva . The upper oval part of
12384-416: The following events in succession: Ankurarpanam (the formal start), Rathotsava (chariot ride festival), Avabhruta snana (purification ceremony), Bhaktotsava (rewarding a devotee), and sayana seva (sleeping ritual). Ankurarpanam happens on the 14th day; Brahma and the eight guardians of the directions are invoked by chanting hymns and sowing nine kinds of seeds in specially-made earthen pots. The priests make
12528-405: The full moon day in the month of Phalguna . It is considered as an auxiliary festival (not specified by ancient texts) of the temple. Followers of Sri Vaishnavism consider Kamadahana as a self-purification ceremony; it bears no relation with the legend of Shiva burning Kamadeva to ashes. Dolotsava (swing ritual) is performed as a prelude to Kamadahana on the same day. It is celebrated to mark
12672-488: The guardian of the Bhairava Dwaram nor worshipped as one. Ramanuja was able to defeat the scholars at Simhachalam and converted it into a Vaishnavite temple. Varaha Narasimha's idol, when covered with sandalwood paste, resembles a Shiva Lingam . Ramanuja took personal possession of the temple and ordered the priests to remove the paste. The conversion work began and before completion, the idol started bleeding. Feeling
12816-462: The guardians of directions and selected hymns are chanted. Purnahuti (last sacrificial rite) is offered to Agni , the fire god on the last day. After conducting the purification ceremony at Gangadhara, Bhaktotsava is celebrated. Bhaktotsava is celebrated by reciting the legends of Thirumangai (one of the 12 Alvars) in Telugu language. The Garudadhwaja is unhoisted to signify the end of Kalyanotsava. On
12960-463: The historic earthly sexual meanings, and insist on the abstract spiritual meaning only. The sexualization is criticized by Stella Kramrisch and Moriz Winternitz who opines that the lingam in the Shiva tradition is "only a symbol of the productive and creative principle of nature as embodied in Shiva", and it has no historical trace in any obscene phallic cult. According to Alex Wayman, various works on Shaivism by some Indian authors, following
13104-471: The idol of Varaha Narasimha is covered with sandalwood paste throughout the year, which makes it resemble a linga . The temple was built in Kalingan architecture styles and stands unique in the historical region of Kalinga .The Present temple was built by Eastern Ganga king Narasingha Deva I in the 13th century and consecrated by his son Bhanudeva I in 1268 CE. The temple was built by Akthayi Senapati, on
13248-403: The lands and resources of Narava village as a sarvamanya by Sarvappa Asraraya with a view to restore the regular religious practices and offerings. Apart from mentioning the military achievements of Asraraya, the inscription confirmed 40 years of religious inactivity from 1564 to 1604 CE. In these 40 years, two inscriptions were found dated 1579 and 1597 CE; they registered the gifts donated to
13392-494: The later half of the 13th century, the temple complex underwent radical physical changes during the reign of Narasimhadeva I . Many additional architectural adjuncts were added to the temple which had a simple and modest look. An inscription dated 1293 CE refers to the addition of sub shrines by the Gangas in the temple, which were dedicated to manifestations of Vishnu: Vaikunthanatha, Yagnavaraha, and Madhavadevara. The renovators used
13536-445: The lingam represents Parashiva and the lower part of the lingam, called the pitha, represents Parashakti . In the representation of Parashiva, Shiva is regarded to be the absolute reality, the timeless, formless, and spaceless. In the representation of Parashakti, Shiva is regarded to be all-pervasive, pure consciousness , the power and primal substance of all that exists. Parashakti is regarded to possess form, unlike Parashiva, which
13680-521: The lingam symbolizes Shiva in Hinduism, and it is also a phallic symbol. Some extant ancient ligams, such as the Gudimallam Lingam , unambiguously depict a male sexual organ. Since the 19th century, states Dasgupta, the popular literature has represented the lingam as the male sex organ. This view contrasts with the traditional abstract values they represent in Shaivism wherein the lingam-yoni connote
13824-413: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simhadri&oldid=1227559589 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Simhachalam Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Simhachalam ,
13968-466: The mahasankalpa (great resolve). To mark this, they tie threads made of Kusha grass to their wrists and to those of the deities'. Preliminaries of the Kalyanotsava begin on the nightfall of the 15th day. Baliharana is performed not only in the temple but also extends over the entire village on the hill to appease the deities. Before entering the marriage hall, the deities are taken round the village on
14112-563: The main hall. Before the sanctum sanctorum , an altar with the images of Radha and Krishna can be seen. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is cubical-shaped whose walls feature sculptures carved in Kalinga style . The three-tier vimana , called pidha deula in Odia silpasastra, is similar to that of the Konark temple , is shaped like a stepped pyramid with proper carving of sculptures. The corners of
14256-525: The masculine and feminine principles in the entirety of creation and all existence. The colonial era Orientalists and Christian missionaries , raised in the Victorian mold where sex and sexual imagery were a taboo subject, were shocked by and were hostile to the lingam-yoni iconography and reverence they witnessed. The 19th and early 20th-century colonial and missionary literature described lingam-yoni , and related theology as obscene, corrupt, licentious, hyper-sexualized, puerile, impure, demonic and
14400-528: The material and spiritual progress of humans apart from their yogakshema (well-being). The festivals celebrated in Simhachalam have an influence of the Dravida Sampradaya, the customs followed in Tamil Nadu . The influence is observed in the way the deities are referred to as, and the usage of the word 'Thiru' for few things connected with the temple and its practices. Also, the celebrations take place at
14544-425: The merging of microcosmos and macrocosmos , the divine eternal process of creation and regeneration, and the union of the feminine and the masculine that recreates all of existence. The lingam is typically the primary murti or devotional image in Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva, also found in smaller shrines, or as self-manifested natural objects. Lingam, states Monier Monier-Williams , appears in
14688-485: The misbehaviour of Sumukha. Vishnu assured that Hiranyakashipu shall be killed and Sumukha would be the serving cause. Sumukha pleaded for a pardon but Vishnu denied, saying that an offence against his devotees is inexcusable. As per Vishnu's orders, Sumukha was born as Hiranyakashipu's son Prahlada. Prahlada displayed staunch devotion towards Vishnu in his childhood. As a result, he had to face many death trails. In one such instance, Hiranyakashipu's soldiers threw him from
14832-485: The morning worship is the Baliharana (pacification ceremony), where a portion of the consecrated food is offered to the spirits. Sudarshana Chakra idol is used in this phase. The morning rituals in the sub-temples follow a similar pattern, with the preliminary worship and offerings provided in each temple in succession. After 11:00 am, the temple's mid day worship begins. After half an hour, rajabhoga (main offering)
14976-460: The north western corner of the temple, there are two halls named Vaisakha and Jyestha mandapas where special occasions are conducted. To the right of the northern entrance, there is a 16-pillared Natya mandapa (dance hall) where the pillars feature simhalalathas (lion heads) at their base. The temple has two jagattis (railed parapets). The outer jagatti around the artha mandapa carries a row of sculpted elephants denoting strength. The inner one, around
15120-477: The original slabs as much as possible and discarded a few of them. The removed ones were later used in the kitchen and other small shrines. The feudatory chiefs of the Ganga dynasty too contributed towards the temple's architecture and made donations in various forms. Four inscriptions of the temple recorded the donation of land, jewels, and villages by the kings of the Reddy dynasty , who did some substantial service to
15264-470: The other group, it is an abstract symbol of nirguna Shiva (he in the universal Absolute Reality, formless, without attributes). In Tamil Shaiva tradition, for example, the common term for lingam is kuRi or "sign, mark" which is asexual. Similarly, in Lingayatism tradition, the lingam is a spiritual symbol and "was never said to have any sexual connotations", according to Doniger. According to Dasgupta,
15408-561: The pictorial symbol of the Gudimallam lingam should not be mistaken for fertility or eroticism, due to incomplete or impure understanding of the underlying refined principles. The Bhita linga – now at the Lucknow museum – is also dated to about the 2nd century BCE, and has four directional faces on the pillar and a Brahmi script inscription at the bottom. Above the four faces, the Bhita linga has
15552-856: The prayer. Scholars are appointed by the temple to read various religious texts. One of them referred to as the Bhagavata Vishyam Pandit, along with six adhyapakas (teachers) recite the Dravida Prabandha text daily. These people belong to the Vaishnavite families of Simhachalam. Scholars who read out chapters from the Mahabharata , the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana are known as Parayandars (Parayana reading pandits). Apart from these, vedic scholars are also appointed for regular recital of
15696-455: The princely state of Vizianagaram are the current hereditary trustees of the temple. The members of the family are serving the temple for the last three centuries. The temple is situated on Simhachalam Hill Range 800 metres (2,600 ft) above the sea level at a distance of ten miles to the north of Visakhapatnam . The hill range is a part of the Eastern Ghats and is named Kailasa. It
15840-415: The pursuit of spirituality through householder lifestyle and the pursuit of renunciate sannyasi lifestyle is historic, reflects the different interpretations of the lingam and what lingam worship means to its devotees. It remains a continuing debate within Hinduism to this day, states Doniger. To one group, it is a part of Shiva's body and symbolically saguna Shiva (he in a physical form with attributes). To
15984-471: The rituals carried out in the sanctum are the same as that of an ordinary day. However, the Rajabhoga is served late in the evening. Respite is given after the sacred bath and selected chapters of the temple's legend related to the manifestation of Narasimha are read out. The utsava idol of the deity is placed on a special prepared seat in the assembly hall throughout the event. The ten day Dussehra festival
16128-404: The same. He obeyed and asked Narasimha, to which the deity replied that Ramanuja is capable of giving salvation to others and hence can gain the same later. Krishnamacharyulu requested Narasimha to grant him salvation. To teach him a lesson, Narasimha refused, saying that Ramanuja is the only one capable one to do so. Krishnamacharyulu was offended and cursed that the temple would be attacked in
16272-651: The same. They either remained unmarried (referred to as the sampradaya sanis) or had an independent marital life, working in the temple on a part-time basis. At present, the temple does not encourage the presence of such dancers. Cooks hailing from Vaishnavite families and well-versed in the Agni mantra were employed to prepare the bhoga (offerings) to the deity. Other important personnel include water carriers, gardeners, potters, fuel suppliers, goldsmiths, flag bearers, torch bearers, watchmen, repairers and renovators, and cattle maintainers. The religious practices and customs of
16416-424: The sanctum sanctorum contains a row of swans. Above this, a scrollwork with sculpted figures and a row of simhalalatas are found. On the supporting pillars, simhalalatas are seen on elephant sculptures, with convolution carrying figures in between. The eaves of the sidewalls feature stone-made filigree work. A study of the sculptures and pillars in the Kalyana mandapa revealed that basalt and schist were used in
16560-427: The sanctum. On the sanctum walls, typically are reliefs of Dakshinamurti, Brahma and Vishnu. Often, near the sanctum are other shrines, particularly for Shakti (Durga), Ganesha and Murugan (Kartikeya). In the Hindu tradition, special pilgrimage sites include those where natural lingams are found in the form of cylindrical rocks or ice or rocky hill. These are called Svayambhuva lingam, and about 70 of these are known on
16704-506: The sayana bera (sleeping idol) respectively. The deity worship commences in the morning around 5:30 am. The inner gates of the temple are opened and the Vayu mantra is recited. The priests chant the Suprabhatam for about an hour and half as a prelude to the regular worship activities. It is accompanied by people playing nadaswaram (pipe instrument). The laghvarchana (preliminary worship)
16848-526: The sense "that which paints, variegates, characterizes". Panini as well as Patanjali additionally mention lingam with the contextual meaning of the "gender". In the Vaisheshika Sutras , it means "proof or evidence", as a conditionally sufficient mark or sign. This Vaisheshika theory is adopted in the early Sanskrit medical literature. Like the Upanishads, where linga means "mark, sign, characteristic",
16992-438: The signs of Shiva or Shakti through their lingam (male sexual organ) or pindi (female sexual organ). According to Doniger, a part of the literature corpus regards lingam to be the phallus of Shiva, while another group of texts does not. Sexuality in the former is inherently sacred and spiritual, while the latter emphasizes the ascetic nature of Shiva and renunciation to be spiritual symbolism of lingam . This tension between
17136-424: The sixth day, the Telugu work Lakshmi Narayana Samvadam , which is about a game of wit between Vishnu and Lakshmi, is read aloud. After its completion, the deities are put to bed by performing sayana seva. Chandanotsava (sandalwood festival), also known as Chandan Yatra, is the most important festival celebrated in the temple. It is celebrated on the festival day of Akshaya Tritiya (April – May) in accordance to
17280-467: The temple are divided into three main groups: Archakas, Nambyas, and Paricharakas. The priests belong to the Sri Vaishnavite clan. These priests were classified into three groups: the local Vaishnavites, Tirupathi Vaishnavites (hailing from Tirumala), and Ekaki Vaishnavites (those who are unmarried and practice celibacy). Archakas look after the actual conduct of rituals in the main temple, of whom one
17424-641: The temple are formulated by Ramanuja and his followers like Anandalvan. They are similar to the ones followed in South Indian Vaishnavite temples such as Tirumala, Srirangam, and the Varadharaja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram . The prayers are made as per the Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryami, and Archa traditions of Vishnu. The religious practices are modelled based on the Satvata Samhita , one of
17568-479: The temple came under the purview of the state government and is currently administered by the Simhachalam Devasthanam Board. Simhachalam temple resembles a fortress from outside with three outer courtyards and five gateways. The temple faces west instead of east, signifying victory. There are two temple tanks: Swami Pushkarini near the temple and Gangadhara at the bottom of the hill. The temple houses
17712-415: The temple in due course of time. Steps were built alongside the stream of water to serve as a way of approach to both the village and the temple. Due to the soil nature, rainfall and the climatic conditions influenced by the sea level, the growth of flora is abundant on the hill range. The hills also contain medical herbs used to cure the diseases of both humans and cattle. There are various ways to reach
17856-457: The temple through a side door with a stairway, which leads into the Kalyana mandapa (wedding hall), which has 96 pillars. It has coloumns and walls on which the images of Vishnu, his consort Lakshmi and the Alvars are carved. Near the entrance, the foot prints of Hindu saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu installed by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in the year 1930 can be seen. At the end, a gateway leads to
18000-546: The temple's legend. On this day, the Sandalwood paste, commonly referred to as Chandanam, covering the moolavar throughout the year is removed. As a result, devotees can see the original form of the deity's idol for 12 hours once in the whole year. Chandanam is applied to the moolavar on four days in a year: on Akshaya Tritiya and full moon days of the Vaisakha, Jyeshta, and Ashadha months. Every time, four manugus of Chandanam
18144-514: The temple's present form is the one rebuilt by Narasimhadeva I. Its architecture is a mixture of the styles of the Eastern Gangas , Eastern Chalukyas , and the Cholas . It faces west, an unusual case in the usual tradition of temple architecture. It is believed that the temple initially faced east, but was changed to west due to inexplicable reasons. As per the Hindu texts Purushottama Samhita and
18288-478: The temple, it belonged to the 11th century and was dated to 1087 CE. It recorded the gift of a garden by a private individual. The temple functioned well during this period and received liberal patronage from the Later Cholas. After the Later Cholas, the Eastern Ganga dynasty extended their patronage for the promotion and preservation of the temple complex. Their inscriptions ranges from 1150 CE to 1430 CE. In
18432-663: The temple. After the fall of the Eastern Gangas, the Gajapathis came into power. Nine inscriptions written in Odia language recorded the contributions by Gajapatis Kapilendradeva , Purushottama Deva and Prataprudra Deva . The temple received support from the Tuluva dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire . Their inscriptions range from 1516 to 1519 CE. During his military campaigns at the Kalinga region, Krishnadevaraya erected
18576-586: The temple. Apart from the above, 300 inscriptions in between the 11th and 18th centuries make a note of the contributions made by private individuals. The latest inscription of the temple is dated 1798 CE, which recorded a gift made by Chengalvaraya of the Gode family. In 1949, the temple came under the purview of the endowment ministry of the State Government. The members of the Pusapati Gajapathi family of
18720-564: The temple. One is the Nithya kalyanam (regular marriage) of the deity which is conducted every day. The other one is the Swarnapushpa archana (worship with golden flowers). It is conducted along with the morning worship rituals on every Thursday. Other notable rituals of similar nature are the Sahasranama archana (recital of thousand names), Garuda seva, and cow worship to name a few. Majority of
18864-473: The temple. The most popular one is the flight of one thousand steps from the foot of hill whose entrance is referred to as the Bhairava Dwaram. On one side, a pathway runs from Madhava Dwaram to the top. On the other side, at the foot of the hill, roads were laid starting from the Bhairava Dwaram to the top. Simhachalam has two temple tanks: the Swami Pushkarini at the top and Gangadhara at the bottom, which
19008-480: The temple; one holds a torch and the other plays a drum. The rituals offered in the evening are similar to that of the morning worship. The importance given to music is the major deviation. Night offering is provided to the deity. Devotees are allowed to have a glimpse of the deity for half an hour from 8:30 pm. At 9:00 pm, sayana seva (sleeping ritual) is performed and the temple is closed. Devotees can take part in two special rituals that are conducted in
19152-545: The texts of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy use linga in the same sense. In the Samkhya sutras , and in Gaudapada 's commentary on Samkhyakarika , the term linga has many contextual meanings such as in verses 1.124.136, 3.9.16 and 5.21.61, as it develops its theory of the nature of Atman (Self) and Sarira (body, prakriti ) and its proposed mechanism of rebirth. In
19296-460: The three food offerings (Balabhoga, Rajabhoga, and night offering) are served to the deity at a time to compensate their omission during the day. This festival was observed elaborately in the ancient days and at least 40 inscriptions record the gifts made by various people on this occasion. Narasimha Jayanti is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first half of the Vaisakha month (Vaisakha Suddha Chaturdasi). As Vishnu manifested as Narasimha from
19440-408: The top of a hill and placed the mountain on him. Vishnu jumped over the hill and lifted Prahlada from the sea. Prahlada asked Vishnu to assume a deity form where the avatars of Varaha, who killed Hiranyaksha and Narasimha , the one who would kill Hiranyakashipu soon, can be seen together. Vishnu assumed the form of Varaha Narasimha, for whom Prahlada built a temple after Hiranyakashipu's death. Worship
19584-408: The translation. This conscious and incorrect word substitution, states Doniger, thus served as an Orientalist means to "anthropologize sex, distance it, make it safe for English readers by assuring them, or pretending to assure them, that the text was not about real sexual organs, their sexual organs, but merely about the appendages of weird, dark people far away." Similar Orientalist literature of
19728-572: The unidentified photography of a realistic phallic object in Marshall's report, there is no archaeological evidence to support claims of special sexually-oriented aspects of Harappan religion". However, adds Parpola, a re-examination at Indus Valley sites suggest that the Mackay's hypothesis cannot be ruled out because erotic and sexual scenes such as ithyphallic males, naked females, a human couple having intercourse and trefoil imprints have now been identified at
19872-489: The upcoming days. It is believed that the attack on the temple in the 18th century by Muslim invaders was a result of the curse. Though this legend is considered imaginary, it is respected widely for emphasising the importance of teachers and spiritual masters over the divine. Simhachalam temple has a past of nearly a thousand years. Epigraphists discovered nearly 500 inscriptions in the temple complex. Almost all of them were dana sasanas (donation records) which referred to
20016-475: The vertical lingam, and designed to allow liquid offerings to drain away for collection. The lingam is an emblem of generative and destructive power. While rooted in representations of the male sexual organ, the lingam is regarded as the "outward symbol" of the "formless Reality", the symbolization of merging of the 'primordial matter' ( Prakṛti ) with the 'pure consciousness' ( Purusha ) in transcendental context . The lingam-yoni iconography symbolizes
20160-418: The wishes of devotees. Kalyanotsava and Chandanotsava are the two major festivals celebrated in the temple, followed by Narasimha Jayanti , Navaratrotsava and Kamadahana. The festivals celebrated in Simhachalam have an influence of the Dravida Sampradaya. Apart from those by well-known poets, the temple is found in many literary references and lyrical works (dedicated by anonymous writers), which are preserved in
20304-411: The words lingam or yoni for sexual organs, and almost always uses other terms, Burton adroitly avoided being viewed as obscene to the Victorian mindset by avoiding the use of words such as penis, vulva, vagina and other direct or indirect sexual terms in the Sanskrit text to discuss sex, sexual relationships and human sexual positions. Burton used the terms lingam and yoni instead throughout
20448-434: The writers wrote the legends inspired from the stories of Narasimha available in the Hindu puranas . Hence, Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana form the major sources. However, the legend of Simhachalam provides new information about the previous life of the temple's founder Prahlada . The first four chapters of the legend cover the importance of Simhachalam, its deity and the principal water body Gangadhara. Once,
20592-419: Was a poet and musician who composed sankeertanas in praise of Varaha Narasimha. As Narasimha danced listening to those songs, Krishnamacharyulu began showing offensive attitude towards others with arrogance. When Ramanuja visited Simhachalam later, Krishnamacharyulu did not treat him properly. Ramanuja wanted to know whether Vishnu would grant him salvation and requested Krishnamacharyulu to ask Narasimha about
20736-406: Was conducted and the place was named Simhachalam (lion's hill). This is covered from 5th to 29th chapters of the legend. At the end of the life cycle, the temple Prahlada built was neglected and subsequently decayed. The moolavar of Varaha Narasimha was covered with crests of earth. In another life cycle, king Pururava of lunar dynasty acquired Pushpaka Vimana (divine air car) from Brahma as
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