Sholingur (TamilNadu, India) Temples

Namaste,

At Sholingur in TamilNadu state of India, there are several dedicated temples to Sri Yoga Narasimha Swami and Sri Yoga Anjaneyar (hanumana). The temples are located up on top of 2 separate, and adjacent hills. At the foot of the temple, there is a large tank and also houses a temple to Sri Varadaraja Swami (Vishnu).

These temples are said to be very powerful to cure ailments, and for all kinds of prayers. I have not visited them, but yearn to, for some personal prayers. Also from the temple tank at the foot of the hill, on full Moon evenings, devotees go round the hills, which is about 21 km in total distance, also known as girivalam.

The larger of the two shrines seems to be the Anjaneya Swami temple, located on the small hill. It takes about 400 steps to climb the small hill. The eyes of Sri Yoga Anjaneya is said to be focused/onlooking at the feet of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami, whose temple is located at the top of the adjacent larger hill, and takes about 1300 steps to reach the temple from the bottom of the hill.

I am curious to learn more about the climb to the top of both the hills. Is there any reader of this thread who has visited this temple? Even if not, you can help me with some of the following questions:

1. I know faith and devotion make on perform miracles. Nevertheless, my faith and devotion, are but limited. Many devotees have told me climbing 1300 steps (to the Narasimha temple) is a daunting task. Especially to be noted is that, I always struggle to climb up stairs. I wonder how long it will take to climb 1300 steps? Anyone can give a rough idea for someone who has problems climbing steps /stairs like me? (I know to climb the Statue of Liberty up to the pedestal, it is 354 steps and I used to sweat and pant profusely and found it quite a struggle to climb, both the times I have visited the place...).

2. To someone who has visited, is it possible to visit just the Hanuman shrine at the smaller hill and not visit the Narasimha temple at all? Would it be a blunder?

3. Is it possible to take any shortcut to go around the hills (girivalam) instead of the 21 km route? Can this be done on any day or just on full Moon days?

I will benefit immensely should someone provide answers.

Thanks.

Namaste Viraja Ji,

I have not been to Sholingur, but I have done quite a few Bullock Cart padayatras, parikramas and yatras, sometimes walking for a few months at a time, in Tamil and Andra too, there are some real special places, they certainly have blessing and they are not ordinary places. I have always enjoyed walking and there is no better way to get to know the real India. I may have a chance to go back soon and will try and spend some time around Girnar.

Walking yatra is a total meditation, between places there was always fixing the mind on the next temple, deity and pastimes where each step becomes an offering, conditions can be sometimes extreme and difficult, there is only full dependency, from what I have seen where there is a will there is a way and there is a help along the way, some people amaze me how they can walk even in old age up steep steps and difficult conditions, how crowds wait and sing patiently in devotion in long queues just for a moments dharshan of Bali Ji. When getting closer the temples everyone chanting the names if the deity, its rich in devotion, its the closest thing to freedom and bliss out there. In Kedantha I was so tired at midway point I just lay on the side of the path and went to sleep for 15 mins, no one minds, it can get tough, but I managed to walk from Tri Yugi Narayana to Kedantha, where we was greeted with a hail storm and then back, which totals around 40km. Usually there are short cuts on most mountain yatras, the paths the locals take which can save time, but they are sometimes hard to find or see and usually more difficult as they are natural mountains paths and its easy to get lost. The energy of the yatra keeps people going. You have got my memory going this morning and I have been seeing that a chance may come up again soon over the last few weeks.

I heard recently that Sri Aurobindo did 7 miles walking meditation everyday, the devotees that I have seen all round India that do their local parikramas every day in early morning always seem more blissful in the day time, that was my experience too, early morning is a gift for us, what better way to start the day, if I remember India its around yatras and lifestyle and culture around that, I hope you can go or any other place or anyone else, I am sure if you wish it enough it will happen, I first went to Badrinatha in 93 but I was halted in Joshi Math because there was an avalanche and the Army closed the roads, I only had 1 week left in India so I didnt make it, I always wanted to go back as one of those things I had to do before I die, I didn't get the chance to go back until 21 years later, even I was spending time in India, I couldnt plan, always something would come up and then finally one day the chance came. Its nice to spend more time in some places as there usually are many stories/lilas and hidden yatras at each Dham, some Dham's have all the yatra's in one place, maybe all of them do, they are Absolute, some say they are all in the nadis, if I am lucky my last breath will be while doing yatra.

Padayatra Ki Jay