Mangalagiri is in Andhra Pradesh in India. Mangalagiri situated on the Vijayawada-Guntur road, 8 miles to the south-east Vijayawada and 13 miles to the North-East of Guntur. It is a railway station on the Hubli-Masulipatnam line. Mangalagiri means 'The auspicious hill'. The picturesque hill was visited by the great Sri Krishna Deva Raya.
'Near the foot of the stone flight of steps is a stone pillar, with Telugu inscriptions on all sides, recording grants of villages, it is dated A.D.1520 and mentions the capture of Kondavidu by Timmarasu, general of Krishna Deva Raya, in 1515'. Another stone near the temple of Garudalvar has inscriptions on four sidesm recording grants in the reign of Sadasiva Raya of Vijayanagar A.D.1538. These dates are noteworthy, because at that period Sultan Quli Shah held Kondapalli and was making frequent attacks on Kondavidu, So it is curious to see how the Hindus continued to endow temples and record the endowments by public inscriptions even in sight of Mussulman (Muslim) fortress and almost in the track of Mussulman armies. The lofty gopuram in the temple at the foot of the hill is said to have been erected by one of Krishna Deva Raya's courtiers. Another account attributes it to the Hindu agent at Masulipatnam of the Dutch East India company and a third story is that it was erected in its present form at the end of last century by Vasireddi Venkatadri Naidu'
The place was under the control of Golkonda Nawabs for a longer period. It was plundered by in 1780 by Hyder Ali but could not be conquered. In 1816 a gang of Pindaries again looted the place. It slowly recovered from these two attacks during the time of Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu who ruled the place from Amaravathi. There is a big koneru(tank) in the center of the place which went to dry in 1882. As many as 9,840 guns and 44 bullets which might have been related to pindaries have been found here after the pindaries looted this place. This place is one of the 8 important Mahakshetrams (sacred places) in India. The eight places where Lord Vishnu manifested himself are (1) Sri Rangam (2) Srimushnam (3) Naimisam (4) Pushkaram (5) Salagamdri (6) Thothadri (7) Narayanasramam (8) Venkatadri. According to sayings, Thotadri is the present Mangalagiri.
There is an interesting legend to show as to how the mountain came into existence. The mountain itself is in the form of an elephant. Pariyatra, an ancient king had a son Hrasva Srungi visited all holy and sacred places to regain normal bodily stature and finally visited this holy place of Mangalagiri and stayed for three years performing penance. All the Devathas(Gods) advised him to stay at Mangalagiri and continue to do penance in praise of Lord Vishnu. The father of Hrasva Srungi came with his retinue to tack back his son to his kingdom. But Hrasva Srungi took the shape of an elephant and to become the abode of Lord Vishnu who is locally known as Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy.
The temple of Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy is situated on the hill. On the right side of the steps provided to reach the temple, there is a stone inscription by Sri Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar and a little further up, the foot prints of Mahaprabhu Chaitanya are to be seen. Midway on the steps there is a temple of Lord Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy there is only the face with the mouth widely opened. A dhwajasthambham was rected in front of the temple in 1955. Behind the temple there is the temple of Sri Lakshmi, to the west of which there is a tunnel which is believed to lead to Undavalli caves on the banks of the Krishna. The stone inscription of the kings of Vijayanagar relate besides to the conquest of Rayalu over Kondaplli etc., that Siddiraju Thimmarajayya Devara granted a total of 200 kunchams (10 kunchams make one acre) land in 28 villages of which Mangalagiri was one and gift of 40 kunchams by China Thirumalayya to Ramanujakutam. The Lord that has established himself on the hill is in the form of Narasimha (man-lion) which Lord Vishnu assumed to kill Hiranyakasipa, a rakshasa father of Prahlada, a great devotee. He is also called as Sudarsana Narsimhaswamy. The legend says that Namuchi, a Rakshasa after great penance obtainde a boon from Brahma that he would not be killed by anything that is either wet or dry. He began to harass Indra and the Devathas. Encouraged and supported by Lord Vishnu, Indra commenced destroying the army of Rakshasa Namuchi, who did in a cave in Sukshmakaram (small size) giving up his sthulakaram (Physical manifestation). Indra dipped Sudarsanam, the disc of Lord Vishnu in the foam of the ocean and sent it into the cave. Lord Vishnu manifesting himself at the centre of the disc destroyed the Pranavayuvu (life breath) of the Rakshasa with the fire of his exhalation. He thus got the name of Sudarsana Narasimha. The blood that flowed from the body of the Rakshasa seemed to have formed into a pool at the foot of the hill which is known hill. The Devathas themselves were unable to withstand the fire of the enger of the Lord and they prayed for appeasement. The Lord took amrutam (nectar) and cooled down. It was in Krithayugam. The Lord said that he would be satisfied with ghee in Threthayugam, with milk in Dwaparayugam and with panakam(Jagery water) in Kaliyugam. Hence the Lord is called in Kaliyugam as Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy.
There is another legend relating to this deity. In Thretayugam, Lord Rama could not get liberation in spite of strict observance of the dharma and was advised to visit this temple to attain mukthi(Salvation).
It is also believed that Lord Rama while departing for Vaikuntam after completing his mission in that incarnation advised Anjaneya to stay at Mangalagiri and after obtaining his blessings to remain in this world for ever. Anjaneya took his adobe at Mangalagiri as Kshetrapalaka.The place thus came to be known as Mukthyadri (the hill that grants Mukthi-salvation).
In Threthayugam, the second of the four yugas, people who enjoyed in heaven as a result of their good deeds in the world felt most unhappy to return of their good deads were completely exhausted as for the dictum, (when once the fruits of good deeds are exhausted the soul has to come back to the world). They prayed Indra, the Lord of heaven to save them from the impending fate. Indra advised them to spend their time in the world at Mangalagiri to attain salvation again.
In Krithayugam, the first of the four yugas when the sinners were few, Yamadharmaraja, the Lord of hell advised them to wash off their sins by doing penance at Mangalagiri. Mangalagiri is in existence from the beginning of the Universe with the names Anjanadri in Krithayugam, Thotadri in Threthayugam,Mangaladri and Mukthyadri in Dwaparayugam and Mangalagiri in Kaliyugam affording salvation to sinners also. In Krithayugam, Vaikhanasa Maharsh worshipped the Lord and his idol is worshipped even today in the temple.
There is at the foot of the hill another temple whose origin is traced to the time of Yudhistira, the eldest of the pandavas. In Vijayawada itself, which is 8 miles from Mangalagiri there is a hill called Indrakeeladri in which Arjuna is said to have done tapascharya (penance) in order to obtain the weapon Pasupata from Lord Siva. Yudhistira is said to be the founder of this temple and the deity here also is called Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy. There seems to be some legendary connection between Vijayawada and Mangalagiri. About 175 years back Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu who has well known and who ruled from Amaravahi as his capital constructed a stupendous gopuram (tower) on the eastern gate of the lower temple of Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy. It is one of the highest gopurams in South India and only one of its type in this part of India. It is 125ft. in height with 11 storeys and gates facing east and west. This great and imposing tower dewarfs the central shrine. The devoted patience of thousands of skilled craftsmen and the labours of many more apprentices which had gone into this great structure is a testimony to the religious fervour which characterised the builder. Opposite to this eastern tower is the black lake. Piligrims wash their feet here before entering the temple.
The Image of the Lord in the form of Narasimha (man-lion) and that of LakshmiDevi to his left are of stone. The garland of the Lord with 108 saligramams is of special signigicance here. Daksjamavartha Sankam, a special conch believed to be one that was used by Lord Krishna and resented by the Maharaja of Tanjore is one more possession of significance of the Lord. There is also an ancient ratha (temple car) belonging to the temple with ornamental wood carvings depicting the scenes from the great epics of Bharata, Bhagavatha and Ramayana. Thimmaraju Devaraju a military chieftain of the Vijayanagar rulers improved this temple. He had constructed prakarams (compound walls), mandapas, gopurams (towers), five images of Lord Bhairava, a festival chariot, ten varieties of courts for annual ceremonies, flower gardensm lakes and tanks. He had also installed utsava vigrahas in the temple (metal images intended for being taken out in procession). To the morth of the temple there is a temple of Sri Rajyalakshmi to the south that of Rama with Sita and Lakshmana and to the west vahanasala (the store house for the vehicles of which the golden garudavahanam, the silver Hanumanthavahanam and ponnavahanam are noteworthy). The Lakshminarayana temple and the Anjaneya Mandiram in Pedda Bazar are the other places of worship in the town.
Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy Brahmothsavam is very important annual festival. It is believed that the celebration was inaugurated by Dharmaraja at the behest of Lord Krishna. Pradyumna, the son of Lord Krishna, reqested his father to celebrate his birthday annualy for a sapthaham (seven days) from Phalguna Suddha Sapthami. Lord Krishna entrusted this work to Dharmaraja, the eldest of the pandavas who has the successor to the throne at Hasthinapura. At present the festival is celebrated for 11 days commencing from phalguna sudda shasti (february - march). The peculiarity is poured as an offering to the Lord with a conch. The Jaggery water is actually poured into the mouth of the Lord, a gargling sound is clearly audible as if the Lord is actually drinking it and the sound becomes shriller and shriller as and when the Lord is drinking . The sound will come to a stop after sometimes and the balance of the jaggery water is thrown out. This phenomenon happens not once in a day but is a recurring feature during the course of the day as and when devotees offer panakam (jaggery water). It will be interesting to note that even a singkle ant is not traceble near the Lord nor around the temple in spite of the offering of so much jaggery water. As the offering of the panakam to the Lord is peculiar, the Lord here is called panakala Narasimhaswamy. There is a legend about the offering of the panakam (jaggery or sugar water) to the Lord. It is said that the hill was once a volcano. Sugar or jaggery water, it is said, neutralises sulphur compounds found in a volcano and prevents a volcanic eruption. It is an ancient festival and widely known. It is under the management of the Hindu Religions & charitable Endowments Board and there is an Executive Officer. The temple has lands to an extent of nearly 400 acres yielding and annual income of over sixty thousand rupees. A board of 5 trustees, two with hereditary rights, has been constituted at presently the District Court nearly a lakh of Hindu devotees from all over India congregate.
Pujaris are Vaikhanasa of Gowthamasa fotram. Prasadam is distributed to all. Srirama Navami, Hanumajayanthi, Narasimhajayanthi and Vaikunta Ekadasi are celebrated here on a large scale.
A fair is held in this connection for a week near the temple since times. About 1,00,000 people, local and from distant places, congregate, eatables, utensils, lanterns, mirrors, combs, pictures, photos, ayurvedic medicines, clothes and toys are sold.
There are choultries belonging to the temple there are also Pesakalapudi Buchuvari choultry and Madhya choultry providing facilities for the piligrims. There will be free feeding in the name of Balamba Annasatram.
The legend about the origin of the Balamba Annasatram is that Balamba was born in Mangalagiri in the Devulapalli family and married Kaivarm Subbanna. She lead the cojugal life for a very short period and later renounced the world and became a devotee of Lord Narasimha had became a yogini and commenced penance in a cave of the Mangalagiri hills. One day a shepherd ran to the pujari of the temple with the news that he saw a five year old boy in the lap of Balamba in the valley. The archaka and the leader of the place followed the shepherd to the spot. As soon as they reached the place they saw to their amazement the boy disappearing from Balamba. The shephered recounted to the other the conversation between the boy about the parents etc., the boy told her that he was parentless and that he came to her for food. When she pointed out her own helplessness to feed him in that valley, he asked her to go home where she would feed crores of people. Hearing this conversation all the people that came there went to Balamba prostrated before her and took her home.
Commenced feeding the poor. Many persons offered bags of grain and other food commodities. Balamba fed thousands of poor persons every day. One day while thousands were taking their food in an open place, the sky became cloudy and it was thought that it would rain. Balamba prayed Lord Narasimha and stopped the rain till the dinner was over. Another day about hundred hungry people came at an untimely hour and requested her to serve them food immediately. The food in the kitchen was only sufficient only for ten but with fill faith in the Lord, she invited all the hundred and asked the servants to serve them food. The food was quite sufficient to serve all. One day a group of five revealed to Balamba after taking food in the annasatram (choultry) that they were sages doing penance in the Mangalagiri hills and that she would get salvation after completing her mission in this world and disappeared. From that time onwards the food she served proved an efficatious prasadam to the suffering humanity, restoring sight to the blind, relieving the possessed and curing several incurable diseases. In pleasant memory of Balamba annadanam is continued annually during the period of Brahmothsavam by the residents of the place.
Ksheera vruksham (the milk tree) on the Mangalagiri hill is of great attraction particularly to the woman. The legend goes to say that king Sasibandi in the course of his pilgrimage met Narasimha swamy temple and when enquired, told him that he was tried of worldly pleasures and was on pilgrimage to holy place. The queen grew furious and cursed Narada to become a Ksheera vruksham on the hill within the easy reach of devotees, blessing women at its very sight, with property and children and washing off the sins they committed out of ignorance or oversight for having ill-advised her husband to desert her and take to penance. Narada took this not as a curse but as a boon as it meant service to humanity, blessed the queen with happy life with her husband and a thousand children. Even today the milk tree is on the Mangalagiri hill and throughout the year thousands of women visit and worship the tree for begetting children.
There is a legend connected with the making of the procession idols of the temple. A repated goldsmith was appointed to make the procession images of the Lord. In spite of all his skill and care, the panchalohas (five metals) melted together in a huge crucible and smeared over the images to form a brilliant coating, the metals used to separate themselves and this bitter disappointment continued day after day. He began the process of burning one day after praying for the Lord's grace and heared a voice that success in his work required human sacrifice. Just then his son rushed to him and requested the father for water to quench his great thirst. He lifted his affectionate son and threw him into the molten mixture of the five metals and the body disappeared in no time. The amalgam was cast and beautiful icons of the Lord were then completed. After completing the work, the goldsmith thought about his son and called out in agony come my son and I will give you water to quench your thirst. It is believed that the body jumped out of the image and stood before his father.
There are several such legends proving the power and grace of the Lord of Mangalagiri