Simhachalam braces for 'Chandanotsavam'

Visakhapatnam: Simhachalam Devasthanam in Visakhapatnam braces to offer 'Nija Rupa' darshan to the devotees on the auspicious 'Akshaya Tritiya'.

Once a year, Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy gives 'Nija Rupa' darshan to the devotees, popularly known as 'Chandanotsavam'. The festival draws people from far and wide as they throng the ancient temple to view the 'real avatar' of the Lord Narasimha and seek His blessings.

This year, around one lakh devotees are expected to have the Nija Rupa of the God. In view of that, temple authorities are making all the arrangements for a hassle-free darshan, including queuelines, sufficient water supply, sheds, free annadanam, medical and emergency facilities.

This time, 'Chandanotsavam' is celebrated on April 23. "Currently, the Raja gopuram of the temple is getting a fresh coat of paint, while queueline works and areca pandals are in progress," says D Srinivasa Raju, Executive Engineer of Devasthanam.

Queuelines get to the brim as devotees wait for hours from wee hours to have the darshan of the Lord Narasimha sans the sandalwood-smeared 'kavach' (shield).

Located 300-mt above sea level, Simhachalam is one of the ancient shrines in Visakhapatnam and one among 32 Narasimha kshetras spread across Andhra Pradesh. According to puranas, the moolavar of Varaha Narasimha was covered with crests of earth. A significant spiritual centre of Vaishnavisim that dates back to the medieval period, the earlier traces of the inscription at the temple traces to 11th century CE.

Legend has it that Prahlada was the first to build a temple for his favourite Lord 'Hari' and was able to accomplish it after his father, a demon king, Hiranya Kasyapa's death in the hands of Lord Vishnu who took an incarnation of Varaha to put an end to the demon king's life.

Except on 'Chandanotsavam' day that coincides with Akshaya Tritiya, the deity is smeared with sandalwood paste for the rest of the year.