Vedarajan Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Pondicherry Airport is the nearest airport to Mayiladuthurai town, 116 km away.

• By train

  Mayiladuthurai town is an important junction on the main line between Chennai and Trichy.

• By road

  Taxis, auto rickshaws, mini buses and town buses serve local travel in Mayiladuthurai district. Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses and other private buses run on the district's routes.

Why devotees come here

Vedarajan Temple in Thirunagari village, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu, is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. Here Vishnu is worshipped as Vedarajan, with his consort Lakshmi as Amruthavalli. The temple is believed to be the birthplace of the Alvar saint Thirumangai.

Vedarajan Temple is dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped here as Vedarajan, with his consort Lakshmi as Amruthavalli. Devotees believe that Thirumangai Alvar, one of the twelve Alvar saints, was born here. Legend says Vedarajan appeared to the saint at this place. According to the same legend, Vishnu uttered the Ashtatra Mantra in a man's ears, and the man became Thirumangai Alvar. Lakshmi is said to have hidden in the lotus tank at this place.

The Cholas are believed to have built the temple. Vijayanagar and Thanjavur Nayak kings added pillared halls and major shrines in the 16th century. The temple covers about 2 acres inside huge granite walls. Its seven-tiered gopuram rises to 125 ft (38 m). The central shrine stands on an elevated structure. Its vimana, the shrine over the sanctum, is in the Ashtanga style and has eight parts.

Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held here. The fourteen-day Brahmotsavam in the Tamil month of Vaikasi is the most prominent of them.

Festivals

• New moon day of Thai, January to FebruaryThirumangai Alvar festival

  The festival deity is taken from Thirunagari to Thirumanimadam, and the main event is Garudasevai.

• Vaikasi, May to JuneBrahmotsavam

  A fourteen-day festival and the most prominent one at the temple.

• Aani, June to JulyPavitrotsavam

  Held during the Tamil month of Aani.

• Panguni, March to AprilPanguni Uthiram

  Held during the Tamil month of Panguni.

Tips for your visit

• Two Narasimha images in the temple are believed to be among five original images that Thirumangai Alvar worshipped.
• A north-facing shrine of Thirumangai Alvar stands in the same elevated enclosure as the main shrine, so visit both.
• Ask for the Amruthavalli shrine by name, since it sits in the basement at a diagonal corner of the first enclosure.

Questions people ask