Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple/ ஸ்ரீ வேதநாராயண பெருமாள் கோயில், Valayamadevi, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple at Valayamadevi, near Sethiathoppu, was part of the “Shiva and Vishnu Temples visit” in Cuddalore District on 13^th June 2026.

Moolavar  : Sri Vedanarayana Perumal

Thayar     : Sri Kamalavalli

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. A Garuda Thoon is on the east side of the temple. Balipeedam, dwajasthambam, and Garudan are immediately after the Rajagopuram. The Dwarapalakas Jayan and Vijayan, sculpted on a flat stone, are on either side of the ardha mandapam entrance. Moolavar is about 6 feet tall in a sitting posture with Sridevi and Bhudevi. Utsavars are in front of Moolavar. Alwars are in the ardha mandapam. 

Anjaneyar and Andal are in the maha mandapam. Andal is in a standing posture and faces south.

In the praharam, Kamavalli Thayar, Utsava mandapam, and madapalli. Thayar is in a separate temple that faces east on the south side of Moolavar. Thayar Kamalavalli is in a sitting posture with Abhaya Varada hastam.

ARCHITECTURE

The total temple was constructed with bricks and cement concrete. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and a maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on an upanam and adhistanam with Jagathy, Kumudam, and Pattikai. The pillasters are Brahma kantha pilasters with vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. The vimanam over the bhumi desam consists of one tala, greevam, and a vesara sigaram. Maha nasis and alpa nasis are on the vesara sigaram. Maha Vishnu’s various forms with his consorts are in the tala and greeva koshtams.

The maha mandapam was built in the Vavval Nethi style, followed in the Thanjavur region.

Thayar Kamalavalli is in a separate temple that faces east with sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and a maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on an upanam and adhistanam. The vimanam consists of one tala, greevam, and vesara sigaram. Thayar's various forms are on the tala and greeva koshtams. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple belongs to the 12^th to 13^th centuries, and Chozha period inscriptions are found on the door jambs. The inscription records the gift of land to this temple. The periphery limits are mentioned in the inscription. 

Maha Samprokshanam was conducted on 20^th August 1882 with the Hereditary Trustee Thurinchikollai Valathariya Muruga Pillai’s own funds, then on 17th November 1955 by Picha Pillai’s son, T P Sundara Lingam, and again on 13^th July 2025. Tharumai Adheenam also contributed to the renovation of the temple (3-tier Rajagopuram repair works).

LEGENDS

As per the legend, Maha Lakshmi was born to Maharishi in this village as Kamalavalli. As promised, Sri Mushnam Sri Bhuvaraha Swamy came to this place and married Mahalakshmi and stayed here as Vedanarayana Perumal. Since Maha Vishnu taught 4 vedas to Maha Lakshmi, Maha Vishnu is called Vedanarayana Perumal.

For marriage, Maha Vishnu brought Bangles (Valayal) to Maha Lakshmi. Hence, this place was called Valayal + Maha + Devi = Valayalmahadevi, later the same was corrupted to Valayamadevi.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on the annual Brahmotsavam, Vaikunta Ekadasi, and all Vaishnava important festivals.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

Ramanuja Battar may be contacted on his mobile number +919600676777 for poojas and further details.

HOW TO REACH

This place, Valayamadevi, is on the Sethiyathoppu - Virudhachalam Main Road, about 5 km from Sethiyathoppu, 21 km from Virudhachalam and Vadalur, 26 km from Chidambaram, 50 km from Cuddalore, and 69 km from Kumbakonam.

The nearest Railway Junction is Virudhachalam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Thayar Temple 

Thayar Temple 

Utsava mandapam

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Dharmapureeswarar Temple/ ஸ்ரீ தர்மபுரீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Dharmanallur, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Dharmapureeswarar Temple, a Gajaprishta Vimana Temple at Dharmanallur, near Sethiathoppu, was a part of the “Shiva and Vishnu Temples visit” in Cuddalore District on 13^th June 2026.

Moolavar  : Sri Dharmapureeswarar

Consort    : Sri Dharmambigai, Sri Dharmasamvardini, Tripurasundari

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east, with entrances to the west and north. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the temple under a meta colour sheet mandapam. Moolavar is on a round avudaiyar. In koshtam, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar and Durgai. Utsavars are in antarala. (Old Dakshinamurthy is kept as a loose sculpture in the praharam).

In the praharam, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Ambal Temple, Shiva Lingam with Rishabam, Old Dakshinamurthy as a loose sculpture, Maha Lakshmi, etc.

Ambal is in a separate temple that faces east, on the left side of the main temple. Ambal is in a standing posture with Abhaya Varada hastam.  

 Chandikeswarar  - Old Dakshinamurthy

 Suryan - Bairavar

 Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar

ARCHITECTURE

The temple was reconstructed during recent years without following the temple architecture. The total temple was reconstructed with brick and cement concrete. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasikudus. An eka tala Gajaprishta / Gajabrushta Vimanam is over the sanctum sanctorum, but the sanctum sanctorum is square in shape. No stucco images are found in the Greeva Koshtams.

Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar and Ambal temples are constructed with stone, partially granite and partially with sandstone.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Based on the Chandikeswarar, Bairavar and Suryan iconography, the temple may belong to the 12^th to 13^th century CE.

The ardha mandapam was constructed during the Nayakas' period. A donor’s bas-relief is found on one of the pillars.

The temple was under palalayam during my visit and was scheduled to conduct Maha Kumbhabhishekam on 24^th June 2026. Tharumai Adheenam also contributed to the renovation and Maha Kumbhabhishekam.

Donor of the ardha mandapam

LEGENDS

As per the legend, Dharmar, one of the Pancha Pandavas, did yagna at this place. During the Yagna, the rain started. Dharmar made it rain around this village and finally in this village after the completion of the Yagna. This happens even these days: this village gets rain after the surrounding villages get rain. Hence, Shiva is called Dharmapureeswarar, and the place is called Dharmanallur.

Maha Periyava stayed at this place for 48 days and worshipped Sri Dharmapureeswarar. Vallalar also did kaingaryam and annadhanam at this place.

It is believed that Sundarar, one of the Nayanmars, passed through this Village during his pilgrimage.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayagar Chaturthi, Kirithigai, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The priest S Ramaswamy may be contacted on his mobile number +918012014002 for poojas and further details.

HOW TO REACH

This place, Dharmanallur, is about a km away from Sethiathoppu and Virudhachalam Main Road, about 6 km from Sethiathoppu, 19.6 km from Virudhachalam and Vadalur, 28 km from Chidambaram, 51 km from Cuddalore, and 70 km from Kumbakonam.

The nearest Railway Junction is Virudhachalam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Ambal Temple

Ambal Temple

Ambal Temple - Rishabam and balipeedam

  Vinayagar Sannidhi

 Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar sannidhi

Before renovation - PC - Kadambur Vijay

Before renovation - PC - Kadambur Vijay

Renovation - before kumbhabhishekam

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Namdroling Monastery Golden Temple/ ನಾಮ್ಡ್ರೋಲಿಂಗ್ ಮೊನಾಸ್ಟ್ರೀ ಗೋಲ್ಡನ್ ಟೆಂಪಲ್, Arlikumari, Bylakuppe, Aralikumari, Mysore District, Karnataka.

The visit to this Namdroling Monastery Golden Temple, at Bylakuppe in Kodagu District, Karnataka, was a part of “Kodagu Heritage Walk”, from 22^nd to 24^th May 2026, organised by “எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு”.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum, there are three massive statues of Lord Buddha, is 60ft. in height (from the base), and the other two are 58 feet from the base. They are made out of copper gilded with gold. Inside the statues are scriptures, relics of great beings, small clay mould stupas and small statues, which symbolise the body, speech and mind of the Buddhas.

1. Buddha Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha (centre), the founder of Buddhism. He was born to King Shudodhana and Queen Mayadevi at Lumbini, 2561 years ago. Of the 1002 Buddhas who will come to this world during this Fortunate Aeon, he is considered the fourth.

2. Guru Padmasambhava, revered as the Second Buddha who brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet (left). Guru Rinpoche was born twelve years after the passing of Lord Buddha, on Lake Sindhu, in the land of Oddiyana (the present-day Afghan-Pakistan border). Guru Rinpoche not only gave various esoteric and secret Tantra teachings through his immense compassion for the beings of Tibet, but also concealed many treasures for the benefit of future generations; thus benefiting the beings of Tibet in the past, present and future. As such, all Tibetans consider him to be extraordinarily kind and revere him as the Second Buddha.

3. Buddha Amitayus: The Buddha of Long Life (right). According to Buddhism, the lives of people become short, and they die prematurely due to committing non-virtuous actions. Whosoever hears the name of Buddha Amitayus will have the length of his or her life extended. When beings are nearing death, if they touch the letters of his name, recite his name and mantra, or praise his qualities, their life spans will be extended.

ARCHITECTURE

The Golden Temple complex is huge, and it houses 40-foot-high gilded images of Guru Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), Buddha Sakyamuni, and Amitayus. The temple vimana is highly ornate. The outer walls flanking the doorway are decorated with huge colourful murals. The doors, red in colour, have huge gold knockers and a thick plaited rope with tassels hanging from them. The walls are adorned with colourful paintings depicting gods and demons from Tibetan Buddhist mythology.  

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

His Holiness the 3rd Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche (1932-2009) is the founder of Namdroling Monastery (popularly known as 'the Golden Temple'). His Holiness laid the foundation stone of the monastery on the 31st of July, 1963. His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the monastery to consecrate it and bestowed the name Namdroling. Likewise, His Holiness Chatrel Rinpoche named the monastery Thegchog, while Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche named it Shedrub, and His Holiness himself added Dargyeling. Thus, the complete name of the monastery came to be known as “Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling” (Land of Increasing Practice and Teaching of the Utmost Yana that achieves spontaneous Liberation).

From the founding of the monastery till 1979, His Holiness went through great hardships to finance the work. Bearing all hardships and weariness, Rinpoche himself engaged in manual work along with the ordinary monks. At one stage, the skin of his hands cracked and started bleeding. After that, the Tibetan people from the Fourth Camp also came to assist His Holiness of their own accord.

There were only about ten monks at the time that the monastery was established, but now there are more than 9000 monks and nuns registered, out of which more than 3,500 monks and nuns are present and engaged in studies, from various countries like Tibet, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia and other countries.

In 1993, at the request of all the members of Ngagyur Nyingma, His Holiness the Dalai Lama enthroned His Holiness as the Third Supreme Head of the Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition in Dharamsala at Thekchen Choling Monastery. For ten years (1993- 2002), His Holiness had rendered service to the Nyingma Tradition to the best of his ability.

His Holiness was appointed as the president of the Ngagyur Nyingma Monlam Chenmo (the Great World Peace Prayer) in 1996. He worked tirelessly for 14 years (1996-2009) to develop the Monlam Society, until he attained Mahaparinivana on the 28th of March, 2009, at the age of 77.

LEGENDS

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

The monastery celebrates Tibetan New Year (Losar) in February / March for fifteen days. During that time, the monastery hosts traditional colourful lama dances and huge thangkas, a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery depicting Buddhist deities. Watching hundreds of Buddhist monks doing religious rituals and offering prayers loudly is an exciting sight.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The Golden Temple is open to visitors from 7.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs daily.

CONTACT DETAILS

Official website: https://www.namdroling.net/Portal/Home

HOW TO REACH

The Golden Temple is 3.7 km from Kushalnagar, 34.4 km from Madikeri, and 87 km from Mysuru.

The nearest Railway Station is Krishnarajanagar, 58 kms.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Tara Temple

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---