The Story:

Hiranyakashipu, the older brother of Hiranyaksha (who was killed by the Varaha avatar) and the King of the Asuras, observes strict penance for ten thousand years. Lord Brahma, impressed by his devotion, grants him a boon. As per Hiranyakashipu's wish, Brahma blesses him with protection – that no God, man, demon, Gandharva, Yaksha, animal spirit or beast could kill him in any of the three realms (Earth, Heaven or the Netherworld), by Astras (missiles) or Shastras (weapons), during the day or the night. Armed with this boon that made him practically invincible, the demon wreaked havoc on the world.

As it happened, the demon King had a son – Prahlaad. The young prince was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and in spite of his father's diktat, he continued to worship the Lord. Hiranyakashipu, who considered Vishnu to be his sworn enemy and wanted revenge for his brother's death tried to deter Prahlaad in many ways, including torturing and warning him with death threats. However, nothing could deter the young Prince.

Infuriated, Hiranyakashipu tries to kill his son in various ways, but fails each time. Prahlaad tells the Asura King that he has the protection of Lord Vishnu who is omnipresent and omnipotent. In anger, Hiranyakashipu points to one pillar and asks Prahlaad if his God was present in the pillar too. With unwavering belief, the Prince says yes, making the King kick the pillar.

Suddenly, Lord Vishnu, in his Narasimh avatar, emerges from the column. After an intense fight, the half-man-half-lion form kills Hiranyakashipu on the threshold of a courtyard (neither inside nor out), at twilight (neither day nor night), using his sharp fingernails (neither an Astra nor a Shastra), while keeping the demon on his thigh (neither Earth nor Heaven).

At VR Chennai:

The Narasimh avatar is depicted in the form of a hand painted mural by artists of the Cholamandal Artists' Village. It is on the roof of the air-lock lobby in the Ulòka Gopuram; its location being a nod to the legend of being "neither inside nor outside."