Simhachalam Temple Timings: The Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is situated on the Simhachalam Hill Range, approximately 984 feet above sea level, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshiped here as Varaha Narasimha—an incarnation where Vishnu took the form of a half-lion, half-man to protect his devotee Prahlad from his father King Hiranyakashipu. The temple holds great religious significance. The idol of Narasimha is covered with sandalwood paste throughout the year, giving it the appearance of a lingam.
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- Morning Hours: 7 am – 4 pm
- Evening Hours: 6 pm – 9 pm
| Temple Timings | Pooja/ Darshan details |
| 04:00 AM | Temple Opening Hours |
| 04:00 AM to 04:10 AM | Melkolupu |
| 04:10 AM to 04:30 AM | Suprabhatha Seva |
| 04:30 AM to 04:45 AM | Suprabhatha Darshan |
| 04:45 AM to 05:00 AM | Antharalaya Sammarjanamu |
| 05:00 AM to 06:30 AM | Prathararadhanamu |
| 05:30 AM to 09:30 AM | Purana Patanamu |
| 05:30 AM to 06:30 AM | Aaradhana Ticket Darshan |
| 06:30 AM to 11:30 AM | Darshan |
| 9:30 AM Onwards | Kalyanotsavam |
| 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM | Mahanivedana |
| 12:00 PM to 02:30 PM | Darshan |
| 02:30 PM to 03:00 PM | Temple remains Closed |
| 03:00 PM | Temple reopens |
| 03:00 PM to 07:00 PM | Darshan |
| 05:00 PM to 08:00 PM | Veda Parayanamu |
| 07:00 PM to 08:30 PM | Ratri Aaradhanamu |
| 07:30 PM to 08:30 PM | Aaradhana Ticket Darshan |
| 08:30 PM to 09:00 PM | Darshan |
| After 09:00 PM | Ekanta Seva Temple Closing Hours |
Temple Timings during Chandanotsavam
Darshan Timings: 4:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
After 7:00 PM, entry to the queue line will be closed. Only devotees who are already in the line will be allowed to have Darshan.
On Akshaya Tritiya (Chandanotsavam), devotees have the opportunity to witness the Nijaroopa Darshan of Lord Narasimha Swamy, which is available only for 12 hours on this day each year. During this time, the temple is extremely crowded, especially with VVIPs.
Before the Nijaroopa Darshan, the sandal paste covering the deity is removed, and the temple doors remain closed for about an hour to make the necessary arrangements. This ritual is performed by the temple priests, and the first darshan is traditionally granted to the Ananda Gajapathi dynasty, the temple’s trustees.
For the rest of the year, Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy remains fully covered with sandal paste.
Giripradakshinam
Giripradakshinam is a sacred ritual that involves walking around the Simhachalam and Kailasagiri Hills. The deity is taken out in a grand procession around the holy hills on the Full Moon day in Ashada (June/July). The entire Giripradakshinam covers a distance of 40 kilometers and takes more than 8 hours to complete.