Sholingur Hill Temple

Name : Kadikachalam. The other names of the Perumal are "Thakaan" and "Akkarakani". Akkaram means Money and Wealth.

Location : Sholingur town is located in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. Vellore is the district headquarters and is about 43 kms away from Sholingur. The nearest metro is Chennai, about 120 km south-east. A famous pilgrimage centre in the vicinity of Sholingur is Thiruttani, 25 kms away. ( Home to Lord Murgua, who is again seated on a hilltop).

Deity : Yoga Narasimhar in Yoga stage on the Periya Malai

Trekking Adventure : It has always been a challenging and an adventurous experience for us when we go to this particular temple at Sholingur. Like Tirupati, this is also on top of a hill. It is located at an altitude of 750 feet. And, one has to climb 1,305 steep steps to reach the temple. After800-odd steps, there are a few rather steep curves. Once we negotiate these, there we come to final 100-odd steep and straight steps, leading into the temple. One has to walk the steps to arrive at this temple. There is no other transportation mode to reach this hill temple. You have to really sweat it out physically to have an audience with this Lord!Many attempts by well meaning people to provide a bus route and other means of transport have come to a naught. Devotees, young and old alike, make a slow step-by-step climb to savor the ultimate pleasure of having the glimpse of Lord Yoga Narasimha, seated ever so comfortably in a yogic posture.

Legend : Narasimha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the Dasavathara. Lord Narasimha, after slaying the demon, Hiranyakashipu, in the Narasimha avatar reached this hill to bless the saptha rishis, who were doing penance at the Kadikachalam hill. The sapta (seven) rishis are: Vasistha, Kasyapa, Athiri, Jamadagni, Gautama,Bharathwaja and Viswamitra. They did penance at this hill for a Kadigai (24 minutes), prostrating before Lord Narasimha. Lord Narasimha protected his devotee Prahalada after slaying demon Hiranyakashipu and reached here straight from Ahobilam (in Andhra Pradesh) and granted moksha to these Maharishis. Hence this place came to be called as Kadikachalam. Those who worship this Lord for a Kadigai, they will be blessed by this God. It is also believed that Sage Viswamithra meditated here for a Kadigai and obtained the Brahma Rishi title. Kadikachala Kshetra Mahatmiyam is described in Brahma Kaivartha Purana.

Pushkarani :
There are Four Pushkaranies.

* Amirtha Theertham (Thakkan Kulam).
* Narasimma Theertham.
* Hanumantha Theertham.
* Brahma Theertham.

There is also a temple for Hanuman or Anjaneya in this place. It is also atop a hill. One has to climbaround 400 steps to have a darshan of Hanuman.Steps here are also equally steep. Hanuman has four arms (chatusbuja) with a Sanka and Chakra in two arms. Here Hamuman is known as Yoga Anjaneya.