Nava Narasimhar Temple Avaniyapuram

Nava Narasimhar Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu located at Avaniyapuram Village close to Cheyyar in Tamilnadu. This Temple is also called as Dakshina Ahobilam, here devotees can have Darshan of 5 Divya Desam deities and also Nava Narasimha. Avani means lion and the Lord is said to have obliged Brigu Maharishi by appearing before him in the forms of five Divya Desa deities.

There is a separate shrine for Mahalakshmi near the Narasimha temple. There are five Narasimha deities all looking alike next to the Mahalakshmi temple. Thus we have eight Narasimha deities and it makes a total of nine including the Yoga Narasimha atop the hill.The abode of Lord Venkateshwara is at the top of the hill. Here Lord Venkateshwara is standing armed with Chakra and Shanka. There is a separate cave-like enclosure in the prahara of Lord Venkateshwara where we see Lord Varadaraja and Perundevi Thayar. Lord Ranganatha is seen on his serpentine bed with Ranganayaki Thayar. Yoga Narasimha is in a sitting position along with Amirdavalli Thayar. Thus we see all the main Pancha Divya Desa Deities — Kanchi, Srirangam,Sholingur, Tirumala and Ahobilam.

The small hill temple around 200 steps is a two tire temple, on the first entrance where moolavar is housed along with Mahalakshmi Thayar. Lord Narasimha is in a sitting posture, Mahalakshmi Thayar seated on his left thigh. His left arm is around his consort and his right hand is in abhaya hastha position. His upper hands are holding the chakra and conch. Here Lord has no face and Thayar having the Lion Face and the Utsava moorthy of lord Narashimhar had a face of lion. He has four hands and is in standing position flanked on either side by Sri Devi and Bhoodevi. On the Right side of the prakaram Pancha Narashimar separately in a row. Garudan in seen in a Separate Sannidi.

About the temple:
Avani means Lion in Sanskrit and hence the name Avaniyapuram to this place, originally this sacred place called as ‘AVANI NARAYANA PURAM” and during the days it became Avaniyapuram.

During the time of Tretha Yuga Lord Brahma was doing the yaga and at that time from the yaga’s fire Lord Narasimha has appeared in front of him. Due to the heat lord doesn’t had the face when he come up. Seeing this Mahalakshmi Thayar told to Lord Narasimha that how you will give darshan to bhaktas without face hence please grant me your face to me. Pleased by the Thayar,lord gives his face and hence in this Kshetra Mahalakshmi Thayar with lion face giving darshan to all.

There was a huge rock formation in the form of a lion with face, eyes, nose, mane and a raised right leg.Thulabharam prarthanai is practised here. It is believed that if childless couples pray to offer thulabharam, once their prayers were answered, their wish of childbirth is granted, and they come back with the child to offer gratitude.

Festivals :
During the Sarvadhari Samvathsara Aani month 9th day is the day for Mahalakshmi Thayar
got the LION face and it is celebrated once in 60 Years.