19. VALLAM

VEDHANTHEESWARAR TEMPLE

Distance: 3 kms from Chengulpet

Shiva: Vedhantheeswarar

Amman: Gnanambigai

Theertham: Sivagangai Pushkarani

Speciality:

Vallam Vedhantheeswarar cave temple is a cave temple located in Vallam. 

There are 3 rock cut shrines out of which one is Vedhantheeswarar Shiva temple.

Inscriptions say that the ancient name of this place is Vallanaadu and this referred as Malaikoyil by the local people. 

There are 2 inscriptions in the front top of the Pillars. There are 3 inscriptions in the cave - 2 inscriptions about early tamil Pallavas out of which one is about the titles of Mahendravarman engraved in Pallava Grandha Script and one about later tamil Cholas of the 13th century (about Kperunsingadevan). 

This temple was built by Mahendravarma Pallavan. 

The Vinayaka has been carved on the rock and it is huge in size. 

The name of Muruga is Shri Muthukumarasamy.

Both Shiva and Amman are facing the Eastern direction. 

The Dwarabalagas which have been sculptured in a very big size carry the weapons Soolam and Mazhu which are normally the weapons of Lord Shiva. The posture of the Dwarabalaga is Tribanga posture. They are found with one hand on the waist and with the other resting over his club. The Dwarabalagas found here must have been the best of the Pallava Dwarabalagas.  

In this temple the pradhosha abhishekam and pooja are first performed to Dwarabalagas then to Vedantheeswarar and finally to Nandhikeswarar.

There is a Giri Varadharaja Perumal temple in another cave on the way to this temple.

Durgai is found in the Perumal temple facing South. Normally Durgai is found in the Shiva temple facing north. Durga is standing in the Sambhaga posture. She carries a Shanka and Chakra in 2 upper hands. One lower hand shows Abhaya Muthra and the other hand is on her waist. Normally Durga is an unusual feature of Vishnu temples. But in Pallava caves related to Vishnu we see Durga sannidhi there. The other Vishnu caves where we find Durga are Singavaram cave, Aadhivaraha cave, Varahacave and Trimurti cave all at Mahabalipuram. This cave have been probably excavated at the time of Rajasimha Pallava. 

According to the inscriptions a Pallava King's daughter Kommai installed this Durgai in this temple about 1200years back. 

Water for abishekam is taken from Sivagangai Pushkarani. 

The trunk of the Ganesha is turned to his right. Therefore he is called Valampuri Ganesha. He is seated in the Simhasana and he has 4 hands - the upper left hand carry a broken lotus stalk and the lower right hand is resting on his thigh; what he carries in the upper right hand is not clear and the lower left hand is resting on a small platform by his side. 

There is a worn out image of Jyeshta Devi. Her companions are missing and she is wearing a conical magudam. 

The Nandhi is a later addition only.