Located in the tiny hamlet of Saligrama on the Edapally-Panvel highway, Guru Narasimha Temple is about 22 km from Udupi. The monolithic idol of Lord Narasimha which is about 3 feet in height is said to have been installed by king Lokaditya, the son of Mayura Varma of the Kadamba dynasty. The deity is seen in yogic position and is considered both as god and guru of the Brahmins of the 14 villages surrounding the temple. It is therefore known as ‘Yogananda Guru Narasimha’. People belonging to this region worship Lord Narasimha as their sole Guru. The west facing deity is highly revered and is considered as the ensurer of law in the area. It has a shankha (conch) in one hand and a chakra (disc) in the other.The temple has been regularly renovated from the 1970s and though the presiding deity is Lord Narasimha, the rituals conducted at the temple are according to Shaiva traditions with Lord Ganapati occupying a prominent place in all the rituals.
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