Vedadri Narasimha Temple

The Vedadri Narasimha Temple stands on the bank of the Krishna River and is one of the Pancha Narasimha Kshetras, the five great shrines of the man-lion god. Its sthalapurana tells that the demon Somakasura stole the Vedas from Brahma and hid them in the ocean, whereupon Vishnu appeared as Narasimha, rescued the sacred texts and turned them into the hill of Vedadri.

Five forms of Narasimha are worshipped here, including Vira, Jwala and Yoga Narasimha. The temple rose to prominence under the Kakatiya Empire, and the Telugu saint-composer Narayana Tirtha was a frequent visitor. In the nineteenth century the zamindar Vasireddy Muktiswara Prasad Nayudu renovated it, renewing the flagstaff and building 108 steps down to the Krishna.