Simhachalam temple, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)

This temple is dedicated to Narasimha, an incarnation of Maha Vishnu.

"Simha" means lion; "Adri" means hill. The temple is located at the top of a hill; hence the temple is called Simhachalam. The deity is always covered with sandalwood paste and appears in its true form only for 12 hours per year on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. Bhagwan is in the tribhangi posture, with two hands and the head of a lion on a human torso.

Legend is that...

Hiranyakasipu, who thought that the entire world should chant his name and if anyone chants other than his name should be put to death. Because of fear, all the people started to chant Hiranyakasipu's name and dedicated poojas towards him instead of doing it to Sriman Narayanan. But, bhakta Prahalada, the blessed child of Sriman Narayanan and the son of Hiranyakasipu, did not chant his father Hiranyakasipu's name but always expressed his bhakti towards Sri Vishnu. Though his father warned him that he should only follow him as the main deity, he didn't follow, and instead, he started to follow him very deeply.

This kind of action of Prahaladhan made Hiranyakasipu angry and ordered his soldiers to kill him by throwing him from the top of the mountain. As the order from the king, the soldiers threw Prahaladhan from the top of the mountain, and to protect him, Sriman Narayanan came as Narasimhar and rescued him by moving the mountain and made a small path for Prahaladhan. And, it is said that the place where the Perumal stood to protect Prahaladhan is the place where the temple is built.

उग्रं वीरं महाविष्णुं ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम्। नृसिंहं भीषणं भद्रं मृत्युमृत्युं नमाम्यहम् ॥