Sri Vedapureeswarar Temple / Thiruvatoor Shiva Temple / Vedapuriswarar Temple, Thiruvatoor ( திருவதூர் ), Cheyyar ( திருவத்திபுரம் ), Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

It is part of Cheyyar, also called Thiruvathipuram. This is the 8^th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu on the banks of river Cheyyar. 

Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

    

    பூத்தெர்ந்து ஆயன கொண்டு நின் பொன்னடி

    ஏத்தா தார்இல்லை என்னுங்கால்

    ஒத்தூர் மேய ஒளிமழு வாள் அங்கைக்

    கூத்தீர் உம்ம குணங்களே.

  

    குரும்பை ஆண்பனை ஈன்குலை ஒத்தூர்

    அரும்பு கொன்றை அடிகளைப்

    பெரும்பு கலியுள் ஞானசம்பந் தன்சொல்

    விரும்பு வார்வினை வீடே

... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்

Moolavar : Sri Vedapureeswarar, Sri VedhaNathar.

Consort   : Sri Balakujambigai, Sri IlamulaiNayagi.

Some of the important features of this temple are…..

The temple faces east with a 7-tier Rajagopuram. A mandapam with Balipeedam, dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are at the front.  Rishabam is facing opposite to moolavar. After this, there is a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Moolavar is on a square Avudayar. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

In the inner prakaram, sannadhi for Vinayagar, Balamurugan, Veerabhadra, Vinayagar, Nagalingam, Lingam, 108 Lingam, Naalvar, 63var, Valampuri Vinayagar, Lingas, Naagars, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Murugan Stucci image, Bhairavar, Suryan,  Thirumal and Chandran.

In the front mandapam iympon procession deities are kept. Some of them are  Pichadanar, Ambal with Chandrasekar, Arumugar  with 12 hands and 6 heads with Valli Devasena look cute. A Perumal / Vishnu statue is installed in front of Durgai. The Chakra is in a vertical position against a horizontal.

In the outer prakaram sannadhi for  Sthala Vruksham, Thillai Shivaperuman, Chandikeswarar, Thirukalathinathar, Thiru Aanaikka, Thiru Annamalai, Thirukkachi Ekambam, Ambal sannadhi, Palliyarai, Navagrahas and Santhana kuravas.

On the left of the entrance, an image of Thirugnanasambandar with Shiva and Sthala vruksham is in the form of a stone. Ambal sannidhi is like a separate temple with Koshta images. Ambal is in a sitting posture. Standing at one place in the front mandapam, we can have the view of Moolavar, Ambal, Vinayagar, Murugan, Navagrahas, and Sthala Vruksham (partially visible – obstruction due to sannidhis ).

Thirugnanasambandar with Palm tree & Lord Shiva as Tripurantakar

Arunagirinathar has sung hymns on Murugan of this temple.

    

தவர்வாட் டோமர சூலந் தரியாக் காதிய சூருந்

        தணியாச் சாகர மேலுங்                                                      கிரியேழுஞ்

        சருகாக் காய்கதி வேலும் பெருகாற் சேவலு நீலந்

    தரிகூத் தாடிய மாவுந்                                                              தினைக்காவல்

        துவர்வாய்க் கானவர் மானுஞ் சுரநாட் டாளொருதேனுந்

        துணையாத்ட் தாழ்வற வாழும்                                              பெரியோனே

    துணையாய்க்காவல் செய்வாயென் றுணராப் பாவிகள் பாலுந்

        தொலயாப் பாடலை யானும்                                                புகழ்வேனோ

        பவமாய்த் தாணது வாகும் பனைகாய்த்தேமண நாறும்

    பழமாய்ப் பார்மிசை வீழும்                                                      படிவேதம்

        படியாப் பாதகர் பாயன் றியுடாப்பேதைகள் கேசம்

        பறிகோப் பாளிகள் யாருங்                                                   கழுவேறச்

    சிவமாய்தேனமு தூறுந்திருவாக் காலொளிசேவெண்

        டிருநீற்றாலம ராடுஞ்                                                               சிறியோனே

        செழுநீர்ச் சேய்நதி யாரங் கொழியாக் கோமளம் வீசுக்

    திருவோத் தூர்தனில் மேவும்                                                      பெருமாளே

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:

The inscriptions  are recorded in the South Indian Inscriptions Volume 7, under No 84 to 116 ( AR Nos 76 to 104 B of 1900). The inscriptions belong to Rajathirajan, Kulothunga, Rajendran, Pothappi Chozha, Rajarajan-I & III, Vikrama Chozha, Sundarapandyan, Koperunsingan and Rashtrakooda king Kannaradevan. As per the inscriptions Lord Shiva was Called Vedapureeswarar and Vothur Udaya Nayanar and the place was called Jayangonda Chozamandalathu Kazhiyur nattu Thiruvothur.

The Raja.... 4^th year reign ( Chozha king AR 76 of 1900 ) records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp for which 32 cows, by Senkeni VirAndan’s son AthyAndAn. The Cows are received by Puliyur Village shepherd Munnilaikkon’s son SirAmaken who agrees to give Ulakku ghee to the temple.

The Kulothunga Chozha-II’s 6th-year reign with his full meikeerthi/title records (AR 77 of 1900) that during hunting Virukavettai Ponaduthula Soorri’s son Kongan Mutharaiyan’s arrow, by mistake hits Puliyan and killed. The Village Sabha after enquiry gave a punishment of donating 16 Cows to this temple.

The Pandya King Veerapandya’s 5^th year reign records the endowment of Naivedyam (Palamuthu & Neiyamuthu) for which 64  sava moova Cows and two Rishabam/bullocks were received from the treasury of the temple by Verungai Vendran allandai’s son Injanathan alias KuzhaiyAkathakkon and Piraman Thirugnanasambandakkon.  In return, they agreed to supply 8 Nazhi milk and ghee to this temple and assured that it would be continued by their successors too.

The Kulothunga Chozha’s 11th-year reign inscription (AR 79 of 1900) records the endowment of one perpetual lamp by Cheyyur Murivan Pallavarayan through donation of 1000 kuzhi land. 

The Chozha King Veera Rajendran’s 2^nd year reign records the endowment of three perpetual lamps by  Athimallan, VambazhuththAL’s daughter NAchi and Vellankalathur Kizhavanudayar. They donated 30 cows each totalling 90 Cows.

The Mathuranthaga Pothappai Chozhan records the gift of pady for the functions.

Koperunchingan’s 20th-year reign inscription records the endowment of a perpetual lamp for which 32 cows are donated through the gold 24 kalanju received from the treasury.

Chozha King Rajaraja’s 20th-year reign inscription records the endowment of 3 tier standing Lamp weighing 750 (?), which includes a base,  and land donated for burning a perpetual lamp on that. This was donated by a merchant Karumavur Vazhakkan Thiruvekambamudayan Thirupulivanamudayan.

The Vikrama Chozha  period inscription ( AR 87 & 88 of 1900 ) with his meikeerthi, runs to 16 long lines and records the endowment of sale of land ( 2000 kuzhi land measured in Thiruvulakalantha Sri Patha Kol )  with its contents like well, trees and the proceedings are paid to this temple, since the floods affected the village and people couldn’t pay the taxes, the was exempted.   The inscription AR No. 88 of 1900 of the same King with his full meikeerthi records the donation of 4000 kuzhi land and a residential land of 250 kuzhi to this temple. The lands were sold @ 25 kasu and 20 kasu per kuzhi.    

Chozha king Rajarajan’s 20th-year reign inscription records the endowment of land 5..20 kuzhi to create a nandhavanam with flowering trees and to give flowers to the temple, by Kulamukkil Kandan Eranambi Chetti Udayar.

Veera Pandya period inscriptions record that as per KulasekaraSambuvarayar’s  message ( olai ) ( AR 92 of 1900 )  towards exemption of taxes for the lands donated to this temple.   The inscription runs to 27 lines and gives the details of the lands, Location, Limits, quantity of Land, and the quantity of land for residential purposes and to be used for the Temple priests and servants thiruvamuthu ( food ).

The Sri Rajanarayanan Sambuvarayar period Inscription ( AR 96 1900 ) records that a message  ( olai ) was sent about the donation of Land as iraiyili to the Thambiran Thirupattu othuvar on the 4^th day  at Kuthirai Sevakan Thangal and Thirugnanasambanda Nallur.

Chozha King Rajaraja-I’s 21st-year reign inscription records the endowment of land towards the creation of Nandavanam with flowering trees by Kurukkadikizhan Kandan Parakesari from Thanjavur Kootram after being bought.

The Kannaradevan’s 27th-year reign  inscription ( AR 101 0f 1900 ) records the endowment of a Day Lamp and gifted 50 sAva mOva peradu by a Kothanda Manradi who belongs to Palakundrakottathu, Tharaiyur Nattu Mambakkam.     

Ref:

South Indian Inscriptions Volume-7, Nos 84 to 116 and 

Annual report on South Indian Epigraphy, the Year 1900, Nos 76 to 104.

LEGEND

Rishabam is facing in the same direction as moolavar. The story behind this is Lord Shiva sent Nandhi along with King Thondaiman to conquer a king called  Visvavasu. To represent this Nandhi is facing in the same direction of moolavar. From another Legend, Rishaba was instructed not to allow others while Lord Shiva was explaining the meanings of Vedas to the Rishis and munis.

Rishabam facing the same direction as Moolavar

This is the parihara sthalam for Naga dosha. This is one of the temples where Mruga worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. During Thirugnanasambandar’s visit, had a victory over a debate with samanars/Tamil Jains, and sang a hymn to change the male Palm tree to a female palm tree.

The Sthala Vruksha Palm tree

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, Utsavars will be taken on procession during the annual brahmotsavam. 

Procession

Natarajar - procession deity

Ambal Procession deity

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple is kept open between 06.00 Hrs. to 12.00 Hrs. and  16.00 Hrs. to 20.30 Hrs.  And the poojas are 08.00 Hrs. 12.00 Hrs.  16.00 Hrs. and 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

Mr. Ashok, an office clerk at 9842416402, and Sivachariyar Dakshinamurthy  9688612660 may be contacted for pooja and other functions.

HOW TO REACH :

Govt. buses are available from Kanchipuram, Chennai, Thiruvannamalai, Salem, etc., and the temple place Thiruvothur is about 1.5 KM from the bus stand. Private buses and Govt. Town buses are also available from Kanchipuram.

The temple is 33 KM from Kanchipuram, 65 KM from Tindivanam,  65 KM from Arakkonam, and 110 KM from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Kanchipuram and Junction Arakkonam and Tindivanam are the same distance.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Scorpion and Lizard

Arumugar with Sri Valli Devasena

 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---