Jalakandeshwarar Temple

Getting there

• By train

  Katpadi Junction is the largest of Vellore's three main railway stations, 5 km north of CMC hospital. Vellore Cantonment and Vellore Town are the other two.

• By road

  Vellore is on National Highways NH 46, NH 234 and NH 4. It is also connected with major cities in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Why devotees come here

Jalakandeshwarar Temple stands inside Vellore Fort in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to Jalakandeswarar, with his consort Akhilandeswari, and was built in the 16th century under the Vijayanagara Empire. Its thousand-pillar hall, the Ayrangal Mandapam, is a fine example of Vijayanagara sculpture.

The temple is dedicated to Jalakandeswarar, with his consort Akhilandeswari. It stands within Vellore Fort, in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu.

Chinna Bommi Nayak built the temple in the 16th century, under the Vijayanagara Empire. The Vellore Fort and the temple were built in the same period. The temple represents Vijayanagara architecture within the fort, while the fort itself is a good example of Tamil Nadu military architecture.

The Ayrangal Mandapam, a hall of a thousand pillars, is a fine example of Vijayanagara sculpture. Inside the fort's entrance gate, the Kalyana Mandapam on the left has intricately sculpted pillars. Inside the fort, the Tipu Mahal is believed to be where Tipu Sultan stayed with his family during the war with the British. The State Government Museum, also inside the fort, opened to the public in 1985.

Tips for your visit

• Just inside the fort's entrance gate, on the left, is the Kalyana Mandapam with intricately sculpted pillars.
• Inside the fort, the Tipu Mahal is believed to be where Tipu Sultan stayed with his family during the war with the British.

Questions people ask