Vedapuriswarar Temple, Cheyyar, Thiruvannamalai

Vedapuriswarar Temple, Cheyyar, Thiruvannamalai

Date built:	–
Deity:	Vedapuriswarar
Architectural style:	Dravidian architecture
Major festivals	–
Locale:	Cheyyar
District::	Thiruvannamalai
Address:	Vedapuriswarar Temple,Cheyyar, Thiruvannamalai
Phone

Original Source: https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2016/09/vedapuriswarar-temple-cheyyar_57.html

Vedapuriswarar Temple is a sacred place on the northern banks of the Cheyyar River in the Thiruvannamalai District near Kanchipuram in the state of Tamilnadu. This sacred place is now known as Cheyyar but was previously called Thiruvothur. This is one of the important towns in Thiruvannamalai district. It includes a sub-collector office, taluk office, two courts and a special prison. It gets its name from the Cheyyar River. The temple is situated on the banks of the river. This is the 8th of the 32 Devara Stalams in the Thondaimandalam region of South India.

It has the legend that Thirugnana Sambandar, one of the four great Saivite saint visited the temple and changed a male palm tree to flower by singing verses in Tamil. This Temple is formerly known as Vedanadeshwarar temple. The Ancient name for Cheyyar River is Seiyaru with the meaning of the river created for a child to play. There is also an ancient temple – Pattchieeswarar temple and another ancient Temple – Pathala Vinayagar Temple.

This temple has a few unique distinctions. The Nandi, which usually faces the Shiva Lingam, is facing the opposite direction. The great Speciality of the temple is that one will be able to have the Dharsan of the Lord, Goddess, Lord Muruga, Lord Ganapathy and the Palm tree standing in a single place which is not possible in other temples. There are separate sannidhis for the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams of Shiva like Chidambaram, Thiruvanaikkal, Kanchipuram, Kaalahasthi and Thiruvannamalai, so we get the benefit of praying at all these places here itself.

Prayers

By worshiping in this temple one will get rid of Mental Worries. To get married one has to do Nagalinga Abishekam. By consuming the fruits of this temple’s palm tree, the couple who are not having child are conceiving and getting the blessings of Vedapuriswarar. Many from foreign countries are requesting for this fruits and the temple is sending them regularly.

On every Saturday morning 9 AM to 10.30 by doing Sarpa Dosha Nivarthi Pooja at the Nagalingam, devotees are getting Sarpa dosha nivarthi. Devotees are relieved from depression. Performing Abishekam to the Nagalingam here ensures a progeny.

Those who worship Saturn here each Saturday between 9.00 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. (Rahu Kalam) are relieved of the anger of the serpents (Naga dosha). The main deity Vedapuriswarar blesses his devotees all peace and happiness. People come here for employment chances, business development, promotions in offices and other material gains.

Devotees perform Kalayana Utsavam (marriage festival for the Lord and His Consort), offer snake jewel (Nagabaranam), ghee for the temple lamps, perform abisheks with milk, curd, oil, tender coconut, sacred ash, rose water, sandal paste, offer cloths to the deities, feeding the visiting devotees.

During Adi Puram and Kruthika month the Goddess and the Lord are bathed in Pot water and Sangu (Kalasabishekam and Conch pouring). The devotees also prepare Nivedhanas to the Gods through the temple and distribute it to the visitors.

Temple Opening Time

Morning: 5.30 AM to 12 Noon.
Evening: 4.00 PM to 8.30 PM

Festivals

The devotees of the temple and the natives of the town celebrate a festival every year with street processions which spans 10 days, called Brahmotsavam. The 6th, 7th and 10th days of the festival are celebrated in a grand manner. The 6th day is celebrated on a large scale by the Brahmin Community Trust. The 7th day function is celebrated in grand manner called Thiruther Vaibhavam. It is the main day of festival. The 10th day function is celebrated at night.

10 days Bhrammotsavam with street processions and Kailash Darshan festival for Ravaneswaran on the last day, Laksha deepam (One lakh deepas) Festivals for Gnanasambandar and Sundarar, Monthly Deepa Puja for the Goddess, Abishekam to the palm tree each Tamil Month, Deepavali, Tamil and English New Year’s day and Pongal are the days of festivity in the temple.

Architecture

Legend / Local stories

Tirugnanasambandar converting Male Palm Tree to Female Palm Tree:

Many years back there was often flood in the river. Due to that the walls of the temple were get damaged. To avoid this damage one devotee of this temple raised the banks and planted Palm Trees (பனை மரம்). All the trees were male tree and not a single female tree. There were no fruits (நொங்கு) from the trees. On seeing this few Jains started mocking at the Siva devotee and telling them that this is the power of lord Siva. They challenged let lord Siva change these trees to female and get the fruits. Only then we believe in Siva. The worried devotee mentioned this to the visiting Tirugnanasambandar about this.

Tirugnanasambandar sung a Thevara Pathigam and in the end of the Pathigam he sung “குரும்பை ஆண்பனை ஈன்குலை ஓத்தூர்”. Immediately with the grace of Lord Vedapuriswarar all the male trees were transformed in to female trees and yielded the fruits. On seeing this all Jains in that area converted to Saivism. Even today we can see the stone palm tree in front of Ambal Sannithi. Poojas are conducted for this tree.

Story behind Nandhi facing outside:

The Nandhi in this temple will not be looking towards Sannadhi. It will be facing outside. As Siva teaching Vadam to all the Devas and Rishis, he had instructed the Nandhi not to allow anyone except Devas and Rishis. Due to this reason Nandhi is facing outside.

Another Story behind Nandhi facing outside:

The King Thondaman had very strong faith on Vedapuriswarar. Once he was defeated by another king Visuvavasu. Thondaman lost his confident and prayed Lord Vedapuriswarar. The Lord gave lot of strength by providing his support and instructed Nandikeswarar to help Thondaman to win the war. To go with Thondaman Nandhi was looking outside.

Parvathi made Cheyyar River with her Trisula:

Legend says that Goddess Parvathi (Balakusalambigai or Ilamulainayagi) made a line on the earth’s surface with her Trisula to make a river for her son, Lord Muruga to play.

Etymology:

The temple was where Shiva preached Vedas to the Devas hence the name Vedapureeshwarar and the place was called Thiru vedapuram or Thiru odhu Puram in Tamil now corrupted to thiruvettipuram.