வேதபுரீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருவேற்காடு
The western suburb of the city of Chennai called Thiruverkadu is known for the popular Devi Karumariamman temple. But the more ancient and lesser known temple here is the Vedapureeswarar Sivan Temple that has been in existence at least since the early seventh century. Like a number of ancient Sivan temples, it is likely much older. It is a Paadal Petra Sivasthalam and as such we can confirm that it was here in some form at the time the Thevarams were composed.
The earliest existing structures and inscriptions here are credited to the Cholas. The temple has architectural features pointing to the later Cholas in the 11th and 12th centuries. Much of the present masonry is from the Nayakkan period. It was renovated in 1973 in modern times. It is currently owned and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu, the HR and CE, with nominal oversight by the Devi Karumariamman Temple Trust.
It is a moderate sized temple at 1.5 acres in area with a spacious outer prakaram. There are three prakarams. It is an east facing temple with a five-tiered rajagopuram. The Sivan sanctum sanctorum has an apsidal shape and Gajaprishta Vimanam or Thoonganai Maadam like many Chola temples in the Thondai Mandalam from the same period. There is a smaller shrine for Goddess Balambikai the consort. The shrine for Lord Murugan has a lingam in front which is unusual. Lord Murugan here is found holding a bow and an arrow and not a spear. The Navagraha shrine is octagonal in shape. The sthala Virutcham is the Velvela tree. There is a large temple pond with steps on all sides, which is the main theertham here.
Legend says that Lord Sivan and Goddess Parvathi gave dharshan to the sage Agasthiya here in their Kalyana Kolam and like many other temples in the south it is celebrated for the event. One of the 63 Saivite Nayanmar, Moorka Nayanar was born here. Thirugnanasampanthar praises the Lord at this temple when he visited here thus:
ஒள்ளி துள்ளக் கதிக்கா மிவனொளி
வெள்ளி யானுறை வேற்காடு
உள்ளி யாருயர்ந் தாரிவ் வுலகினில்
தெள்ளி யாரவர் தேவரே.
The temple is located about 20 km or an hour west of the centre of Chennai city. We visited in August 2024, We were based in Chennai.
Credits: Google Maps
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