Margabandheeswarar Temple Vellore

Margabandheeswarar Temple Vellore is an ancient temple, at least 1000 years old, located at Virinjipuram. It is the birth place of Shri Appayya Dikshitar, a renowed scholar of the 16th century. The temple has a majestic 7 tiered and 110 feet tall Raja gopuram. The compound wall of the temple is famous which is exquisite in having minute stone carvings all around.

Lord Shiva is called here as Marga Bandhu Eswar (one who guides in the right direction).
The deity is in a slightly tilted position.
Another important feature in this temple is that during Panguni masam, sun rays fall on the presiding deity inside Garbha Griha.
The place is famous for young Brahmins to have their thread ceremony on last Sunday of Karthika masa (in the months of November-December).
The theertham of this temple is said to be produced by Gowri devi and so, this place is also known as Gowripuram; Vishnupuram and Margabandheeswaram are also the other names of the place.
Aadhi Shankarar had done the Beejakshara Pradhishtai to the Simha theertham of the temple
Arunachala Puranam, Siva Rahasiyam, Kanchi puranam and many other holy books have described this temple.
Virinji is another name for Brahma hence the place is called Virinjipuram.
The temple was originally built by the Cholas and Pallavas, but later by Hoyasalas.

Legends of Margabandheeswarar Temple

According to legends, Lord Shiva once emerged as a cosmic pillar and challenged Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma to find the begin and the end. Lord Vishnu in the form of a boar dug deep into the earth and told Lord Shiva that he could not make it. On the other hand, Lord Brahma in the form of a swan, with the support of Mogili flower and Cow, lied to Lord Shiva that he has reached the top. Lord Shiva got angry and cursed Brahma that there will not be many temples where Lord Brahma is worshipped. To get rid of this sin, Brahma took birth in the earth as brahmin boy, called Siva Sharma, in Virijipuram. After losing his father at a young age, Shiva Sharma had to shoulder the responsibility of doing the daily poojas. He first had the upanayanam (the thread ceremony) here at the selva Vinayaga Sannidhi in the first praharam and came to the sanctum. Since the idol of Lord Shiva was too tall for the small boy to do abhishekam the merciful Lord bent down his head in a north east direction. This act where Shiva showed Brahma his head released Brahma from his curse, and hence the deity is in a tilted position.

Timings -

6 to 11 am and 4 to 8 pm

How to reach there -

In the Chennai-Bangalore highway, after Vellore bypass, proceed for another 10 Km till a place called Sedhuvalai and turn right for Virinchipuram. The temple is about a km from the Sedhuvalai junction.

Contact address -

Margabandheeswarar Temple
Vaduganthanga-Seduvalai Road,
Virijipuram,
Tamil Nadu 632104

Phone no. 9393939150 and 0416-2914546/2272277

Website of the temple - http://www.virinjipuramsivantemple.com/

If you are interested take a look at these pages to get more information on this site and

http://drlsravi.blogspot.com/2014/07/sri-margabandheeshwarar-temple-at.html

Back to Tamil Nadu Temples

Back to Vellore