Thirukadigai Divya Desam - Yoga Narasimha Perumal Temple (Sholingur)

• Meditation: I meditate on Sri Yoga Narasimhar and Sri Amruthavalli Thayar at Thirukadigai Divya Desam (also known as Ghatikachalam).

• Greatness: Thirukadigai is a Divya Desam. It is the 64th Divya Desam and is located in Thondai Nadu. This Divya Desam is also known as Ghatikachalam because Lord Narasimha gave darshan to Prahlada and the Saptarshis here for a time period of one Ghatika.

• Puranic Events:

1. Lord Narasimha & Prahlada: This Divya Desam is also known as Ghatikachalam because Lord Narasimha gave darshan to Prahlada and the Saptarshis here for a time period of one Ghatika.
- Note: The temple of Lord Narasimha is on the Periya Malai or the Big Hill. It has around 1000 steps. The village in the foothill is known as Kondapalayam. The Image of Lord Narasimha here is in the form of Yoga Narasimha in a peaceful pose. The Lord is facing East.

2. Lord Narasimha & Anjaneyar: It is said that on the behest of Lord Narasimha, Sri Anjaneyar helped king Indradyumna during his fight with the demons.
- Note: The temple of Sri Veera Anjaneyar is on the Chinna Malai (or Small Hill). The Image of Sri Anjaneyar faces West, facing the Image of Lord Narasimha. The Image has four hands with Shankha (Conch) and Chakra (Discus) on two of his hands.

3. Lord Narasimha & Erumbi Appa: Sholingur is associated with devotee Erumbi Appa or Varadachariar (a disciple of Manavala Rishi). He lived in Erumbi, 2 km from Sholingur. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Narasimha and composed Sanskrit slokas on Lord Narasimha known as Amirtha Palavalli Satakam.

4. Lord Vishnu & Doddachariar: Sholingur is also associated with devotee Doddachariar who was an ardent devotee of Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram. Sri Doddachariar used to visit Kanchipuram from Sholingur every year to attend the Brahmotsavam festival. During his old age when he was unable to do so, one day he was standing on the bank of Thankankulam tank of Sholingur during the Brahmotsavam festival. Lord Varadaraja during the Garudaseva procession, made the priests hold the umbrellas in a slanting position to enable Doddachariar to have the darshan of the Utsavar image from Sholingur.
- Note: During Brahmotsavam of Sri Varadaraja temple of Kanchipuram, the custom of slanting the umbrella is followed even today, to remind the devotees of this incident.

• Deities:
- Yoga Narasimha: The Image of Sri Yoga Narasimha in Sitting posture facing East.
- Amruthavalli Thayar: The Image of Sri Amruthavalli Thayar.
- Veera Anjaneyar: The Image of Sri Veera Anjaneyar in Standing posture with four hands holding Shankha (Conch) and Chakra (Discus) with two of his hands.

• Sacred Geography:
- Periya Malai: The Hill with the temple of Sri Yoga Narasimha.
- Chinna Malai: The Hill with the temple of Sri Veera Anjaneyar.

• Location: Thirukadigai is located in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. This is in Thondai Nadu. The temple can be visited from Arakonnam (27 km) and Vellore (55 km).

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