Popular Temple
Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Simhachalam
Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Where the idol stays perpetually covered in sandalwood paste — its true form visible only once a year
At a glance
- Location
- Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
- Presiding deity
- Lord Narasimha (in a combined Varaha-Narasimha form)
- Temple type
- Popular Temple
- Tradition
- Vaishnava
- Nearest railway station
- Simhachalam railway station (nearby); Visakhapatnam Junction (~16 km, major junction)
- Nearest airport
- Visakhapatnam Airport (~20 km)
- Best time to visit
- October to February; Akshaya Tritiya (Chandana Yatra) is especially significant.
History
The Simhachalam temple sits on a hillside and is dedicated to a combined form of Vishnu's Varaha and Narasimha avatars. Its distinctive tradition is that the idol remains perpetually coated in a thick layer of sandalwood paste (as the true form is considered too fierce to view directly), with the paste removed only once a year on Akshaya Tritiya for "Nija Roopa Darshanam" — the sole day devotees see the deity's actual form.
Spiritual significance
The temple is counted among Andhra Pradesh's oldest and wealthiest shrines, and its architecture reflects a blend of Chola, Ganga, and Vijayanagara-era styles.
Plan your visit
Darshan timings
4:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Timings change on festivals and special occasions. Confirm with the temple's official source before you travel.
From Visakhapatnam Junction, Simhachalam is easily reachable by taxi or bus; both a ghat road and a stepped path are available for the hill climb.
Continue your Vishnu bhakti
Devotional texts for this deity, already on the site.