  
Facts to
File
 How
far : 60 km
from Hyderabad
How to
go : State
buses, taxis, trains.
Where to stay :
Commutable
distance from Hyderabad
What to see :
Lakshmi Narasimha
Swami temple, shrines of the goddess Andal or Goda Devi, Anjaneya,
the five Alwars, Ramalingeswara Swamy and the
pushkarini.
Just 60 kilometers from Hyderabad is Yadagirigutta
where of the holy shrine of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami is located.
Quite a pleasant drive on a now being widened national highway
running most of the way parallel to the rail track from Secunderabad
to Khazipet, Yadagirigutta is closest to Raigiri Railway station
which is only 6 km away.
 Yadagirigutta is the
abode of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy which is visited by many a
people from neighboring towns as well as from neighboring states. It
is a big draw with the people from twin cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad.
LEGEND
The town acquired its name and fame from a sage called
Yadarishi, son of the great sage Rishyasrunga who did penance inside
a cave with the blessings of Anjaneya on this hill between Bhongir
and Raigiri in Nalgonda district. Pleased with his deep devotion,
Lord Narasimha (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) appeared before him
in five different forms as Jwala, Yogananda, Gandabherunda, Ugra and
Lakshminarasimha. They later manifested themselves into finely
sculpted forms that later came to be worshipped as Panchanarasimha
Kshetram. As the legend goes, the Lord appeared first as Jwala
Narasimha (Lord as a flame), when Yadarishi was unable to face the
intensity of this apparition, he appeared in a peaceful form as
Yoganarasimha (Lord in a Yogic Padmasana posture with open palms on
the knees). Not satisfied with the Lord appearing alone, Yadarishi
sought to see him with this consort, so he is said to have appeared
with Lakshmi on his lap', known as Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and as
being worshipped by Alwars, his ardent devotees. To see these three
forms one has to go through an entrance that narrows itself into a
dark cave which in fact is surmised as the urga (fiery) form of
Narasimha (the fourth form) because it was beyond the strength of a
sage to see that form and gandabherunda ( the garuda pakshi or the
eagle) is the fifth form of the Lord which is said to have been
found sculpted in rock underneath the Anjaneya, known as
'Kshetrapalaka' (or the one who ruled over that hill). All these
forms are known as " swayambhu" or self emanated. Yadarishi is said
to have been granted his wish that the place where the Lord appeared
will be known by his name as Yadagiri (giri means hill in Sanskrit,
and gutta which means a hillock in Telugu seems to have been a
latter-day suffix) and that Lord Lakshmi Narasimha will be
worshipped for many years to come.
 According to the
puranas, Lord Narasimha after killing the demon Hiranyakashyapa gave
darshan to his ardent devotee Bhakta Prahlada in a cave situated on
a hill which of course was not called Yadagiri. But Lord Narasimha
was believed to have been worshipped by sages (rushis). But the
region of Yadagirigutta has been reputed to be a "Rushi Aradhana
Kshetram" or the place of worship for sages.
Ever since, this ancient
temple has attracted thousands of pilgrims throughout the year not
only from this state but also from other states of the country. As
the belief goes, Lord Narasimha has taken on the role of a doctor"
at this shrine to cure many chronic diseases and the role of a 'do
gooder' to those who are under the influence of bad planets, witch
craft and black magic. Many instances are cited of the Lord
appearing in the dreams of the devotees, and administering medicines
and operated the patients and blessed them with good
health.
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