May 2016 - To fulfill my long standing desire to visit this divine place, I made some time for myself and after doing some research on bus timings, routes, places to visit etc - started on my journey.
Divinity guided me to right place and at right time and I had the pleasure of visiting of major places but unfortunately missed one temple out of nine and also the main stay of the legend of Ahobhilam
Heres what you need to do if you plan to visit this place,
1) From whereever you are staying - take a bus - to ALLAGADDA - this is the nearest point to ahobhilam and this is the bus stop or place from where you get the government bus at regular intervals to the temple straight.
2) I started from MGBS bus stand from Hyderabad - 389/- Ultra Deluxe bus direct to ALLAGADDA
It will pass through Kurnool and Nandyal ( Mahanandi temple is near here ) and reach ALLAGADDA around 6 am or 7 am in the morning.
3) There take some break and by that time, bus going direct to AHOBHILAM temple will come. It will cost you 16/- one way journey. Autos are very costly and go upto 300 to 500/- for the same trip.
4) It will be 45 min journey from ALLAGADDA to AHOBHILAM
5) On reaching ahobhilam - either book a room below - or go straight to EGUVA or UPPER AHOBHILAM and there is "Brahmana nitya Annadana Chatram" which will provide room for nominal cost and also nearby is the falls - just walk a little further and can take bath there itself but waters in summer will be less and people will be more. So think about it.
There will be shared autos and charge you around 20/-30/- per head one way trip
6) If planning to stay in the brahmana nitya annadana chatram - tell them in advance if you plan to have lunch there. They will prepare and serve freshly prepared meals for the number of people indicated by you before the start of your trek to temples.
7) Hire a guide if you are new or else there will be people to guide you. Mostly it is forest area trek but at places there are steps and bridges.
8) Upper Ahobhilam -
a) Ugra Narasimha
b)Varaha Krodha Narasimha
c)Jwala Narasimha - MAIN - Hiranya kashyapu was slayed by this avatar.
Near this temple which is at the Highest point - you will find the "Rakta Kundam" and the "Ugra Stambham(Lord came out of this pillar - legend says)"
d) Malola Narasimha
Rakta kundam - is just near the entrance of Jwala Narasimha Swamy temple and also ugra stambham.
To climb to Ugra Stambham - you need energy - the day i started my journey - it rained veryheavily and hence my guide told me not to go there in this visit as rocks will be slippery. There is said to be paduka of lord who just came out the pillar to save prahalada.
To finish this trek of these four temples - it will need 2-3 hours depending on your ability , age and experience
-----------
We have to come back via the said brahmana nitya annadana chatram route only again. The trek is like a pradakshina and begins and ends at ugra narasimha temple
Having meals at the chatram is satisfying and good Andhra type meals is provided and also they speak kannada very well in many temples and places.
Now from this point leave for lower ahobhilam that is the place where you got down from the bus - bus stop of ahobhilam
On way you will find the Karanja Naramsimha swamy temple
So totally - you have completed 5 temples.
Once you are back at the bus stop - talk with the auto guys to take you the remaining temples - bargain hard - maybe within 200/- or 150/- is good.
Lower Ahobhilam
1) Yogananda Narasimha
2)Chatravata Narasimha
These 2 temples are very close by.
3) Bhargava Narasimha - Reaching this temple need patience - because there is no road and only auto or jeep goes there. the road starts from bus stand and goes inside the forest.
This temple is also on a small hillock having 50 steps. But totally worth it. There is bhargava tirtham right in front of the temple.
4) Pavana Naramsimha temple - This is most diffcult. From upper ahobhilam - if willing to walk it will take you to climb around 800-900 steps - through the forest.
OR from lower ahobhilam - you can take the jeep and visit there. But mind it - visit before 3:30pm - as the last jeep leaves around 3:30pm and afterwards NO trips are made.
This is also the place where they give animal sacrifice - Mother Lakshmi devi - as Chenchu Lakshmi - tribal lady - is fond of it - legend says. it usually said to happen in morning on SAT,SUN,TUE and there will huge rush these days, especially on SWATI Nakshatram days.
So the whole NAVA NAARASIMHA TOUR is done and IMPORTANTLY - after this visit the PRAHALADA VARADA TEMPLE down below near the bus stop to COMPLETE your spiritual journey.
Buses back to ALLAGADDA is there till 7 or 8pm - last bus
Make sure you leave around 5 or 6 pm. and Hyderabad bus to MGBS is around 8pm.
It will cost you again around 370/- super luxury and will proceed to Hyderabad from kurnool.
All the prices are from May 2016 journey of mine.
Divinity guided me to right place and at right time and I had the pleasure of visiting of major places but unfortunately missed one temple out of nine and also the main stay of the legend of Ahobhilam
Heres what you need to do if you plan to visit this place,
1) From whereever you are staying - take a bus - to ALLAGADDA - this is the nearest point to ahobhilam and this is the bus stop or place from where you get the government bus at regular intervals to the temple straight.
2) I started from MGBS bus stand from Hyderabad - 389/- Ultra Deluxe bus direct to ALLAGADDA
It will pass through Kurnool and Nandyal ( Mahanandi temple is near here ) and reach ALLAGADDA around 6 am or 7 am in the morning.
3) There take some break and by that time, bus going direct to AHOBHILAM temple will come. It will cost you 16/- one way journey. Autos are very costly and go upto 300 to 500/- for the same trip.
4) It will be 45 min journey from ALLAGADDA to AHOBHILAM
5) On reaching ahobhilam - either book a room below - or go straight to EGUVA or UPPER AHOBHILAM and there is "Brahmana nitya Annadana Chatram" which will provide room for nominal cost and also nearby is the falls - just walk a little further and can take bath there itself but waters in summer will be less and people will be more. So think about it.
There will be shared autos and charge you around 20/-30/- per head one way trip
6) If planning to stay in the brahmana nitya annadana chatram - tell them in advance if you plan to have lunch there. They will prepare and serve freshly prepared meals for the number of people indicated by you before the start of your trek to temples.
7) Hire a guide if you are new or else there will be people to guide you. Mostly it is forest area trek but at places there are steps and bridges.
8) Upper Ahobhilam -
a) Ugra Narasimha
b)Varaha Krodha Narasimha
c)Jwala Narasimha - MAIN - Hiranya kashyapu was slayed by this avatar.
Near this temple which is at the Highest point - you will find the "Rakta Kundam" and the "Ugra Stambham(Lord came out of this pillar - legend says)"
d) Malola Narasimha
Rakta kundam - is just near the entrance of Jwala Narasimha Swamy temple and also ugra stambham.
To climb to Ugra Stambham - you need energy - the day i started my journey - it rained veryheavily and hence my guide told me not to go there in this visit as rocks will be slippery. There is said to be paduka of lord who just came out the pillar to save prahalada.
To finish this trek of these four temples - it will need 2-3 hours depending on your ability , age and experience
-----------
We have to come back via the said brahmana nitya annadana chatram route only again. The trek is like a pradakshina and begins and ends at ugra narasimha temple
Having meals at the chatram is satisfying and good Andhra type meals is provided and also they speak kannada very well in many temples and places.
Now from this point leave for lower ahobhilam that is the place where you got down from the bus - bus stop of ahobhilam
On way you will find the Karanja Naramsimha swamy temple
So totally - you have completed 5 temples.
Once you are back at the bus stop - talk with the auto guys to take you the remaining temples - bargain hard - maybe within 200/- or 150/- is good.
Lower Ahobhilam
1) Yogananda Narasimha
2)Chatravata Narasimha
These 2 temples are very close by.
3) Bhargava Narasimha - Reaching this temple need patience - because there is no road and only auto or jeep goes there. the road starts from bus stand and goes inside the forest.
This temple is also on a small hillock having 50 steps. But totally worth it. There is bhargava tirtham right in front of the temple.
4) Pavana Naramsimha temple - This is most diffcult. From upper ahobhilam - if willing to walk it will take you to climb around 800-900 steps - through the forest.
OR from lower ahobhilam - you can take the jeep and visit there. But mind it - visit before 3:30pm - as the last jeep leaves around 3:30pm and afterwards NO trips are made.
This is also the place where they give animal sacrifice - Mother Lakshmi devi - as Chenchu Lakshmi - tribal lady - is fond of it - legend says. it usually said to happen in morning on SAT,SUN,TUE and there will huge rush these days, especially on SWATI Nakshatram days.
So the whole NAVA NAARASIMHA TOUR is done and IMPORTANTLY - after this visit the PRAHALADA VARADA TEMPLE down below near the bus stop to COMPLETE your spiritual journey.
Buses back to ALLAGADDA is there till 7 or 8pm - last bus
Make sure you leave around 5 or 6 pm. and Hyderabad bus to MGBS is around 8pm.
It will cost you again around 370/- super luxury and will proceed to Hyderabad from kurnool.
All the prices are from May 2016 journey of mine.
