JOIN USOn the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway, five km from Channapatna before Maddur, is a sign on the main road which reads, “Shri Kambada Yoga Narasimhaswamy” in red, an arrow pointing to the left. The fence on either side of the asphalted road is lined with oak trees. Driving a little farther, the path opens up to a refreshing panoramic view of the landscape, where the earth merges with the heavens in a nebulous infinity.
We then found ourselves at the precincts of the Temple. We climbed up the stone steps leading to the inner sanctum of the Temple.
The benevolence of one Krishnappa sees to it that we have a hygienic potable water tank where we can freshen up before we enter the recesses of the temple. Standing at the steel rimmed fencing of the temple gives you a bird’s eye view of the valley and the little towns at the foot of the hill.
It’s a unique 360 degree view of the towns below, from all the corners of the temple, with a chain of foggy hills tucked into each other, forming the ramparts of the towns. A kind of unrestrained joy unleashes within you at the peak of the temple with a cool breeze caressing you from all around, in utter quietness.
The Narsimha Swamy Temple of Channapatna is also known as Kambada Narasimhaswamy as it is sculpted in a stone column. The nomenclature can also be attributed to the wooden rectangular Garuda kamba, the main pillar at the entrance of the temple having the half-man half-lion image carved in.
According to the legend, Lord Narasimha blessed Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakashipu. Some say that it was the form of half-lion half-man that the Lord took for the demolition exercise. It is believed that when the Devas saw this manifestation of Lord Vishnu they exclaimed “Ahobala”, (great strength). It is believed that Lord Narayana (Vishnu) appeared from a stone pillar to kill Hiranyakashipu. The pillar is known as Ugra sthamba.
Unlike other temples where the steps lead to the doors of the main sanctum, through the Garuda sthamba, the door in this temple opens at the back as you go round the temple. At the inner sanctum of the temple you might be in for a little disappointment, for the incomplete view of the almost ten-foot stone main idol of the deity, due to the jutting out of the roof of the temple a little way down the
sanctum. The deity can be seen wholly in its full dimension only at the sanctum sanctorum. On enquiry, the priest may tell you about the antiquity of the temple ranging back to almost 3,000 years, when sage Kanva practised meditation at the very spot. Two popular festivals – Narasimha Jayanti and Hanuma Jayanti are held here.
Breathing in the virgin air around the resplendent sacred spot, we traced back down the road with a feeling of satiety that we were at the holy shrine, that is quite a rarity. One could see a couple of tiny ponds scattered down the hill, like tiny saucers filled with little puddles of water, probably which the rain left behind after a downpour.
On the way back, almost touching Channapatna, one may see a signage that says, ‘River Narasimha’ linking the river to the God on the hilltop. In fact, Channapatna, known for attractive dolls, lies on the banks of River Kanva,