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Singapatnam
- Narasimhaswamy Aalayam
A popular sthalapurana called Madanagopala Mahatmya embodies an elaborate account of this holy kshetra now going by
the name of Sangotam. It is a unique Narasimha kshetra, where a Banalinga representing Lord Narasimha is receiving
ritualistic worship with utmost veneration due. And here in these parts there are many more shrines enshrining lingas, the
principal emblem of Siva, but representing Vaishnavate deities. The story of the emergence of this Narasimha is quite
fascinating and its hold on the theist community is infinitely great.
According to legend, once in the dim past, one devout bachelor was traversing here on his way to Ahobalam from Kasi.
Accidentally he tumbled upon a sharp stone and fell down swooned. In that unconscious state, he heard an aerial voice -
"Why going to Ahobalam, this place is equally sacred; you can stay here and do penance". Deeming it as Bhagavadadesa,
he started forthwith his penance sitting under a tree. His long penance brought down Lord Narasimha to this sport and gave
his damn - the ardent aspiration for which he was going to Ahobalam. A suitable shrine came up later, when the sports of the
Lord reached all corners and lifted the deserving theists. According to another version, the worshipful archamurti in the
salagram form was struck against the plough of one farmer, who was ploughing his land on the sacred Narasimha Jayanthi.
At once he was possessed by a good spirit and talked that he was himself Narasimha. And he carried the salagram on his
head home and placed it at the feet of the present icon. It so coincided with the hunting expedition of the feudal Lord to this
part called Recherla Singama Naidu, who being informed, galloped to the spot and worshipped the Lord with utmost
devotional zeal. His devotion did not end there, but propelled him to build a suitable shrine for it. He did.
But the literary narration attributes the emergence of this shrine to a different reason. The same Singama Naidu after
causing the temple built and endowed 240 acres of land for its maintenance. The temple faces the south direction. The
hillock on which the present temple stands is called Swetadri and almost all the buildings are erected by devotees - the
recipients of the Lord's rewards for pure devotion. Later there were built some more temples, like Lakshmi Devi Aalayam on
the Ratnagiri hill opposite this. As this holy kshetra is encircled by green crops, silver cascades and vast ponds, the
enchanting bounties of the evergreen Nature, it is a most visit-worthy kshetra embodying many tourist potentialities, besides
spiritual treasures.
It lies in the Kollapur mandalam of Palamur district of Andhra Pradesh, commanding rail and road facilities from the taluq
headquarters town.
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