G13-THE TEMPLE ON A FORESTED HILL

 

BY  PRAGYANSHARAMA   POLAVARAPU(VRS.SOMANCHI)

The temple of Lord Narasimha at Mallur  though small is  famous in the area for its holiness . It was said to have a past history of a few hundred years. It is in an interior area quite faraway from cities. Vijayawada city  was  250 kilometers away, the famed temple town of Bhadrachalam was 90 kilometers away and  Warangal city 140 kilometers away  and Hyderabad  a good 270 kilometers away.

Even the  “revenue mandal” town Mangapet , which is four or five kilometers away from Mallur , was a small town and did not have big  hotels. Therefore people have to reach the  temple  by  8am( by auto,cab or motorcycle). since  the temple is located two kilometers inside a  jungle all people are strictly advised to  leave by 5pm.

However there is a steady flow of devotees in day time because it is such a beautiful place . Every day a few hundred  devotees come in small batches in normal times from nearby villages and towns mostly using own vehicles, cars or motor bikes . Many also visit by autos which are available in plenty for the temple trip. Hundreds of thousands of devotees visit the temple in April or May to participate in the grand  annual “Brahmostavam”. Since the temple is located in beautiful hilly and forest environment  some film industry groups also visit the place occasionally to shoot film scenes. There is a nice  road for cars , two wheelers and autos to take pilgrims  right up to the temple steps. But I felt that the real attraction was the most beautiful tree lined forest path  two or three kilometers long on the wide spine of the long  hill upto the temple .

 

 It is on this path that I and my friend walked on a pleasant cool foggy morning to reach the temple 23 years ago. But even after a long time memories of the pleasant trip come to my mind now and then.  

“For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.”

— William Wordsworth