Pennahobilam is located around 50KM away from Anantapur on the road to Uravakonda. It is on the banks of a rivulet of Penna river on which PABR project (Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir) was built which is nearby.
Pennahobilam is famous for the Narasimha Swamy temple which is on a small hillock. According to the mythology, Lord Narasimha left a big footprint here on his way from Ahobilam to some place in Nellore. Inner sanctum is built on the footprint.
I don't know who built the temple but my guess is someone from Vijayanagara ruling fold. It is built in granite stone locally available, so that leaves no scope for any sculpture on the pillars or the walls. There are four gopurams on the four sides of the temple which are renovated recently. Even the tops of the mandapam (temple hall) and inner sanctum are renovated recently. New constructions don't appeal to me much. Temple is enclosed in high walls just like a fort which was a practice developed during Pandyas. So my guess about Vijayagara period may be correct.
One peculiar feature of the temple is there are two high columns(dhwaja sthambham) side by side, excluding the one in front of them. Commonly only one dhwaja sthambham is built in any temple.
A Fair (tirunaallu) takes place here in summer which is quite good. Pennahobilam temple is a popular venue for marriage ceremonies in Anantapur. My parents married here, some of my relatives too. There are many choultries (colonnades) here built over centuries for the convenience of the marriage parties. Some centuries-old choultries indicates that this place was popular for marriages even centuries before.
Whenever Penna is full of water, this place looks beautiful. The "kona" here springs to life during rainy season. Otherwise it is quite dull.
I visited this place 5 times or so in the last 15 years, the last time being after a gap of 10 years or so. What I noticed is, the place has become dirtier. There is pond here which was a living pond even 10 years back. It was thriving with lotuses. Now it is in a sorry state with lot of garbage. Practically dead!!! The river too has become dirtier with the garbage. Urgent steps are needed to restore their beauty.
Pennahobilam is famous for the Narasimha Swamy temple which is on a small hillock. According to the mythology, Lord Narasimha left a big footprint here on his way from Ahobilam to some place in Nellore. Inner sanctum is built on the footprint.
I don't know who built the temple but my guess is someone from Vijayanagara ruling fold. It is built in granite stone locally available, so that leaves no scope for any sculpture on the pillars or the walls. There are four gopurams on the four sides of the temple which are renovated recently. Even the tops of the mandapam (temple hall) and inner sanctum are renovated recently. New constructions don't appeal to me much. Temple is enclosed in high walls just like a fort which was a practice developed during Pandyas. So my guess about Vijayagara period may be correct.
One peculiar feature of the temple is there are two high columns(dhwaja sthambham) side by side, excluding the one in front of them. Commonly only one dhwaja sthambham is built in any temple.
A Fair (tirunaallu) takes place here in summer which is quite good. Pennahobilam temple is a popular venue for marriage ceremonies in Anantapur. My parents married here, some of my relatives too. There are many choultries (colonnades) here built over centuries for the convenience of the marriage parties. Some centuries-old choultries indicates that this place was popular for marriages even centuries before.
Whenever Penna is full of water, this place looks beautiful. The "kona" here springs to life during rainy season. Otherwise it is quite dull.
I visited this place 5 times or so in the last 15 years, the last time being after a gap of 10 years or so. What I noticed is, the place has become dirtier. There is pond here which was a living pond even 10 years back. It was thriving with lotuses. Now it is in a sorry state with lot of garbage. Practically dead!!! The river too has become dirtier with the garbage. Urgent steps are needed to restore their beauty.
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