Gatikachala is a hill near Sholingur in the

Vellore Vellore (English: ), also spelt as Velur (), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Palar River in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu and is separ ...

district of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It is a

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

pilgrimage center and the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the God

Narasimha Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...

. Lord Narasimha is the fourth incarnation (

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...

) of the God

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

. The name of this place is Kadigachalam as known from ancient legend. Kadigai is the name of a period of Time. Sholingur is famous for the temples at its outskirts – one of Sri Yoga Narasimha Swami located on the top of the hill Ghatikachala and another of Sri Yoga Anjaneyar Swami. Tirukkadikai (Sholingur or Cholasimhapuram) is one of the 108 Divya Desams - sacred places of

Vaishnava Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

Sect in Hinduism. Both the temples are located on two hillocks. Yoga Anjaneyar It is believed that Indirathuyman, the King of North Madurai killed the Asuran Nikumban and saved the Country Since, he helped the rishis and bhaktas, he was given the Vajrayudham by Indiran (Weapon of Indiran). Yoga Narasimhar asked Anjaneyar(

Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...

) to help him and after the asura was killed, Anjaneyar was asked to stay in the hills to give boons to his devotees, in his yoga nithrai (posture). Sacred Thirumanjanam and poojas are performed for Lord Anjaneyar on all Sundays as the killing of the asura took place on a Sunday. The Brahma theertham well, which is full of water rich in minerals, gives cure for many diseases. The Hanumath Jayanthi festival is celebrated in a very grand manner here. Large number of devotees visit the Smaller Hillock of the Anjaneyar Temple during this occasion. Anjaneyar, sitting in Yoga Muthra is facing the west, where the Yoga Narasimhar is in his abode. Legend After killing the mighty demon Hiranyakashipu (

asura Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...

), Lord Narasimha couldn't contain his anger and Lord

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

only came to his help. To make Prahalaada happy, Yoga Narasimhar gave his seva for 1 Kadigai in Yoga Nilai (Bigger Hillock). Because of this, the place is also called as "Kadikasalam". Utsavas (Festivals) Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal (Thakkan), Periyapiratiyar and Bhoomi piratiyar are found in Bhoga stage (Dhyanam stage) in the temple in Malai Adivaaram (foot hill). There are separate sannadhis for Andal, Alwars, Garuda Vagana Varadharaja Perumal, Erumbiyapa and Thottacharyaar. Both the God's in Periyamala and Chinnamala, Narasimar and Aajaneyar are in Santha Nilais (Yoga Stage). All Utsavams are conducted to Sri Bhakthavatsalar of the temple . Special Poojas for Thayaar (Amritha Valli) on every Friday are performed. Distances from Major Towns

References

Hindu pilgrimage sites in India {{Hinduism-stub

See also

References