[4] Hindus regard this as the day the deity Vishnu assumed his fourth avatar in the form of a "man-lion", known as Narasimha, to vanquish the oppressive asura king Hiranyakashipu and protect his devotee Prahlada.

His wish granted, Hiranyakashipu overran the three worlds with his invincibility and his forces, seizing the throne of Indra in Svarga, and subjugating all beings, except the Trimurti, under his rule.

Angered that his son prayed to his sworn enemy, Hiranyakashipu attempted to indoctrinate him under various teachers, including Shukra, but to no avail.

He employed poison, snakes, elephants, fire, and warriors to slay Prahlada, but the boy was saved by praying to Vishnu on each attempt.

Thus, circumventing the boon granted to the asura king, Narasimha was able to rescue his devotee, and restore order to the universe.

[11] The worship of Narasimha has been present in South India for millennia, with the Pallava dynasty popularising the sect and its practices.

[17] Every year on Narasimha Jayanti, a traditional folk dance known as the bhagavata mela is publicly performed in Melattur, a village in Tamil Nadu.