The Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina is one of the most significant and revered spiritual events in Andhra Pradesh, held annually on Ashada Purnima (Guru Purnima) at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Visakhapatnam. It is a 34-km barefoot circumambulation around the sacred Simhachalam Hill, symbolizing devotion, penance, and the shedding of sins. This year it happened on July 29, 2026.
Global Hindu Heritage Foundation -Seva Promoting Sanatana Dharma - Simhachalam-2026 Giri-pradakshina is one major event for Andhra Pradesh; about 6 lakhs devotees did parikramas of 34 km barefoot, all through many arranged prasadam, drinks, beverages, foot massage, medical, even the government organized well with health camps, water, toilets, drone surveillance, etc. 
    All through 34 km, devotees were provided everything except a place to rest and relax, so Global Hindu Heritage Foundation has provided a clean space with carpets and washrooms for people who needed rest. It helped a lot for those who have ailments and are not used to walking, particularly ladies.
Sri Sreenivas Pinnamaneni, a member of the Board of Directors of GHHF, has Pinnamaneni Kalyana Mandapam close to Simhachalam Narsimha Swamy Temple. He is one of the members who is actively involved in maintaining the sanctity of the Temples. Realizing the hardships the devotees go through during the 34-kilometer walkathon, he decided to provide temporary shelter for those in need. 
    Thousands of people came to Kalyana Mandapam and availed themselves of the opportunity to rest from walking in the sun.
Why Giri Pradakshina?
Pradakshina is the act of circumambulating a sacred object or place, keeping it to one’s right. At Simhachalam, the object of devotion is the hill itself, believed to be the abode of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. Rather than circling the shrine within the temple, pilgrims walk around the entire hill — an act of endurance as much as devotion, undertaken barefoot by many.
When one does pradakshina in a temple, it is around the garbhagriha- sanctum sanctorum where the presiding deity has been invoked into a statue. One can feel the flow of energy from the presiding deity in the Temple. Similarly, Giri Pradakshina focuses on the entire hill, which is the abode of the presiding deity.
When we perform pradakshina around the presiding deity in a clockwise direction, we acknowledge the deity as the center of our lives. This practice reminds us that God is our central focus and guiding force.
Devotees believe that walking around the hill of Narasimha Swamy Temple will purify the soul, fulfill the desires, and bestow divine blessings.
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