HYDERABAD: Yadadri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district in Telangana, in its resplendent glory after renovation, is now open to the devotees to visit and offer prayers. The darshan in the main temple was closed six years ago on April 21, 2016, for the renovation of the original temple.
As part of the reopening ceremony, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his family members participated in the Maha Kumbha Samprokshana programme and performed abhishekams on Monday.
The eight-day-long reopening ceremonies, which began on March 21, ended on a high spiritual note. The Chief Minister was the first devotee to offer pujas at the reopened main temple. The priests performed special homams and other pujas as part of the reopening ceremony.
The Chief Minister performed special abhishekams to seven kalasas located on seven gopurams. He carried the palanquin and as many as 92 priests participated in the special ritual.
All the Ministers, including A Indrakaran Reddy (Endowments), T Harish Rao (Finance), and other VIPs too took part in the Maha Kumbha Samprokshana.
The TRS government renovated the Yadadri temple on the lines of Tirumala with an estimated cost of Rs 1,500 crore. As part of the renovation, VIP suites, a hall for annadaanam (free food), kalyana mandapam, and others have been set up. The State government will soon take up gold plating of the temple’s main gopuram, which requires 125 kg of gold. Temple authorities have started collecting gold donations from the devotees for the same.
The lore says that Yadagirigutta, which is now being referred to as Yadadri, was originally constructed by Yadarishi, son of sage Rishyasrunga and Santa Devi. Yadarishi did penance inside a cave with the blessings of Anjaneya on a hill between Bhongir and Raigiri.
Pleased with his deep devotion, Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is believed to have appeared before him in five different forms — Sri Jwala Narasimha, Sri Yogananda, Sri Gandabherunda, Sri Ugra Narasimha, and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha.
All these five forms are presently worshipped within the temple. That is the reason Yadagirigutta is known as “Pancha Narasimha Kshetram”. After the inauguration of the temple, the Chief Minister felicitated the temple priests, architects, and others involved in the renovation programme.