Doddamallur Nadi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Karnataka

Address

Doddamallur Nadi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Karnataka

Dodda Mallur Village,
Tittamaranahalli, Channapatna Taluk,
Ramanagara District,
Karnataka – 562160.

Moolavar

Nadi Narasimha Swamy

Introduction

Channapatna Sri Nadi Narasimha Swamy Temple is an ancient shrine in Dodda Mallur village, Channapatna Taluk, Ramanagara District, Karnataka State. The presiding deity Lord Narasimha Swamy incarnation of Sri Vishnu is located on the banks of River Kanva, about 65 km from Bengaluru, off the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. After passing through Channapatna, continue for 2 km and then turn right onto a village road just before reaching Dodda Mallur.

Puranic Significance

This sanctuary would have been built in the 11th century, which makes it approximately 1000 years old. Renovations were made about 100 years ago and only the exterior walls and the covering around the sanctuary are new additions.

It is said that the river’s original name was Nirmala, and since Sage Kanva engaged in severe penance here, it has been renamed as Kanva River. According to legends, hundreds of years ago King Saraangadaara ruled this region. He wanted to attend the special prayers made by Kanva on the night of Swathi nakshatra. The Sage forbade the king to go to the temple on this special night. The king disobeyed the sage and stood before him while performing prayers. The sage cursed the king and his anger was so intense that the village was totally destroyed.

Later, at the request of local people’s prayers, Lord Narasimha Swamy ordered Sage Kanva to build the shrine on this riverbank. Later Maharaja of Mysore, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, donates 12 acres of land for temple maintenance.

Beliefs

Those who want to come to the temple tie an unpeeled coconut and walk around the shrine 48 times in procession and pray. When the prayer is completed, they come there and take the coconut and eat it at home. If he circumambulators the shrine 48 times or chants the Moolamantra 108 times, it is believed that the desired will happen.

Special Features

The presiding deity Nadi Narasimhaswamy is so called because Narasimhaswamy temple is situated on the bank of a Nadi (meaning river in Kannada) called Kanva, where the sage Kanva is said to have engaged in penance eons ago. The shrine is a Dravidian-style Ekakuta (single dome) without a pedestal and facing east. Lord Narasimha Swamy’s idol is made of black stone, is placed in a seated position with his wife Sri Lakshmi Devi, on his lap. Devotees chant the Moola Mantra while doing Pradakshina and tying unpeeled coconuts on two iron rods inside the temple and placing lemons near the shrine as offerings to grant their wishes. There are small statues of Sri Vishnu’s Dasavathara forms and a beautiful Hanuman idol in meditative posture inside the temple.