Seebi Narasimha Swamy Temple – Karnataka

Address

Seebi, Tumkur Taluk, Tumkur district,

Karnataka 572128

Moolavar

Narasimha Swamy

Amman

Mahalakshmi and Chenchulakshmi

Introduction

Location and Deity
The Narasimha Swamy Temple is located in Seebi village, Tumkur taluk, Tumkur district, Karnataka, along National Highway 4, approximately 20 km north of Tumkur city. The temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The goddesses Mahalakshmi and Chenchulakshmi are also worshipped here. The temple’s sacred tank, Gaja Pushkarini, is believed to be the site of the Gajendra Moksha episode from Hindu mythology.

Puranic Significance

Legend of the Merchant and the Rock: According to epigraphist B. Lewis Rice, a merchant boiling grain on a rock at Seebi witnessed the water turning blood-red, leading to a divine revelation in his dream. Lord Narasimha appeared and instructed the merchant to build a temple at the site to atone for the desecration of his abode.
18th-Century Reconstruction: Three wealthy brothers—Lakshminarasappa, Puttanna, and Nallappa, sons of Dewan Kacheri Krishnappa (of Tipu Sultan’s court)—expanded the temple. A dream vision inspired Nallappa to undertake the task, resulting in the completion of the temple in ten years.

The temple is a testament to 18th-century Dravidian architecture, retaining simplicity and elegance.

Beliefs

Lokamba Devi’s Blessings: Unmarried devotees perform a Kalyanotsavam to Goddess Lokamba Devi within the temple premises, seeking her blessings for a swift and suitable marriage.

Special Features

Architectural Highlights

The three-tiered tower (gopuram) and expansive prakara (bounding wall) enclose a large courtyard.
The open mantapa leads to a closed mantapa (navaranga) housing shrines for various deities, including Rama, Ambegal Krishna, Sriranga, Narasimha, Ganesha, and Saptamatrika.

Mural Paintings

The mukhamantapa (entrance hall) features murals depicting religious themes and courtly life from the Bhagavata Purana, Narasimha Purana, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.
The paintings reflect artistic influences from the Daria Daulat Bagh murals in Srirangapatna and are described as “folkish” with traces of Mysore period and Mughal styles.
Ceiling Murals:
- Krishna playing the flute while observing Tipu Sultan fighting a tiger.
- Beams with detailed processions of elephants, horsemen, cannons, and symbolic Vijayanagara-era imagery.
The murals serve as historical documentation of Karnataka’s artistic and cultural exchanges.