Valeeshwarar Temple

Getting there

• By train

  Thakkolam railway station connects the village to Arakonam, Tirumalpur, Kanchipuram and Chengalpet. The temple is east of Thakkolam town.

• By road

  A vast road network has developed in the area. Thakkolam is well connected by road to nearby towns and villages.

Why devotees come here

Valeeshwarar Temple is in Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu, and the district government lists it as a historic temple. Its inscriptions show it was standing before 1020 CE, and the deity is called Valeeswarar in the local records. Chola kings Rajendra Chola I and Vikrama Chola left inscriptions here.

Valeeshwarar Temple stands in Ranipet district, and the district government lists it in its historic category. Ranipet means Queen's colony. It is an industrial town and the district headquarters, about 115 km west of Chennai and about 26 km east of Vellore. The deity is called Valeeswarar, and the name Mummalai Iswarmudayar is also used for the deity.

Two Chola kings are named in the inscriptions. An inscription of Rajendra Chola I records a gift of 32 cows for abhisheka with milk. The earliest inscription on the temple is from the 8th regnal year of Rajendra Chola I, so the temple was built before 1020 CE. Another inscription, of Vikrama Chola dated 1123 CE, is on the west wall of the sanctum, the inner shrine.

The tower over the sanctum, called the vimana, is circular in shape. The temple is built of granite and brick, from the base up to the eaves. Outside the ardha mandapa, the hall in front of the sanctum, stands an open pavilion with 4 granite pillars.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the open pavilion with 4 granite pillars outside the ardha mandapa, the hall in front of the sanctum.
• Look up at the circular vimana over the sanctum, the tower that rises above the shrine.

Questions people ask