Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple

Perched atop the larger of the two hills at Sholingur (also rendered Sholinghur) in Thondai Nadu, the temple of Yoga Narasimha Swamy enshrines the Lord in the fierce yet serene man-lion avatara as its Moolavar, worshipped here as Lakshmi Narasimhar with his consort Lakshmi honoured as Thirumamagal, and it stands among the 108 Divya Desams celebrated by the Alwars. The place is anciently known as Thirukkadigai (also called Sholingapuram), a name that tradition connects with the swift attainment of grace here, the term “kadigai” evoking the brief measure of time in which the Lord is said to grant fulfilment to His devotees. According to the sthala purana, the sages who worshipped at this hill obtained release from afflictions, and the Lord appears in the contemplative yogic posture (Yoga Narasimha) rather than the wrathful form, signifying the peace that follows the destruction of evil. On the adjacent smaller hill (Chinna Malai, about 350 ft, opposite the larger Periya Malai at about 750 ft) abides Yoga Anjaneyar (Hanuman), and the worship of Narasimha together with His ardent devotee is a distinctive feature of this kshetra. The temple was sung in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham by Pey Alwar, one of the earliest Mudhal Alwars, who addresses the Lord here as “Vaan Poonkadigai Ilankumaran,” and by Thirumangai Alwar, whose verses extol the hill-shrine and its grace-bestowing Lord. Tradition also holds that the Srivaishnava teacher Manavala Mamunigal expounded the Thiruppavai at this kshetra. The ascent of the hill via roughly 1,305 steps to a five-tiered rajagopuram, the abode of Narasimha above and Hanuman opposite, and the tradition of swift deliverance from sin and suffering together mark Thirukkadigai as a place of singular sanctity among the divine abodes of the Tamil land.

Festivals

Sholingur, the divya desam of Thirukkadigai, traditionally observes the great annual Chittirai Brahmotsavam (April-May) with its sequence of vahana processions, when the Lord is taken out on various mounts before throngs of devotees. The Karthigai Thiruvizha (November-December) and Narasimha Jayanthi during Vaikasi (May-June) are also major observances. Vaikunta Ekadasi is kept with deep devotion, marked by the recitation of the Tiruvaimozhi and special darshan of the presiding deity. The temple also follows the customary Vaishnava cycle, including Pavithrotsavam for ritual purification and a Float festival (Theppotsavam) in the cooler months. Being celebrated for its hill shrines of Yoga Narasimha on the larger hill and Yoga Anjaneyar on the smaller, festivals here are closely associated with the worship of both Narasimha and Hanuman, and special abhishekams and prayers for relief from afflictions are traditionally cherished by pilgrims.

Location & Access

The temple stands at Sholingur (Thirukkadigai) in the Thondai Nadu region, in present-day Ranipet district of northern Tamil Nadu (formerly part of Vellore district before the 2019 reorganisation), with the principal shrine of Yoga Narasimha set atop a hill reached by a flight of about 1,305 steps. Sholingur is well connected by road to Vellore and Arakkonam, the nearest major rail and transport hubs, with Chennai the closest large city further east. The temple observes darshan from about 6:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM. It is maintained by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.