Narasimha Jayanti 2027

Narasimha Jayanti 2027 falls on Tuesday, 18 May. On the fourteenth day of the bright half of Vaishakha, devotees celebrate the appearance of Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, half man and half lion, who burst from a pillar at dusk to protect the child devotee Prahlada from his father, the demon king Hiranyakashipu. It is a day of fasting and worship for Vaishnavas, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and at the great Narasimha temples of Ahobilam, Simhachalam and Yadagirigutta.

Narasimha Jayanti 2027 date

Narasimha Jayanti 2027 is on Tuesday, 18 May 2027 (Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi). In 2026 it fell on Thursday, 30 April. The main puja is held at sunset (sayankal), the hour of Narasimha’s appearance; check a local panchang.

The story of Narasimha and Prahlada

The Bhagavata Purana (Book 7) tells how Hiranyakashipu, seeking revenge for his brother’s death at Vishnu’s hands, performed fierce penance and won a boon from Brahma: he could not be killed by man or beast, by day or night, indoors or outdoors, on the ground or in the sky, by any weapon. Believing himself immortal, he demanded to be worshipped as god. His young son Prahlada, however, was devoted to Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu tried to kill the boy again and again, by poison, elephants, cliffs and fire (the last with his sister Holika, remembered at Holi), but Prahlada was protected every time.

At last, mocking his son, Hiranyakashipu struck a pillar and asked whether his Vishnu was inside it. The pillar split open and Narasimha emerged, neither man nor beast. At twilight, neither day nor night, on the threshold of the palace, neither inside nor out, he placed the king on his lap, neither on the ground nor in the sky, and tore him apart with his claws, no weapon at all. Every condition of the boon was honoured, and Prahlada’s faith was vindicated.

How Narasimha Jayanti is observed

• Fast: devotees fast from sunrise, breaking it after the evening puja or the next morning.
• Sunset puja: abhishekam of Narasimha with milk, curd and honey, and offerings of panakam (jaggery water) and buttermilk.
• Recitation: the Narasimha Kavacham, the Prahlada story and the Vishnu Sahasranama.
• Temples: special festivals at Ahobilam, Simhachalam, where the deity’s sandal covering is removed once a year around this season, and other Narasimha shrines.

The meaning of Narasimha Jayanti

Narasimha shows that no cleverness can shield cruelty, and that the Lord protects sincere devotion in the unlikeliest way. See every festival on the Hindu festival calendar.

Frequently asked questions