We visited the popular temple of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Cheeriyal
today, 13th March 2022. It has been in our mind to visit this temple for a long
time, but it became possible only today.
The temple is very large and good-looking, from outside and
inside. It is located in front of a very large lake amidst very serene and beautiful
surroundings. The main sanctum sanctorum has a beautiful idol of Lord Narasimha
Swamy with Lakshmi Devi. Lord Narasimha Swamy who is seen at many temples in a
ferocious form (Ugra Roopam) looks very peaceful here and hence the Lord is
called Shanta (Peaceful) Narasimha Swamy. With many lamps lit with cow ghee, on
the floor, on the pedestal and some hanging, the sanctum looks beautiful and Sri
Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy stunning. By
purchasing a Seva ticket we performed Ashtothara Archana to the lord by
standing very close to the main deity for close to 15 minutes. It was a very pleasing
and highly satisfactory Darshan of the God.
Within the temple, a little outside the sanctum sanctorum there
are temples of Lord Ganesha and Lord Anjaneya Swamy. The corridors of the
temple along with the ceiling are very nicely sculptured and colourfully painted,
as you can see in the attached pictures. The whole temple looks very beautiful.
Apart from the temple being popular among devotees, it is said that the temple
has become popular among people shooting Telugu TV Serial Dramas.
There is plenty of place in front of the temple, where pooja
items are sold, coconuts are offered to the Gods and Vehicle poojas are performed
and to the left of the temple, there is ample parking place for cars, around
150 cars can be easily parked.
We gathered the following information at the temple: “There are
many Sevas done here in line with those at Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple,
Yadagirigutta. Every Friday Abhishekam is performed. Swarnapushpaarchana is
done to the main lord at the request of the devotees. Every month on Swathi
Nakshatra day, Swamy Kalyanam is performed. Every year Sri Swamyvari
Brahmothsavams are performed during the months of Chaitthram, that is from
Shudha Vidiya to Dwadasi. During Brahmothsavams cultural programs like
Harikathas, Bajans, Upanyasams, Bharatha Natyam and Dramas are arranged with well-known
artists and Scholars from different places. There is a big hall adjacent to the
sanctum sanctorum for performing various rituals like Sathyanarayana Swamy Vratam,
Sudarshana Homam, Annaprasana and Upanayanam. Many people make their wishes standing
before Dwajha Stambham with a coconut in their hands and by going around the
temple for eleven, twenty-one or forty-one times (Pradakshinas). After their wish
is fulfilled, they come here again and go around the temple forty-one times.
Many devotees come here on Saturdays and spend the night here. The following
day they do Pradakshinas. Devotees believe that their wishes would be fulfilled
if they sleep five Saturdays in this holy temple. The devotees who come here
should not close their eyes before the main deity but look at the Lord with
devotion”.
To accommodate devotees for such rituals there is a Choultry
with 41 rooms behind the temple.
This temple is of very recent origins. Regarding the founding of
this temple, the credit goes to Sri Mallaram Eshwarayya who was a staunch
devotee of Lord Narasimha Swamy. He had a vision of Lord Narasimha Swamy, who
asked him to go to Yadagirigutta and worship him there. He went there and while
returning, brought a picture of Yadagiri Sri Narasimha Swamy and kept it in his
Pooja Room and lit Akhanda Deepam. Many people visited his Pooja Room and
worshipped the Lord. Later His son, Mallaram Lakshminarayana too worshipped the
Lord and received the Narasimha mantra from his Guru. Inspired by Lord’s vision
he got Narasimha Swamy idol made on 19th April 2007 and kept it in his Pooja Room.
Later he thought a temple would be the most suitable place to worship the Lord.
So, in his field guided by the Lord, he selected a suitable place and laid the
foundation stone and did Pranapratishta on 1st May 2008. The shrines of Grama
Devatas (Village goddesses), Bangaru Mysamma and Nalla Pochamma which were in
the field, have been renovated, these are located near the Choultry.
The temple is located in Cheeriyal, a village in
Medchal-Malkajgiri District, Keesara Mandal of Telangana. It is located 21 Km
from our house in Secunderabad.
