So after much adue hype, hoopla, e-bookings, waiting lists and e-cancellations (I am yet to confirm whether IRCTC has reimbursed my moolah) we finally embarked on the trip that evaded us 2 times in a row. 3rd time lucky? Possibly.
On June 9th , exactly 2 days after I had shifted to my new residence - we were all set to leave the house for a week long trip that promised to be exiciting , exhausting , sweltering and scincillating all at the same time. I arrived home roughly 1 and half hours before the train's scheduled departure timings. We left home , hurriedly caught an auto and awaited the train at Chennai Central.
We took the Mumbai Mail to Cuddapah and reached Cuddapah at 4:30 am in the morning. (Unbelivably, I was up almost every morning that whole week at 4 or 4:30 am in the morning)
First stop - Ahobilam.
Ahobilam
Chennai -> Cuddapah (via train - this is where the train connectivity stopped)
Cuddapah -> Aaalagadda (via bus)
Aalagadda -> Ahobilam (via bus)
Significance: The Ahobila Mutt (which is very sacred for Vaishnavaites and Vishnu worshippers everywhere) and the Nava Narasimha sannidhis . It took us a day and half (almost 2 days) at Ahobilam to cover all the 9 Narasimha Shrines. Some snapshots of Ahobilam ~
The toughest shrines to reach are the Jwala Narasimha (be prepared for a steep 4-5 km uphill trek to reach the shrine itself) and the Pavana Narasimha (this is in the heart of the forest, as , in literally in the heart - our jeep got punctured 2 times and got stuck along the way and on the way back too!)
There is a spot uphill , further upward from the Jwala Narasimha shrine called the 'Ugra Stambham'. It is said that Lord Narasimha broke open from this spot when Prahlad called upon him. Here are some snaps of the Ugra stambham!
More to come ...
