Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy and Sri Yoga Anjaneya Temple at Sholingur (Sholinghur), about 51 km north of Vellore and 95 km west of Chennai in the Ranipet district of Tamil Nadu, is a twin-hill temple complex with Narasimha on the larger hill (Periya Malai) and Anjaneya (Hanuman) on the smaller (Chinna Malai). The Narasimha temple is open from 6:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM; the Anjaneya temple opens 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The Narasimha hill has 1305 steps and is about 750 feet (230 metres) high; the Anjaneya hill has about 440 steps. The temples together form one of the most distinctive twin-hill pilgrimages in Tamil country, with the Hanuman shrine considered the unusual prelude to the Narasimha darshan. This article covers timings, the climbs, the Vaishnava tradition and reaching Sholingur.
Daily timings
- Yoga Narasimha (main hill): 6:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
- Yoga Anjaneya (small hill): 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Bottom temple (Bashyakara Sannidhi): open through the day
Saturdays and Tuesdays are particularly busy; pilgrims come for vows connected to mental and emotional disturbance, for which the Anjaneya hill shrine is specifically associated. The afternoon closure across both hill temples is enforced consistently.
The two hills, the climb and the order of darshan
Sholingur has two adjacent hills, each with its own principal shrine:
- Periya Malai (the larger hill, 750 feet, 1305 steps): Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy, the principal deity, in seated yogic posture.
- Chinna Malai (the smaller hill, about 200 feet, 440 steps): Sri Yoga Anjaneya, a four-armed Hanuman in yogic posture, holding the Sudarshana Chakra and the Shankha (conch).
The conventional order: take the Bashyakara Sannidhi darshan at the base, then climb the Anjaneya hill, then climb the Narasimha hill. Both hills can be done in a full day with an early start; the Narasimha climb takes 45 to 60 minutes for a fit walker. A ropeway from the foothill operates intermittently for the Narasimha hill; check operating hours at the base.
The Yoga Anjaneya and the four-armed Hanuman
The Anjaneya at Sholingur is the unusual four-armed form, holding the Sudarshana Chakra (Vishnu’s discus) and the Panchajanya Shankha (Vishnu’s conch) in his upper two hands, with the lower hands in the conventional namaste/gada (mace) configuration. The four-armed Hanuman is rare in Tamil country; the form is associated with the broader Vaishnava tradition, particularly the Sri Vaishnava interpretation of Hanuman as a partial divine manifestation.
Devotees come to the Anjaneya shrine specifically for vows for relief from mental disturbance, anxiety and confusion; the convention is to circumambulate the small inner sannidhi prescribed numbers of times. The “yoga” attribute (the seated yogic form) reflects the temple’s broader theme of yogic and contemplative deities.
The Narasimha hill and the Vaishnava lineage
The Yoga Narasimha on the main hill is in seated yogic posture (yoga sthana), with the principal sannidhi facing east. This is one of the temple’s tertiary distinctions: of the many Narasimha forms across South India, the Yoga Narasimha at Sholingur is among the most prominently iconographed in the meditative posture, distinguished from the fierce (ugra) forms at Ahobilam and the boon-granting (varada) forms elsewhere.
Sholingur is mentioned in the work of Ramanujacharya, the 11th–12th-century Sri Vaishnava acharya, who is said to have spent time on the hill. The Bashyakara Sannidhi at the base is dedicated to Ramanuja, and the temple’s principal observances align with the broader Sri Vaishnava liturgical calendar.
Reaching Sholingur
- From Vellore: 51 km west on the Vellore–Arakkonam road. 90 minutes by car.
- From Chennai: about 95 km west. 2.5 hours by car via NH 716.
- By rail: Sholingur has its own railway station on the Chennai–Bangalore line, about 3.5 km from the temple base.
- By bus: TNSTC and APSRTC buses connect Sholingur to Vellore, Chennai and Bangalore.
- By air: Chennai International Airport is about 110 km east.
For what it’s worth, Sholingur is the most rewarding of the Chennai-region day-trip temples for a visitor willing to do the climb. The combination of the four-armed Anjaneya, the Yoga Narasimha at the top, and the views over the Palar plain from the larger hill make it more substantial than the conventional Chennai-suburb Murugan or Vishnu temples. Plan an early start (in the temple grounds by 7:00 AM); allow a full day.
Major festivals
- Brahmotsavam (April–May, Vaikasi): 10-day annual festival with daily vahana sevas.
- Narasimha Jayanti (May, Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi): the deity’s birth festival.
- Hanuman Jayanti (December–January or April depending on regional convention): the Anjaneya shrine’s principal festival.
- Karthika Masam (November–December): daily deepam offerings on the hills.
Common questions
Is the climb hard?
The Narasimha hill (1305 steps) is a sustained climb of 45 to 60 minutes for a fit walker, with several rest landings. The Anjaneya hill (440 steps) is much shorter at 15 to 20 minutes. Both have shaded sections; carry water, particularly in summer months. The ropeway on the Narasimha hill operates intermittently and can save the climb if running.
Is there an entry fee?
General darshan is free at both hill temples and the base Bashyakara Sannidhi. Reserved sevas (abhishekam, archana, sahasranama) are paid at the counter. Ropeway charges, when the service is operating, are separate.
When is the best time to visit?
October to February, the cool and dry season, when the climbs are pleasant. The summer months (April to June) are hot and the climb is exhausting in the midday sun. Weekdays in winter give the best balance; weekends, particularly Saturdays, draw the largest crowds.
One limitation worth noting
The two hill temples have slightly different opening windows, and the ropeway operating hours vary. Specific seva fees and the festival-day timings are revised periodically. The figures above are the temple’s currently published schedule. For a planned visit, the temple base counter on arrival is the authoritative source for the day’s hill access and seva availability.
For background, see the official site at sholingurdivine.com and Sholinghur on Wikipedia.
