Yoga Narasimha Perumal Temple, Narasingam, Yanaimalai
– The Temple
Yoga
Narasimha Perumal Temple is situated at the foot of the Yanaimalai hill. The
Hill is called as Hasthigiri or Gajagiri. This is a beautiful temple with a
wonderful temple tank to its north filled with water lilies. This Temple is
equipped with Maha Mandapam, Garuda Mandapam, Artha Mandapam, Mukha Mandapam and Sanctum.
There is no separate flagstaff (Kodi Maram) in this temple. This is a rock cut
temple and the main deity Narasimhar is carved out of the rock.
This temple has a small, square-shaped sanctum sanctorum
and Artha Mandapam (hall). Presiding Deity is called as Yoga Narasimhar and is facing west. The Yoga Narasimha idol at the
temple is six feet high, sculpted on the hill itself. Narasingar, in a seated
posture, performing penance, can be seen carved in the sanctum sanctorum. His
front two hands are folded and are resting on his knees, while the two hands
behind can be seen holding the Chakra (wheel) and Shangu (conch). The chakra (wheel)
in the hands of Lord Narasimha looks almost like that of prayoga chakra
(wheel).
The
temple is unique for its Utsava idol of Varada Narasimha in a standing posture
with the Sudarsana and Panchajanya in his upper two hands while the left lower hand
holds the Gathai (club weapon) and the right is in the Abhaya Hastha posture (blessing pose). This idol is a rare and
unique form which is not seen elsewhere. Usually, in Narasimha temples the
Utsava idol would be Srinivasa or a similar form. This would be the only
Narasimha temple where the Utsava idol is also Narasimha.
Mother
is called as Narasingavalli and she is housed in separate shrine facing south.
Her shrine is located at the entrance of The Temple. There are shrines for Anjaneya
and Garuda in the Temple premises. Theertham associated with this Temple is Chakra
Theertham. Inscriptions say that there was also an agraharam for Vedic Brahmins, but there is no trace of it
now.
