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Sri Vadaranyeswarar Temple

The temple enshrines Lord Shiva in the form of a Swayambumurthy, meaning a self-manifested lingam. This temple is one of the 44 Paadal Petra Sthalams where all Moovars have contributed their pathigams. The temple holds a special place among Shaivites as it is one of the revered 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams, meaning it is mentioned in the devotional hymns of the three main Tamil Shaiva saints - Appar, Sundarar, and Thirugnanasambanthar. The name Sri Vadaranyeswarar itself has an interesting origin. Vada means banyan tree, Aranya means forest, and Easwaran represents Lord Shiva. The primary deity in Sri Vadaranyeswarar Temple is Lord Shiva who is facing the east side of the temple. He is enshrined in the form of a Swayambumurthy, which means a self-manifested lingam, the most sacred form of Shiva in Shaivism. Goddess vandar kuzhali is consort of lord shiva. Vandar kuzhali is housed in a separate shrine and she dances in the south direction. She is with four abhaya, vara hastham and lotus in two hands in standing posture.

Timings

6 AM to 12 Noon and 4 PM to 8 PM and the Pooja timings are 07.30 AM, 11.00 AM, 4.30 PM & 7.30 PM.

Entry Fee

No Entry Fee

  1. Two demons Sumbha and Nisumba chose this banyan jungle for their stay and began harassing the Devas. 
  2. They appealed to Mother Parvathi for protection. Mother Parvathi created a furious Kali and destroyed the demons. 
  3. Kali consumed the blood of the demons and their army and grew more furious.
  4. At the request of Sage Munjikesa Karkodaka, Lord Shiva reached the place. Kali challenged the Lord for a dance and said that she would give her right in the place to the Lord if He won. 
  5. The dance began. Lord dropped His ear ring on the ground, picked it by the toe of His left leg and fixed it back on His ear in the dance.
  6.  Kali accepted her defeat and said that she could not do such a marvellous dance. 
  7. Lord Shiva said that He alone was equal to Her and said further that those coming to worship Him here, should worship Her first to reap the full benefit of the worship. Since then, Kali has Her own temple to grace the devotees.
  8. It is believed that originally this temple was constructed by the Chola and Pallava dynasties. 
  9. This is a very ancient temple. The stone inscriptions available in this temple are from the periods of King Paranthaka Chola-I to the last king of Vijayanagaram.
  10. Earlier this village was called Pazhayannur and the place where this temple was located was called Alangadu. 
  11.  In the Devara Hymns, this place is mentioned as “Pazhayannur Alangadu”.
  12. This temple is under the administrative control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Government of Tamil Nadu (HR&CE). This temple is controlled by Thiruthani Murugan temple’s Executive Officer/Joint Commissioner.


Do's and Don'ts

  1. Do bath and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
  2. Do respect ancient costumes and co-piligrims while at temple.
  3. Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the temple premises.


Dress Code

  1. For men the dress code is Shirt & Trouser, Dhoti or Pyjamas with upper cloth.
  2. For women the preferred dress code is saree or half-saree with blouse or churidar with pyjama and upper cloth.
  3. These rules are applicable for foreigners also. Shorts, mini-skirts, middies, sleeveless tops, low-waist jeans and short-length T-shirts are not allowed.
  4. Pilgrims/visitors will not be allowed inside the temple if dress code is not followed.


How to reach

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By Bus:

Take a bus from any major bus terminus in Chennai, like CMBT Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus or Koyambedu Bus Terminus, to Thiruvallur Bus Stand. From Thiruvallur Bus Stand, board a bus heading towards Arakkonam or Poonamallee. These buses might pass through Thiruvalangadu, where the temple is located. The journey from Thiruvallur to Thiruvalangadu is 18.5km and should take around 20-30 minutes.


By Air:

The nearest airport to reach Sri Vadaranyeswarar Temple is Chennai International Airport (MAA), located approximately 65 kilometres away. Once reaching the airport the reach the temple by train or bus.


By Train:

The nearest station is Manavur Junction (MAF) located about 6 kilometres from the temple. Once you reached the station, take a taxi or auto to reach the temple.

Nearby Cities and Rivers

  1. The Sri Vadaranyeswarar Temple is situated in Thiruvalangadu, a western suburb of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.  
  2. There are no major rivers flowing through Thiruvalangadu itself. However, the Adyar River, a tributary of the Palar River, passes a few kilometres to the east of the temple.
  3. Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram are the cities near the temple.