Temple god is the most powerful God. The devotees always devote him with great devotion at this pilgrim center-Shiva Kshetra. Urukunda is famous for the Sri Lakshmi-Narasimha Erranna Temple. A unique feature of Urukunda Temple is that the swayambhu idol of Sri Lakshmi-Narasimha Erranna Swamy is found below an Aswatha Vruksha.
Shrine’s History
There was a sage named Hiranya who did penance for many years under a Peepal tree in Urukunda village. All the cows that grazed in the village used to flock around him and he spent a lot of time pampering and talking to them. The villagers brought fruits and food to him and sought his blessings. Sage Eranna helped to cure chronic diseases and ailments of these kind villagers. One day, Sage Veeranna disappeared from his usual place under the Peepal tree. At about the same time, an idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha appeared below the tree. The villagers believed that the sage had appeared before them again as Narasimha Swamy. They placed the idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha under the Peepal Tree and started worshipping him. They also wanted to place an idol of Sage Veeranna alongside the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy for worship. Since Sage Veeranna had been like a guardian angel of the village, they made a silver idol of him represented as Sri Veerabadra Swamy and installed it next to the idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha.
There is also another version of the story, that Sage Eranna used to advocate a lot for Saiva-Vaishnava unity, and after he disappeared two idols of Veerabadra and Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy were found below the Peepal tree and the villagers started worshipping them together within the same Sanctum Sanctorum. Both Veerabadraswamy and Lakshmi Narasimha are worshipped as per the Veera Saiva tradition to date. Poojas and abhishekam are done to the holy Peepal tree. There is no roof to the Sanctum Sanctorum and one can worship the holy tree from the sides of the temple even if the main temple is closed. The temple draws several thousands of devotees through the year, who come to be rid of mental ailments and physical diseases.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
Adoni is the Nearest Town to Urukunda. Adoni is 26 km from Urukunda. Road connectivity is there from Adoni to Urukunda.
By Rail
Kosgi Rail Way Station, Kupgal Rail Way Station are the very nearby railway stations to Urukunda. Also, you can consider railway Stations from Near By town Adoni. Adoni Rail Way Station, Isivi Rail Way Station are the railway Stations near to Adoni. You can reach from Adoni to Urukunda by road after. How ever Bellary Jn Rail Way Station is major railway station 87 KM near to Urukunda
By Air
Adoni APSRTC Bus Station, Arts Collage APSRTC Bus Station, Jim APSRTC Bus Station are nearby by Bus Stations to Urukunda.APSRTC runs Number of busses from major cities to here.
Shrine Timings
5 am to 8 pm.
Events Celebrated at This Shrine
Every year during shravan month festivals is conducted. Mondays and Thursdays of this month are considered auspicious to visit the temple and worship the God here. The third Monday of Shravan month is considered most auspicious to worship lord Veeranna Sri Narasimha Swamy. It is estimated that 10 to 15 lakh people visit this temple during Shravan month every year. Devotees take bath here at Tunngabadra river canal and cook food here itself and offer the same to God. The offered food to God is distributed to other devotees as Prasad. Shravan month comes in rainy season and the land will be generally wet during this month.
It is believed that only due to the power of God, fire breaks out and the food gets cooked though it is cooked on the wetland. The last part of the festival is called ‘Yeti Yatra’. On last Monday of Shravan month, the lord statue is kept in a chariot and taken by walk to Tungabhadra river which is 15 Km away from the temple. After abhishekam of lords statue at Tungabhadra river, the chariot is welcomed grandly by all the villages on the way back to the temple. On this day running race, kolata and other local games were played in these villages.
