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2026-04-25T12:33:04Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Vilwanatheswarar Temple
| image = Thiruvalam (2).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|12|59|02|N|79|16|0|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Vellore district|Vellore]]
| locale =
| elevation_m =
| deity = Vilwanatheswarar([[Shiva]])
| festivals =
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Vilwanatheswarar Temple''' (also spelled Bilvanathesvara)<ref name=Hultzsch/> is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the deity [[Shiva]], located in [[Thiruvalam]], a village in [[Vellore district]] in the [[South India]]n state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Shiva is worshipped as Vilwanatheswarar, and is represented by the ''[[lingam]]''. His consort [[Parvati]] is depicted as Vallambigai. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the ''[[Tevaram]]'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the [[Nayanars]] and classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]''.

The temple complex covers around one acre and is entered through a five-tiered gopuram, the main gateway. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Vilwanatheswarar and his consorts Vallambigai being the most prominent. All the shrines of the temple are enclosed in large concentric rectangular granite walls. The temple has many historic inscriptions from the 8th-century [[Nandivarman II]] era and later.<ref name=Hultzsch>E. Hultzsch (1929), ''South Indian Inscriptions'', Volume 3, Part 1, Archaeological Survey of India, pp. 88–123</ref> The north wall of the temple is notable for one of the earliest inscriptions that mention [[Tevaram]] singers.<ref>E. Hultzsch (1929), ''South Indian Inscriptions'', Volume 3, Part 1, Archaeological Survey of India, p. 93</ref>

Many parts of the temple complex is attributed to the [[Cholas]], while the present masonry structure was built during the [[Madurai Nayak|Nayak]] during the 16th century. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]. The temple has four daily rituals at various times from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and four yearly festivals on its calendar. The Brahmotsavam festival is celebrated during the month of the Magam (February - March) is the most prominent festival.

==Legend==
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|image1=Thiruvalam (3).jpg
|image2=Thiruvalam (4).jpg
|footer=Stucco images of the temple legend
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According to Hindu legend, [[Narada]] handed over a sacred mango to Shiva and wanted him to hand it over to a single person without cutting the fruit. [[Vinayaga]] and [[Muruga]], 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 he is believed to have come around (called ''valam'' in [[Tamil language|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 (bull)|Nandi]] to guard the priest.<ref name=dinamalar/> 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.<ref name=Saiva4/>

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. 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.<ref name=Saiva4>{{cite book|title=Saiva Encyclopaedia volume 4 - Thirumurai Thalangal|editor-last=Dr. R.|editor-first=Selvaganapathy|publisher=Saint Sekkizhaar Human Resource Development Charitable Trust|language=ta|location=Chennai, India|year=2013|pages=398–400}}</ref><ref name=Express>{{cite web|title=Nandi guards this ancient temple|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2019/nov/14/nandi-guards-this-ancient-temple-2061409.html|last=Madhavan|first=Chitra|publisher=The New Indian Express|date=14 November 2019|accessdate=3 October 2020}}</ref>

==Architecture==
The temple has many inscriptions from the [[Chola]] period.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography, Volume 2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8897ridkczoC&q=tirumanikuzhi&pg=PA656|page=656|first=Subodh |last=Kapoor|publisher=Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd|year=2002|isbn=9788177552997}}</ref> The temple has a five-tiered gateway tower facing south and all the shrines of the temple are enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls. The temple occupies an area of around {{convert|4|acre|ha|abbr=on}}. The central shrine houses the image of Vilwanatheswarar in the form of [[Lingam]] facing east. Unlike other temples, where the [[Nandi Bull|Nandi]] is located axial to and facing the sanctum, in this temple the Nandi faces the opposite direction. The sanctum is structured in the form of a moat. The central shrine is approached through the flagstaff and Mahamandapam, both which are located axial to the gateway. The shrine of Valambigai, the consort of Shiva facing West is located in the Mahamandapam leading to the sanctum. As in other Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, the shrines of [[Vinayaka]], [[Murugan]], [[Navagraha]], Chandikesa and [[Durga]] are located around the precinct of the main shrine. There is a hall of [[Nataraja]] near the sanctum. The image of Vinayagar is sculpted on a square base and a Padma peeta and sported holding a mango in his trunk. The [[Dvarapala]]s 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 precinct where the shrine of Lingam is located underground.<ref name=Saiva4/><ref name=R/> In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name=HRCE>{{cite web|title=Thirukoil - Temple list of Tamil Nadu|url=https://tnhrce.gov.in/resources/docs/temple_list.pdf|publisher=Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu|page=17|access-date=30 August 2020|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009010850/https://tnhrce.gov.in/resources/docs/temple_list.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Religious importance and festivals==
[[File:Thiruvalam (13).jpg|200px|thumb|Image of shrine of the temple]]
It is one of the shrines of the 275 [[Paadal Petra Sthalams]] - [[Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu#Sthalams|Shiva Sthalams]] glorified in the early medieval ''[[Tevaram]]'' poems by Tamil Saivite [[Nayanars]] [[Sundarar]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Thiruvalam|url=http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/koil_view.php?koil_idField=243|publisher=Thevaaram.org|year=2011|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref name=dinamalar/> As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 275 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon. The temple is counted as the 242nd in the list of 276 temples.<ref name=dinamalar/>

The temple priests perform the ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:00 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 12:00 a.m., ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 p.m, and ''Arthajamam'' at 8:00 p.m.. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''[[abhisheka]]'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivethanam]]'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for Vilwanatheswarar, Itcha Sakthi and Parasakthi. There are weekly rituals like ''{{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}}'' (Monday) and ''{{lang|te-Latn|sukravaram}}'' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''[[pradosha]]m'', and monthly festivals like ''[[amavasya|amavasai]]'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. The ten day Brahmotsavam during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Masi'' is the most important festivals of the temple.<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite web|title=Sri Vilwanatheswarar temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/new.php?id=119|publisher=[[Dinamalar]]|year=2014|access-date=24 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|pages=174–5}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Vilvanatheswarar temple}}

{{Famous Shiva temples|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Vellore district]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Vilwanatheswarar temple - Revision history

EJEBoris894787 at 12:33, 25 April 2026