Weekend, we made an impromptu trip to Ahobilam. It is about 350kms from Hyderabad and we went by road along with another couple. We started around 4pm on Fri and reached Ahobilam about 10:30pm. Stopping on the way at Nandyala for dinner. The road was good except for a patch between Kurnool and Allagadda, where construction work was going on.
A bit about background of Ahobilam. It is temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha Swamy. There is a place where Lord came out of the pillar to kill Hriranyakashipa. After killing still in the ugra roopa, he is said to have roamed around the forest of Nallamalai, resting on and off. There are 9 places he is supposed to have taken rest, hence we have 9 temples in the vicinity. Each is supposed to be for one planetary position. These are on hills and around the upper Ahobilam. There is one temple at the foothills, called lower Ahobilam, said to be installed by Lord Venkateswara when he came to seek Lord Narasimha Swamy's blessings for his wedding.
Saturday morning, we got up early and visited Lower Ahobilam at around 6:30am, that is when the temple is opened. They bring a cow and calf to have the first darshan of the swamy and then it is open to public. Then we had breakfast, hired a guide and started off for the upper temples about 8am.
Reached Upper Ahobilam by car and had darshan and started trekking for the other temples. The road leading to other temples is not properly marked hence the need for a guide. We need to climb steps, walk up inclines and cross streams to reach these temples. We were lucky that it rained the night before, else the hear would have been untolerable. It was fortunate that it didnt rain heavily nor did it rain while we were trekking, as that would have made the path slippery and difficult to climb. We visited Jwala, Varaha, Malola, and Karanja Narasimha Swamy's in that order. We must have climbed about 1000 steps and covered about 10kms. The other two temples Yogananda and Chatravata, were on level with Upper Ahobilam and could be reached by car. We finished the seven temples by 12pm. Had lunch and took some rest before starting for the other two.
If the morning part was test to the leg power, the later was bone-breaking. There is no proper path to reach the other two temples and has to be done by a jeep ride. The jeep ride was no less that a roller coaster ride. We were not sure if the driver was in control of the vehicle or the vehicle was having a mind of its own. The steering was not helping a bit, or so we felt. We visited Bhargava and Pavana Narasimha Swamy temples this way and by the end of it, I had lost the coordinates of my body and was feeling all wobbly.
But it was all worth the effort. Lovely scenery, beautiful and peaceful location, nice temples. Monkey were abound, there was a party whose purse and camera was snatched!!!!! Luckily they recovered it by offering coconut pieces.
Time to return home. We started around 6pm and reached home midnight, after having dinner on the way.
A bit about background of Ahobilam. It is temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha Swamy. There is a place where Lord came out of the pillar to kill Hriranyakashipa. After killing still in the ugra roopa, he is said to have roamed around the forest of Nallamalai, resting on and off. There are 9 places he is supposed to have taken rest, hence we have 9 temples in the vicinity. Each is supposed to be for one planetary position. These are on hills and around the upper Ahobilam. There is one temple at the foothills, called lower Ahobilam, said to be installed by Lord Venkateswara when he came to seek Lord Narasimha Swamy's blessings for his wedding.
Saturday morning, we got up early and visited Lower Ahobilam at around 6:30am, that is when the temple is opened. They bring a cow and calf to have the first darshan of the swamy and then it is open to public. Then we had breakfast, hired a guide and started off for the upper temples about 8am.
Reached Upper Ahobilam by car and had darshan and started trekking for the other temples. The road leading to other temples is not properly marked hence the need for a guide. We need to climb steps, walk up inclines and cross streams to reach these temples. We were lucky that it rained the night before, else the hear would have been untolerable. It was fortunate that it didnt rain heavily nor did it rain while we were trekking, as that would have made the path slippery and difficult to climb. We visited Jwala, Varaha, Malola, and Karanja Narasimha Swamy's in that order. We must have climbed about 1000 steps and covered about 10kms. The other two temples Yogananda and Chatravata, were on level with Upper Ahobilam and could be reached by car. We finished the seven temples by 12pm. Had lunch and took some rest before starting for the other two.
If the morning part was test to the leg power, the later was bone-breaking. There is no proper path to reach the other two temples and has to be done by a jeep ride. The jeep ride was no less that a roller coaster ride. We were not sure if the driver was in control of the vehicle or the vehicle was having a mind of its own. The steering was not helping a bit, or so we felt. We visited Bhargava and Pavana Narasimha Swamy temples this way and by the end of it, I had lost the coordinates of my body and was feeling all wobbly.
But it was all worth the effort. Lovely scenery, beautiful and peaceful location, nice temples. Monkey were abound, there was a party whose purse and camera was snatched!!!!! Luckily they recovered it by offering coconut pieces.
Time to return home. We started around 6pm and reached home midnight, after having dinner on the way.
Nice read and great pictures Manju, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a tough one!
ReplyDeletevery good trip and very nice pictures too
ReplyDeleteYes.Any trip will be testing one..leg power testing,bone breaking or both Radhaththa's dram since so many days to visit Ahobilam but no balam
DeleteSorry.Forgot.Photos are fine
Delete