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Sri Urukunda Veeranna (Eranna) & Sri Narasimha Swamy Temple at Urukunda Village
The customs of shivates is totally different from the customs of vaishnavites. There is one temple in Urukunda of Kowthalam Taluk, Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India where Lord Sri Lakshmi Narasimha swami who is an avatar of lord Vishnu is worshiped in shaivate customs. This temple which has many special features is being visited by lakhs of devotees every year. Lord Veeranna (Also called Eranna) is considered as very powerful god.
This Temple consists of one Aswatha Tree (Peepul tree) and two statues installed beneath it. One is of Lord Narasimha Swamy and other Lord Veeranna swami. There is one small story behind this temple. Some hundred years back there lived a yogi by name Hiranya. His name is changed as Veeranna as time passed. He used to come from Kowthalam to Urukunda every day for gazing the cows. He used to sit under an Aswatha Tree and perform deep meditation. He used to cure different diseases of devotees with his spiritual power. One day he disappeared from Urukunda. The villagers started worshipping this Aswatha tree where the yogi used to meditate. They also decided to worship Veeranna swamy in the form of Lord Veerabhadra. They made the statue of Lord Veerabhadra and started excavation wok for Temple construction. During excavation they found the statue of Lord Narasimha Swamy in the earth. Hence they installed both the statues and started worshipping both the statues with Shaivate customs.
One day Sri Raghavendra Swamy chariot while he is travelling from Karnataka to Mantralayam suddenly stopped at Urukunda village. As all efforts to restart the chariot failed, Sri Raghavendra Swami recognised the greatness of this place with his great sight (Divyadrushti) and he worshiped Sri Narasimha Swamy here. Devotees strongly believe that worshipping Lord Narasimha Swami & Sri Veeranna here will solve their problems, cure all diseases, reduces mental tensions, fears and provide great metal peace and happiness. Devotees wear a silver garland after visiting this temple as a remembrance of lord Verranna & Sri Narasimha swami.
20 year back this was a small temple with few shops and within a few years this developed into a famous temple with annual income of more than 5 crores. There are plenty of rooms available for the devotees stay. Afternoon free meals are offered daily to all with one crore rupees fund collected from devotees. Facilities are made for devotees for bathing at lower canal of Tungabhadra river.
Every year during shravan month festivals are conducted. Mondays and Thursdays of this month are considered auspicious to visit the temple and worship the God here. The third Monday of Shravan month is considered most auspicious to worship lord Veeranna & Sri Narasimha Swamy. It is estimated that 10 to 15 lakh people visit this temple during Shravan month every year. Devotees take bath here at Tunngabadra river canal and cook food here itself and offer the same to God. The offered food to God is distributed to other devotees as Prasad. Shravan month comes in rainy season and the land will be generally wet during this month. It is believed that only due to the power of God, fire breaks out and the food gets cooked though it is cooked on wet land. The last part of the festival is called 'Yeti Yatra'. On last Monday of Shravan month, the lord statue is kept in a chariot and taken by walk to Tungabhadra river which is 15 Km away from temple. After abhishekam of lords statue at Tungabhadra river the chariot is welcomed grandly by all the villages on the way back to the temple. On this day running race, kolata and other local games were played in these villages.
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