Veeraraghava Perumal, Veeraperumal Nallur, Cuddalore

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Veeraraghava Perumal	Ambal / Thayar:	Kanakavalli Thayar, Sridevi, Bhudevi
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Veeraperumal Nallur	District:	Cuddalore
Maps from (click):	Current location	Viluppuram (24 km)	Cuddalore (43 km)
	Tiruvannamalai (83 km)	Mayiladuthurai (97 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

We visited this temple not by design, but because it was on our way to the Vyaghrapureeswarar temple nearby, in the same village. The temple is located between Tirukovilur and Tiruvaheendrapuram (this is of significance – see below).

It is said to be special, when the name of a place is taken from the name of the deity present there. The name of the village where this temple is located – Veera Perumal Nallur – is a shortening of the name of the presiding deity of this temple, Veera Raghava Perumal. According to another story, the village is named for the Pandya King Veeraperumal, who ruled over this region in the 14^th century.

This place used to be a bajanai maadam in the 18^th century which had been set up by one Krishna Chettiar. Later, in the early part of the 19^th century, one Seetharam Reddiyar developed it into the present-day temple we see here.

Opposite the temple is a large tank full of lotuses and lilies. Though small, this temple celebrates all important festivals with great pomp. During the Masi Magham teerthavari, the utsava murti of the Ulagalantha Perumal temple of Tirukovilur makes a trip to Tiruvaheendrapuram, near Cuddalore. On the way, that Perumal spends a night here and blesses devotees.

This simple temple, however, has several smaller shrines of importance. Sridevi and Bhudevi are with Perumal in the garbhagriham, seated on Adiseshan. There are separate shrines for Kanakavalli Thayar, Andal, and the 12 azhvars of Vaishnavism. In the maha mandapam, the ten avatarams of Vishnu are portrayed on paintings.