Sri Vilvanatheeswarar Temple, Thiruvallam, Vellore

 

Moolavar: Sri Vilvanatheeswarar

Amman: Sri Vallambikai

A padal petra sthalam, and one of the 276 thevara padal petra sthalam and is considered as the 242nd temple in the list. Saint Thirugnanasambandhar has sung hymns on Sri Vivanatheeswarar in the 7th century. As per the inscriptions in the temple, the temple is referred to as Theekali Vallam. In the verses of Sambandar, the place is referred as Thiruvallam, while in the 15th century Arunagirinathar refers the temple as Thiruvalam and the presiding deity as Thiruvallam Udaiyar. Ambal is also knows as Dhanumadhyambal.

A good 1000 years old temple from the Chola period and is the temple occupies an area of around 4 acres. This place is believed to have been a Vilva forest (Vilavanam). There seemed to be a termite hill where a cow used to milk water. The termite hill drained and eventually became a Lingam, around which the current temple is built.

According to a legend, Narada handed over a sacred mango to Shiva and wanted him to hand it over to a single person without cutting the fruit. Vinayagar and Murugar, the sons of Shiva, were fighting for the fruit. Shiva held a competition, stating that whoever circled the world three times would receive the fruit. Muruga immediately started on his peacock mount around the world. Vinayaga, who had a smaller rat mount, circled his parents Shiva and Parvathi three times and sought the fruit. He convinced his parents that for him, his parents were his world and he attained the experience of coming around the world by circumambulating them. 

Since Pillayar is believed to have come around (called valam in Tamil) his parents at this place, it came to be known as Thiruvalam, which with time became Thiruvallam. 

According to another legend, a priest in the temple was troubled by a giant named Kanja as he brought water from the nearby Kanjan mountain every day. He prayed for help, and Shiva sent the bull Nandi to guard the priest. As per another legend, Shiva is believed to called nee vaa meaning come here, on account of which the river came to be known as Neva river. It is also called Ponnai river.

The temple houses the samadhi of Sanakar, the disciple of Dakshinamoorthy in front of the image of Shiva. The temple is also the place where Sivananda Mouna Guru Swamigal was doing penance. The Dwarapalas on both sides on the entrance of the sanctum are of architectural importance. One of them is unique and is sported in dance posture with a raised hand. There is a shrine of Pathaleswarar in the first praharam here the shrine of Lingam is located underground.

Location: Sri Vilvanatheeswarar Temple, Thiruvallam, Vellore