CHENNAI : Vadamadurai, a village near Periyapalayam in Thiruvallur District, about 40 km from Chennai, has an antiquity going back to at least the Chola times. There are two small temples here. One is for Vishnu dedicated to Adikesava Perumal and the other shrine is for Siva, known as the Agasthishwarar temple.The main sanctum of this temple, which enshrines the Linga worshipped as Agasthiswarar, with the Nandi mandapam in front, faces east. The traditional story connected with this temple is that Sage Agasthya once prayed to the Siva Linga here and hence this name.
Immediately in front of the central shrine is a modern mandapa. Goddess Parvati, worshipped as Anandavalli Ambal is in a small sanctum facing south, close to the principal shrine. The circumambulatory passage (prakaram) around the temple has sanctums for Varasiddhi Vinayaka, Chandikeshwara, and Navagraha, while that of Subramanya is under construction.
A few festivals such as Thiruvadirai (Arudra) is in the Tamil month of Margazhi, Sivaratri in Thai, and the Sokka Panai festival in the month of Karthikai are celebrated in this temple. Pradosham, which is the thirteenth day of every fortnight and special to Siva, is conducted every month. A few old Tamil inscriptions have been discovered in the Agasthishwara temple. The earliest, datable to the early 10th century AD, probably belongs to the reign of Aditya Chola I (871-907 AD). It records the gift of two lamps and land by the sabha (administrative organisation) of this village by a warrior who belonged to a particular regiment.
The second inscription is dated 962 AD and belongs to the reign of Parthivendra Varman who has been identified by many historians as Aditya, son of Parantaka II (Sundara Chola) and elder brother of Rajaraja Chola I. Unfortunately, this epigraph is damaged and does not reveal any information. There are two small temples here. One is for Vishnu dedicated to Adikesava Perumal and the other shrine is for Siva, known as the Agasthishwarar temple.
The main sanctum of this temple, which enshrines the Linga worshipped as Agasthiswarar, with the Nandi mandapam in front, faces east. The traditional story connected with this temple is that Sage Agasthya once prayed to the Siva Linga here and hence this name. Immediately in front of the central shrine is a modern mandapa. Goddess Parvati, worshipped as Anandavalli Ambal is in a small sanctum facing south, close to the principal shrine. The circumambulatory passage (prakaram) around the temple has sanctums for Varasiddhi Vinayaka, Chandikeshwara, and Navagraha, while that of Subramanya is under construction.
A few festivals such as Thiruvadirai (Arudra) is in the Tamil month of Margazhi, Sivaratri in Thai, and the Sokka Panai festival in the month of Karthikai are celebrated in this temple. Pradosham, which is the thirteenth day of every fortnight and special to Siva, is conducted every month. A few old Tamil inscriptions have been discovered in the Agasthishwara temple. The earliest, datable to the early 10th century AD, probably belongs to the reign of Aditya Chola I (871-907 AD). It records the gift of two lamps and land by the sabha (administrative organisation) of this village by a warrior who belonged to a particular regiment.
The second inscription is dated 962 AD and belongs to the reign of Parthivendra Varman who has been identified by many historians as Aditya, son of Parantaka II (Sundara Chola) and elder brother of Rajaraja Chola I. Unfortunately, this epigraph is damaged and does not reveal any information.
Name of Goddess
Parvati is worshipped as Anandavalli Ambal
Inscriptions
Two Chola epigraphs have been found here
Ancient name
Vadamadurai was known as Jayankonda-Chola-Chaturvedimangalam