Sri Kadiri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Kadiri, in Sri Sathya Sai district (formerly Anantapur) of Andhra Pradesh, runs a small in-house accommodation network for pilgrims who want to stay close to the temple. Rooms range from ₹100 for the most basic non-AC option up to ₹800 for the VIP cottages and AC rooms in Vasanthavallabha Sadan. Online booking is not operational; reservations are made by phone with the temple administration or in person at the temple counter. The temple administration does not allot rooms for single occupancy, and unmarried unrelated couples are not accepted. This article covers the room types, charges, booking procedure and the practical considerations.
Room types and rates
- Non-AC room, single cot: ₹200 per night (3 rooms available)
- Non-AC room, double cot: ₹300 per night (5 rooms available)
- AC cottage in Vasanthavallabha Sadan, mid-tier: ₹400 per night (5 rooms)
- AC cottage in Vasanthavallabha Sadan, premium: ₹800 per night (5 rooms)
- VIP cottage: ₹800 per night (5 rooms)
- Basic room from ₹100 (limited availability, on-arrival allotment)
Total temple-administered accommodation is approximately 23 rooms across the room types. The premium AC cottages and the VIP cottages have attached bathrooms; the basic non-AC rooms use shared facilities. Rates do not include meals; the temple operates a separate Annadhanam counter open through the day.
Booking procedure
The booking flow at Kadiri differs from the major TTD network in that there is no online booking portal. Reservations are made by:
- Phone: direct contact with the temple administration on the published numbers
- In person: walk-up booking at the temple administration office
- Advance reservation: typically taken up to 30 days ahead by phone
- Confirmation: name, family size and arrival date are noted; allotment is confirmed on arrival
- Payment: at check-in, in cash; the temple does not run an online payment surface
- ID: original photo ID required for the lead guest
For Sri Narasimha Jayanti (May–June), Brahmotsavam and weekends, advance phone booking is essential. On regular weekdays, walk-up allotment is usually successful.
Occupancy rules
- Minimum: the temple does not allot rooms to single individuals; the policy is that the room is for a family group.
- Couples: unmarried and unrelated couples are not accepted. Married couples need a photo ID confirming the relationship.
- Children: permitted as part of the family group.
- Maximum: the double-cot rooms can sleep four with extra bedding; the VIP cottages can accommodate six.
These rules are administered by the temple staff at check-in. Solo travellers and unrelated couples are advised to use private hotels in Kadiri town, where there are no such restrictions.
Private hotels in Kadiri
Kadiri town has a small but functional private hotel market driven by pilgrim traffic. Options include:
- Budget lodges: ₹500 to ₹1,200 per night. Standard rooms with attached bathroom.
- Mid-range hotels: ₹1,200 to ₹2,500 per night. Sri Mohan Grand Residency and similar properties.
- Pilgrim choultries: some community-run choultries near the temple offer dormitory accommodation; rates are nominal.
For Narasimha Jayanti and Brahmotsavam, even private hotels fill three to four weeks ahead. The fall-back is to stay at Anantapur city (90 km) or Tirupati (240 km) and travel in for darshan.
An opinion on where to stay
For what it’s worth, the temple’s own VIP cottage at ₹800 is the better choice for a family of four than a similarly priced private hotel in town. The cottage is on the temple campus, the walk to the sanctum is a few minutes, and the Brahmotsavam mornings can be witnessed without arranging transport. The trade-off is that the room is basic and the booking is phone-only; pilgrims who want the predictability of an online confirmation should book a private hotel. For a single pilgrim or an unrelated couple, the private hotel route is the only option.
Reaching Kadiri
- By road from Anantapur: 90 km, about 2 hours via NH 44
- By road from Bangalore: 165 km, about 3.5 hours via the Hindupur road
- By road from Tirupati: 240 km, about 5 hours
- By rail: Kadiri has a railway station; Anantapur Junction (90 km) is the major rail head
- By air: Bangalore (165 km) is the nearest major airport; Anantapur and Tirupati airports are alternatives
- Local transport: APSRTC buses from Anantapur and Bangalore; auto-rickshaws within Kadiri town
Common questions
Can I cancel a booking?
Phone bookings at Kadiri are essentially provisional; if you cannot arrive on the booked date, calling the temple office to release the room is the standard practice. Refunds are not relevant because payment is at check-in. Walk-up bookings on the day of arrival are the most flexible; pilgrims who arrive without prior phone contact are accommodated on a first-come basis if rooms are free.
Are meals available?
The temple runs a free Annadhanam (meal-distribution) service through the day for darshan visitors. The meal is simple South Indian fare (rice, sambar, rasam, curd-rice, a vegetable curry). Private hotels in Kadiri have their own restaurants. For more variety, breakfast and dinner options are widely available in Kadiri town within walking distance of the temple.
Is there a parking facility?
Parking is available at the temple’s main gate at a nominal fee. Two-wheeler parking is in a separate enclosure. The lot fills up on weekends and on Sri Narasimha Jayanti; arriving by 7:00 AM ensures a spot. The temple staff also coordinate special parking for the Brahmotsavam festival days when the surrounding roads are barricaded.
One limitation worth noting
Room rates and the number of rooms in each category are revised by the temple administration periodically. The figures above are the temple’s currently published charges. The temple does not maintain an online booking surface, so the only reliable confirmation for an upcoming visit is a phone call to the temple office. Occupancy rules (no single occupancy, no unrelated couples) are enforced by the staff at check-in; pilgrims who do not meet the criteria should plan for a private hotel.
For background, see Kadiri on Wikipedia and the Andhra Pradesh tourism page at aptourism.gov.in.
