Hindu god Vishnu. The ancient temple is excavated in a 300 m tunnel[1] under the Manichoola hill range[2] situated at around 4.8 km from the city. The temple is Classified as one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate
tradition.
Other names
Jharani Narasimha Cave Temple
Jharni Narasimha Swamy
Jharani Narasimha Temple
Narasimha Swami Jharani Temple
Narasimha Jhira Cave Temple
Narasimha Zarni Cave Temple
Narasimha Jheera Temple
Narasimha Jharna
Narasimha Jhara
Temple description
One has to wade through the cave wherein water height varies from 4 feet to 5 feet to have a glimpse of the deity's image formed on the laterite wall at the end of tunnel which is architectural wonder.
Shiva Linga which the demon Jharasura (Jalasura) had worshipped. Around eight people can stand and watch this spectacular sight as there is very little space in there. Others need to wait in the water for their turn.[2] Since the water flows continuously and people walk in it, the water does not remain crystal clear. People carry kids into the temple on their shoulder. The water has sulphur in it and is said[by whom?
] to have healing properties for people having skin problems. This temple is especially visited by many couples seeking children. As this is one of its kind temple, the overall experience can be thrilling & adventurous.
Narasimha Avatar
Lord Vishnu guarded the child devotee Prahlada, who was put to endless torture by his father Hiranyakashipu, a Demon, for repeating God's name instead of his own. But Prahlada withstood all these tortures with steadfast devotion. Finally God appeared in the form as Man-Lion, and killed the Hiranyakashipu. In this Man-Lion incarnation, the God's emphasis is on devotion.
Scriptures
The fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Narasimha, is half human and half lion. Legend says that Narasimha after killing Hiranyakashipu, slew another giant named Jharasura (Jalasura) who was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. While breathing his last, Jharasura beseeched Vishnu (or rather, his incarnation) to reside in the cave in which he was living and to grant boons to devotees. Granting last wish of his, Narasimha came to live in the cave.[4] There is a roughly carved image of Narasimha on a stone wall at the end of the cave. After being killed, the demon turned into water and started flowing down the feet of the Lord Narasimha.[2] The flow of water in the cave tunnel is continuous since then. The spring has never dried out.
Geology
Narasimha Jharni is a tubular spring. Though Bidar is at an elevation, the temple is at a lower level. It is located amidst the slopes of the hilly terrain. The lateritic rock formation under the plateau enables percolation of surface water. Bidar urban plateau is of irregular shape, land stretching about 35.4 km in length and 19.3 km in width. The plateau consists of red laterite rocky crust, of a depth varying from 30.5 m to 152.4 m supported on impervious trap base.
This has resulted in springs at the cleavages between trap and laterite rocks.[citation needed] Such water springs can be observed in Bidar also at Guru Nanak Jhira Sahib Gurudwara, Papanasha Shiva Temple etc.
Significance
People throng to this temple because it is believed that the Deity at the Narasimha Jharni Cave temple is a
swayambhu roopam – in other words, the deity is self manifested and is very powerful.[2]
Recent developments
To facilitate the devotees, the cave temple has been
Vaastu
. Now they are not allowing pilgrims to enter the cave as the water flow is slow.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Pilgrimage to Narasimhaswami Shetrams, by Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran