A forest ride, a climb and a unique temple

MALLUR (WARANGAL): Located 1,500 feet on a hillock, the Mallur Hemachala Narasimhaswamy temple is an attraction not just for pilgrims but also tourists. Many families come to this thickly forested spot for picnics. The temple is said to be more than 4,000 years old, dating back to the time of Satavahana king Dilipakarna, and the Kakatiyas were known to have revered the lord.

There are also ancient cave formations a little further in the forest. The idol of Ugra Narasimha Swamy here is the only one where the deity is in a standing position at a height of 9.2 metres. Visitors are amazed to see that when the priest presses his finger on the chest of the idol, the finger goes inside the rock. Once taken out, the trough formed due to the finger slowly fills back. The deity is believed to have incarnated from a volcano and the Lord’s body feels like a human’s.

Even though the temple is located on a hillock, there is a waterfall, Chintamani jalapatham below the temple, which flows throughout the year. To this day, it is a mystery where this stream originates from. The water is also considered to have medicinal values.

“Devotees and tourists in large numbers throng to the temple to offer their prayers to fulfill their wishes, to beget children or to redeem themselves of sins,” said chief priest of the temple Ragha-vacharyulu Kamkaryam. Temple executive officer V. Rama Rao told DC that about 100 devotees visited the temple on weekdays and the number doubled on weekends. There is anna danam everyday for the devotees.