Vaseeswarar Temple / Vaacheeswarar Temple, Tirupasoor / Thirupachur, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 16^th Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar mentioned that after Thiruvalangadu Lord Shiva’s Urdhva tandava darshan, Thirugnanasambandar reached with his disciples at Thirupachur and they were welcomed by the devotees and his followers. This was described in Periyapuranam as.

      

திருப்பாசூர் அணைந்தருளி அங்கு மற்றுஅச்

           செழும்பதியோர் எதிர்கொள்ளச்சென்று புக்குப்

பொருப்பரையன் மடப்பாவை இடப்பாகத்துப்

            புராதனர்வேய் இடங்கொண்ட புனிதர் கோயில்

விருப்பினுடன் வலம் கொண்டு புக்குத்தாழ்ந்து

            வீழ்ந்து எழுந்து மேனி எல்லாம் முகிழ்ப்ப நின்றே

அருள்கருணைத் திருவாளன் நாமம் சிந்தை

            இடையர் என்று இசைப்பதிகம் அருளிச்செய்தார்

Appar and Thirugnanasambandar have sung hymns praising Lord Shiva of this temple.

      

முந்தி மூவெயில் எய்த முதல்வரானார்

சிந்திப் பார்வினை தீத்திடும் செல்வனார்

அந்திக் கோன்தனக் கேஅருள் செய்தவர்

பந்திச் செஞ்சடைப் பாசூர் அடிகளே

     

விண்ணாகி நிலனாகி விசும்புமாகி வேலைசூழ் ஞாலத்தார் விரும்பு கின்ற

எண்ணாகி எழுத்தாகி இயல்பு மாகி ஏழுலகுந் தொழுதேத்திக் காண நின்ற

கண்ணாகி மணியாகிக் காட்சி யாகிக் காதலித்தங் கடியார்கள் பரவ நின்ற

பண்ணாகி இன்னமுதாம் பாசூர் மேய பரஞ்சுடரைக் கண்டடியேன் உய்ந்தவாறே

....... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் தேவாரம்

          

சிந்தை யிடையார் தலையின் மிசையார் செஞ்சொல்லார்

வந்து மாலை வைகும் போழ்தென் மனத்துள்ளார்

மந்தா மணாளா என்ன மகிழ்வார் ஊர்போலும்

பைந்தண் மாதவி சோலை சூழ்ந்தபாசூரே

..... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்

Moolavar  : Sri Vaseeswarar, Sri Pachur Nathar

Consort    : Sri Thangathali ( Than Kathali )

Sthala vruksham : Bamboo

Some of the special features of the temple are...

The temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram on the south side. The Moolavar was in a bamboo forest, when bamboo was cut by the hunters the vasi (axe-like tool to cut wood) hit the moolavar. Still, the scar can be seen on the side and top of the Shiva Linga. Moolavar is of swayambhu  theenda thirumeni on square avudayar. (some people said the Moolavar is also in bamboo). In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai. Dwarapalakas are beautiful. (Pictures are uploaded). The Gaja Prishta vimana is over the sanctum sanctorum.

There is no sannadhi in outer prakaram. In the inner prakaram sannadhi for Selva Murugan,  Navagrahas, Somaskandar, 11 Vinayagars - ekadasa Vinayagas is a special feature of this temple, Saptamatrikas, Naalvar.

Urchava deities/ procession deities  Chandrasekar, Sukravara Amman, Vinayagar, Shanmugar, Naalvar, Pachur Amman, and Somaskandar are in artha mandapam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple belongs to the 6- 7^th Century and was reconstructed later by Chozhas and Vijayanagaras. There were about 15 inscriptions recorded from this temple. As per the inscriptions this place comes under Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Eekkattu Kottathu Kakkalur nattu Thirupachur.

Rajarajan period inscription records the endowment of pooja and 47 kasu was gifted to the Bhattar. Another inscription of the same king period records the gift of 32 cows and a bull towards the burning of a sandhi lamp.

Kulothunga period inscription records that Narpathonayiravar’s daughter gifted 40 kasu for jewelry and 2 padi rice to the temple. One Kalingarayan gifted 78 kasu for for burning of 10 lamps in the temple.

Vijayanagara King Veerakampannan’s period inscription records the donation of Land for Nandhavanam.

 

Inscriptions on the wall

LEGENDS

As per the legend, Ma Parvati did a penance and worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Pleased by her devotion Lord Shiva Called her – Than Kathali – தன் காதலி -  Lord Shiva’s Lover.  Mahavishnu also worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple and installed the 11 Vinayagars to regain the 11 wealth lost due to the killing of Demons, Madhu, and Kaidapan.  

As per one of the legends, a shepherd used to fall at a particular place while carrying milk through the bamboo forest. The shepherd wanted to know the mystery and cut the bamboo with his axe – Vasi in Tamil. The Vasi hit one place and blood was oozing out. The shepherd got frightened and this was informed to the King also. The king's personnel cleared that area  and found a Shiva Linga. Later a Temple was constructed. The scar made by the axe can be seen on the top of the Shiva Linga.  Since the moolavar is of  swayambhu and Theenda Thirumeni. Even the priest will not touch the moolavar banam.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS:

Apart from regular poojas, annual 10 days Brahmotsavam in Vaikasi ( May- June ), Margazhi Thiruvathirai ( December – January ), Mahashivaratri in Masi ( Feb- March ) ( Thazhampoo –  தாழம்பூ will be offered on this day only ), Pradosham, Karthigai Deepam are celebrated in a grand manner.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The Mobile number +91 98944 86890 may be contacted for pooja and further details.

HOW TO REACH :

This temple is on the Chennai to Tirupati bus route and is 5 km from Tiruvallur town. Since the temple is on the highway, town buses are available from Tiruvallur. 

Autos are available from Tiruvallur.

The temple is 5 KM from Tiruvallur, 30 KM from Arakkonam, 49 KM from Chennai, and 52 KM from Kanchipuram.

Nearest Railway station is Tiruvallur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Moolavar Vimanam

Sthala Vriksham

Saptamatrikas

The headgear of Dwarapalaka

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---