01Vasishta’s altar
The temple’s katha says that Maharshi Vasishta did tapas here and that Narasimha appeared to him and slew the asura Raktavilochana, whose blood, every drop of which raised a new asura, was drunk by the Devi; the place became an antar-vedi, an inner altar. The Godavari branch that ends here bears Vasishta’s name. Pilgrims bathe at the sagara sangam, where river and sea meet, before darshan. A lighthouse stands nearby on the shore.
02The Kalyanam and the chariot
The great festival is the Kalyanam of Lakshmi Narasimha on Bhishma Ekadashi in Magha, followed by the rathotsavam, when the Lord’s wooden chariot is pulled round the temple streets. In 2020 the old chariot was destroyed by fire, and a new one was built and used from the next festival. The temple’s gopuram is visible across the flat green delta of Konaseema.
The life of this place
- 2020The temple chariot is destroyed by fire; a new one is built.
About 100 km south of Rajahmundry via Razole; Narsapur station is about 15 km across the river.
