Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple

Superb environment

Awesome temple

Excellent place for meditation.

I love obless cona

Pennaperur is situated in Vontimitta Mandal, about 35 km from Kadapa. The Pennar flows to the north of the village and hence its name. There is a small cave temple of Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy on a hill 5 km to the east of Pennaperur and one km to the north of Ibrahimpet. The temple lies close to a stream. The cave faces north and has a depth of four feet. The height of the cave is 2 feet in the back side and 3 feet in the front side. Two small images of Narasimha and Lakshmi are kept in the back side of the cave. The images are faced to the north. At the entrance of the cave, in the lintel portion are seen the stucco figures of Anjaneya, Gajalakshmi and Garuda. The temple is constructed abutting the cave. The temple is square on plan. The padabandha adhisthana and walls are constructed with dressed stone. The ekatala vimana is constructed with brick and lime and have a series of kuta, sala, panjara elements. The sikhara is square. The entrance into the temple is on the west side. On either side of the entrance wall are carved Lakshmi Narasimha to the left and Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi on the right. Narasimha has four hands and holds sankha in the upper left, chakra in the upper right, lower right in abhaya and left hand is kept around the waist of Lakshmi. Lakshmi is shown seated on the left thigh of the god. Vishnu has four hands and holds Sanka, Chakra, gada and holds the right in Abhaya. Anjaneya figure is found in lintel portion. A curious story is related even to this date connecting the temple of Narasimha with the visit of Sir Thomas Munro. This is from the Kadapa Gazetteer (1915) by C.F. Brackenbury. The story is as follows. “ The collector (Munro) has come to the village for the purpose of examining the inam tenures. He confirmed the village service and artizan inams but declined to allow the inam granted for the worship of Narasimha swami. At length in response to the earnest representations of Karanam. Munro declared that he would confirm the inam if he should see the God in person. The karnam, therefore, prayed the god to appear to the collector, in order that the inam might not be resumed. In the evening, Munro hearing the sound of a galloping horse came out of his tent and saw the God ride past on a white horse. He was so pleased at the sight that he at once confirmed the inam”. Basing on this story, we can say that the temple was in existence before 1800 AD.