Every temple has an origin story and each deity is revered for various reasons, but all of them dovetail towards what a devotee seeks. Often, seers and preceptors have been the reason for a temple to come up in a particular area and emerging as the focal point for devotional tourists from across the world. One such temple is that of Yoga Nrisimha, in Sholingur near Ranipet, said P. Swaminathan.

Falling under the 108 Divya Kshetras of Vaishnavites, the temple’s east-facing deity, Yoga Nrisimha, here is normally in a state of yoga (meditation). Built by Parankucha Chola in the 3rd Century, the deity sits on a 600-foot high mountain and one has to climb 1,305 steps to reach the Yoga Nrisimha and Amritavalli Thayar sannidhis. However, Bhaktavatchala Perumal, the utsava murthy (processional deity), presides down in the plateau. Lying between Kancheepuram and Tirupati, the Sholingur temple is a sacred refuge for many, especially during the Tamil month of Karthigai.

It is said that Nrisimha comes out of his yoga state and gazes upon the devotees, with open eyes, only during this month, and shut in meditation for the rest of the year. Devotees, who seek solution to their various problems, including health issues, strongly believe that when they are in His presence, with utter faith in Him, He gracefully grants them their wishes. Perumal, who manifested as Nrisimha to immediately prove Prahlada’s declared faith that Narayana resided everywhere, including the pillar near him, and would rush to the aid of His devotee, is worshipped here as one who heeds the prayers of His devotees.

Yoga Nrisimha’s presence here is itself a response to the prayers of the rishis (Vashista, Jamadagni, Vyasa, Kashyapa, Atri, Gautama, Bharadwaja and Vishwamitra). They undertook penance in order to see Nrisimha, but they prayed that He appear in a calm visage, and not as the ugra Nrisimha who burst out of the pillar and destroyed Hiranyakasipu. When the devout pray, Perumal grants them their wishes.