There is nary a temple in India that doesn’t celebrate a legend. In a pagan past, hills, caves and mountains were the residences of divinity— Shree Nimbachalam is one such temple hill shrine, presided over by Lord Shri Laxmi Nrusimha Swamy. This temple is located in the Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh, five km from the temple town of Bheemgal.
The temple cave is on the sacred hillock, crowned by a golden tower. It finds mention in the Sthalapurana, named Shriman Nimbachala Mahatmyam, and in the Brahma Vyvarthaka Puranam which is one amongst the Ashtadasa Puranas. It says that Lord Narasimha was so pleased by the penance of Brahma and Prahlada that he answered their prayer to stay on the sacred hill. Shri Nrusimha Swamy, with his consort Shri Mahalaxmi sitting on his left thigh, is accompanied by Naranarayana (Krishna, Arjuna) and Parama Vaishnava Hanuman, Bhagavathothama Garuda and Shri Man
Madhwacharya.
Nimbachalam is known as the Tapobhoomi—the abode of Penance and Tapasya. Legends abound—of Brahma who lost his brahmacharya by being aroused by the sight of Parvati’s feet as he was performing the marriage rites of Siva and Parvati. A furious Shiva cut off Brahma’s fifth head and Nimbachalam became the place where Brahma did penance.
Lord Shiva also performed penance to atone for the sin of Brahma hatya Pataka. Narasimha ordered Shiva to assume the form of “Jodulingalu” (Dual Phallic) on the hill. In another legend, the king of Kambhoja, Dharmapala bathed in the holy Chintamani lake on the western side of the hill and meditated for thirty thousand years and was gifted with the darshan of Narsimha. Chintamani Lake is at the foot of the hill towards the west. Viraja river flows 7 km away from the hill shrine. This river is 2 km away from Bheemgal towards the south, flowing from east to west. It is said that Lord Hanuman did tapsaya at the western side of the hill. So did Yamaraja who was retained in the form of ‘Bilwa Vruksham’ or ‘Pathri Vruksham’— ‘pathri leaves’ are offered to Shri Swamy Varu, the only place such a ritual is carried out to please Lord Vishnu.
The sanctum sanctorum is a natural cave. On the left side of Shri Laxmi Nrusimha Swamy are Krishna and Arjuna known as Nara Narayana; their idols are present only at two places in India —Badrinath and Nimbachalam. Hence this temple is known as “Dakshina Badrinath”.
After Nara-Narayana are Anjaneya, Madhavaacharya and Garuda.
During festivals, since the main idol cannot be shifted, Utsava Swamy is the processional diety, its temple is situated in Bheemgal town nearby. This deity is carried in a palanquin to the hill temple duting Brahmotsavam; Jayanthyutsavam and Pushya saptahotsavam as well as Vasantotsavam are performed in this temple. For devotees, it is a compulsory ritual while visiting Nimbachalam to have darshan at the Utsava Swamy temple.
Getting there: From Hyderabad, it is a five-hour, 205-km drive, on the road to Nagpur. Stay: Choultries on the hill or government guest house in Bheemgal which can be booked. Contact: Nambi Limbadri, Phone: 238397 (91+8463)