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Saatchi Boodeshwarar Temple, Pazhayanur, Thiruvalangadu, Thiruvallur
| Date built: | – |
|---|---|
| Deity: | Saatchi Boodeshwarar |
| Architectural style: | Dravidian architecture |
| Major festivals | – |
| Locale: | Pazhayanur, Thiruvalangadu |
| District:: | Thiruvallur |
| Address: | – |
| Phone | – |
Architecture
Legend / Local stories
A married merchant while travelling in Kasi city, marries another beautiful girl, loving her at first sight. He along with his new wife and her brother come back to his village near Pazhayanur. On reaching his village, the merchant remembers his earlier wife and fears for showing his new love to her. Without hesitation, he takes his brother in law to a nearby pond and drowns him. When his new wife enquires about her brother, the merchant takes her to the pond acting as if they are out for search, unabashedly kills the new wed wife too in the same pond.
The dead woman comes out as a wandering spirit (Neeli in Tamil), and carrying the brother ghost as her kid, follows the merchant. The merchant nearing his village, crosses Pazhayanur. Night falls and the merchant had to take rest. The Velalars (today’s merchant community) of Pazhayanur are known for their wisdom and integrity. They welcome the guest of their village, feed him and request him to take rest there and go to his native the next day. The “Neeli”, the ghost appears in the disguise of his true wife along with the kid and requests before the Village heads that the merchant had ignored her and is running away from her.
She pleads with them to unite them. The merchant knows very well that there is no chance of his wife appearing at that spot, fearing the worst, refuses to have the woman with him. The guests are intrigued and ask the merchant to have his wife and kid with him that night, in the same room, as it was already late night. Neeli, the ghost is smart and asks the village headmen to make her husband remove the sacred knife he carries along to thwart evils, saying that it is disgusting that a man does not even believe his own wife and carries a sword.
She also adds that she fears for her life and that of her kid, that this man may kill them when they are fast asleep. Seeing her sob and narrate a pathetic story, the village head men believe her and order the merchant to have her in his room. The village head men 70 of them, the Velalars back the Neeli for staying with the merchant. With no other choice, the merchant agrees, but asks guarantee for his life.
The village heads (63 of them) promise that if something untoward happens to the merchant, they will also perish themselves, jumping into the fire, before the Shivalinga of Pazhayanur. And as expected, the worse happens. The Neeli kills the merchant, throws away the ghost kid on her way back to hell besides, crushes the kid ghost beneath her feet and disappears. The village headmen, on seeing the gory death of their guest, feel they are responsible for his death, plunge into the big fire before the Shivalinga.
One head man who is left out, is again called by the Neeli, (taking the form of the wife of the headman himself), asking him why he is alone here, while the others have jumped to death, to keep up their promise. The headman, was ploughing the field by then. Hearing that his brethren have perished, slays his head off with the plough edge and suicides himself to keep up the promise.
Photo Gallery
How to Reach:
The Temple is located at about 1.5 Kms from Pazhayanur Kailasanathar Temple, Temple, 1 Km from Tazuvikuzandheswarar Temple, 1 Km from Thiruvalangadu Vadaranyeswarar Temple, 3 Kms from Palayanur, 6 Kms from Narayanapuram Koot road, 20 Kms from Arakkonam, 21 Kms from Kavanoor, 31 Kms from Thiruthani, 17 Kms from Thiruvallur, 45 Kms from Kanchipuram, 36 Kms from Sriperumbudur and 65 Kms from Chennai.
By Road:
The Temple is located at about 1 Km from Thiruvalangadu Bus Stop. Thiruvalangadu can be accessed by road on NH 205 (Chennai-Avadi-Thiruvallur-Renigunta route). A slight detour before Narayanapuram Koot road of about 6 Kms from NH 205 on to the left takes one to the temple town. The place can be reached from Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram also.
Town buses available from Chennai (T Nagar, Broadway, and Vadapalani) to Thiruvallur (Bus no 597 from T Nagar). Regular Buses are also available from Koyambedu. Buses are available from Thiruvallur to Arakkonam via Thiruvalangadu 105 C, T20, Srinivasa (a Private bus). Share autos are also available from Narayanapuram Koot road on the Thiruthani bus route.
By Train:
Thiruvalangadu has a railway station on the Chennai – Arakkonam rail route and it is the penultimate station before Arakkonam. From central catch a train to Arakkonam and get down at Thiruvalangadu railway station. Share autos are also available from Thiruvalangadu Railway station to temple entrance. The Temple is located at about 6 Kms from Thiruvalangadu Railway Station and 5 Kms from Manavur Railway Station.
By Air:
Nearest Airport is located at Chennai (65 Kms).
Contact Details
Official Address