Ahobilam is identified as the traditional site of the Narasimha avatar, where Vishnu emerged from a pillar in the court of Hiranyakashipu. The region has been a pilgrimage destination for over a millennium. The Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya was a devoted patron who renovated several of the shrines. The Kakatiya rulers also contributed to temple construction.
The Ahobilam Matha was established by the Sri Vaishnava acharya Vedanta Desika and has maintained the temple traditions for centuries. A stone inscription records that the Western Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI worshipped Mula Narasimha here, and credits him with a gold image for procession. Another inscription credits the Kakatiya king Prataparudra with the gold utsava image that is still carried in processions at the main shrine.
