Kanchanagiri Shiva Temple, Vellore

Address

Thakkan Palayam Saalai, Lalapettai village,

Walajah Taluk,

Vellore District – 632 405

Mobile: +91 9003848655

Moolavar

Kanjaneswarar

Amman

Kanjanamadev

Introduction

Kanchanagiri is famous for the small Siva temple on a plateau surrounded by hills. Kanchanagiri is surrounded by a range of mountains and the middle there is a plain of 60 acres, and a big pond in the centre. Lord Shiva’s favorite cassia abounds the Kanjanagiri. One can see many Suyambhu lingams. It is believed that they are the Siddhas who lived there, thousands of years before.

Puranic Significance

Kanchanagiri is surrounded by a range of mountains and the middle there is a plain of 60 acres, and a big pond in the centre. Lord Shiva’s favorite cassia abounds the Kanjanagiri. The altar ‘Shakthi Peedam’ has a Siva Lingam surmounted by the seven-headed snake. The altar adorned by Nagalinga flowers is the best part of Kanjanagiri. The temple is shaded by the props of the banyan trees that are the 1000 years old, extending up to several acres. There is also perennial rivulet near the temple.

Most of these rocks are in the shape of the lingam and are worshipped by the devotees. There is totally 1008 lingam in the hill. A particular rock called the ‘Manipaarai’ sounds like a bronze bell, when tapped. On the way to the peak of Kanjanagiri there is a storage space supposed to be created by Sri Shivagnana Swamigal.

In the Vilwanathan temple the Nandhi unusually faces away from the Lord Shiva, towards the East. It looks as though the Nandi is on the guard against the Asuras like Kanjanan. Despite Kanjanan being the Asura on account of his devotion to Lord Shiva, the chief god at this temple is worshipped as Kanjaneswarar. Lord Kanjaneswarar along with goddess Kanjanamadevi blesses his devotees here.

The river Ponnai is known as branch of river Ganges and is believed to have reached Thiruvalam Shiva temple at his orders. Apart from the well-known features of Kanjanagiri there as a small temple for Murugan at the banks of the rivulet and in the North east there is a temple of the Sapthakannigal. In the southeast there is a statue of Lord Shiva in the open space. The biggest of many lingams in the mountain in found in the south west and in the North West there is a temple for lord Ayyappa.