Narsingh Temple

Introduction to Narsingh Temple

One of the highly revered places in Joshimath is the Narsingh Temple. This is a must-visit place for Hindu devotees. The temple enshrines Narasimha, an incarnation of Vishnu. It lies in Chamoli District, Uttarakhand, and is also a 'Divya Desham' of Vishnu. Narasimha Badri or Narsingh Badri is the other name for it. The deity is the fourth incarnation of Vishnu (Narasimha avtar), who is in the form of half lion and half man. Narsingh Temple is one of the pilgrimages of the Sapta Temples. Narasimha incarnated to protect his devotee Prahlad and to kill the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Legend of Narsingh Temple

The legend behind the Narsingh Temple is found in the Mahabharata. According to the legend, Vishnu took the form of Narasimha, a half-man and half-lion form, to protect his devotee Prahlad from his father, the demon Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyakashipu had a boon from Brahma that no man, animal, or weapon could kill him at any time of the day or night. Prahlad was an ardent devotee of Vishnu, whom his father despised. Enraged by his son's devotion to Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill him. But Vishnu appeared as Narasimha and killed Hiranyakashipu by tearing his chest open with his claws at twilight on the palace's threshold. The Narsingh Temple is believed to have been built on the exact spot where Narasimha is said to have killed Hiranyakashipu. The temple is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus, particularly those visiting the nearby Badrinath Temple.

The Architecture of Narsingh Temple

Narsingh Temple has a history of around 1200 years. Adi Shankaracharya founded this temple and dedicated it to Vishnu's Narasimha avatar. The architecture of Narsingh Temple is remarkable. It features Nagara-style architecture and has a large central dome and several smaller domes and turrets. Grey granite stones adorn the main temple. The walls have intricate carvings. It has a beautifully carved Mandapa and Garbha griha. Narsingh Temple also has Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, and Durga shrines. The main deity Narasimha sits on a lotus. The height of the idol is 25 cm. Maa Chandika's idol is present on the left-hand side of the main deity.

The idol of Narasimha, established in the temple, is made of Shaligram stone. This statue was built during the reign of King Lalitaditya Yukta Pida of Kashmir in the 8th century. On the right-hand side of the deity, pilgrims can see the idols of Ram, Sita, Hanuman, and Garuda. Devotees can also see the idols of Badrinath, Kuber, and Uddhav. They believe that Badrivishal rests in the Narsingh Temple during the winter. Hence, the priests move the idol of Badrinath temple to Narsingh Temple during winter and place it alongside the Narasimha idol.

Festivals in Narsingh Temple

Holi, Narsingh Jayanti, Makar Sankranti, Krishna Janmashtami, and Diwali are grandly celebrated festivals in the Narsingh Temple.

Benefits of Worshipping at Narsingh Temple

Devotees observe a fast until dusk on the day of his advent. They strongly believe that offering prayers to Narasimha can bestow one with various benefits like removal of sins, cures for diseases, protection from the negative influences of planets and evil forces, fulfillment of honest desires regarding longevity, wealth, success, etc., and Moksha.