Mangadu Sri Velleeswarar (Sukran Sthalam) Temple – Chennai

Address

Mangadu Sri Velleeswarar (Sukran Sthalam) Temple Mangadu – 602 101 Kanchipuram District, Chennai, Phone: +91 44 2627 2053 / 2649 5883 Mobile: +91 94444 61383

Diety

Velleeswarar / Sukreeswarar / Bargaveeswarar

Introduction

The Velleeswarar Temple in Mangadu, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is a significant Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Velleeswarar, Sukreeswarar, or Bargaveeswarar. Located in close proximity to the renowned Mangadu Kamakshi Amman Temple, this temple is part of a cluster of temples connected to the history of Kamakshi Amman.

Puranic Significance

According to Hindu mythology, Mother Parvathi landed on Earth at Mangadu due to a curse from Lord Shiva. She performed penance here, standing on one leg amidst five types of fire, seeking the Lord’s grace to be reunited with Him.
At the same time, the planet Venus (Shukra) performed penance on Lord Shiva to regain his lost eye, which he had sacrificed to honor Mahabali’s charity of three feet of land to Lord Vishnu.
Lord Shiva granted His blessings first to Shukra, who was performing a Shiva puja at the time. This established a rule that devotees have priority over the Lord’s own consort.
As a result of Shukra’s worship, the Lord became known as Sri Velleeswarar and Sri Bargaveeswarar.

Beliefs

Those with impaired vision pray to Lord and Mother for relief. Devotees perform special abishek to Lord and Mother and offer Nivedhana prepared with a pulse called Mochai Payaru in Tamil.

Special Features

The Velleeswarar Temple, covering an area of approximately 2 acres, is of mid-size and does not have a Rajagopuram (main tower).
The temple is believed to date back around 1,000 years and originally belonged to the Pallava period

Deities in the Temple:

The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Velleeswarar, a six-feet tall Shiva Lingam enshrined on a square Avudaiyar.
The temple also has two forms of Lord Ganesha: one holding paddy stalks and a mango, while the other is known as Mangani Vinayagar or Nel Kadir Vinayaka.
Various other deities are also present, including Dakshina Murti, Lingodhbava, Durga (in a unique form as Vishnu Durga), Veerabhadra, and Subramanya with Valli and Devasena.

Specialty of the Temple:

The temple is unique in its representation of Vishnu with his discus and Brahma sitting with folded hands on either side of Lingodhbava. This arrangement is not commonly seen in other temples.

Navagraha and Sukra Worship:

The temple is considered the Sukran Sthalam among the Navagraha Temples of Chennai (Thondai Mandalam).
Lord Sukra is associated with the planet Venus and is believed to bless devotees with wealth, prosperity, good family, vehicles, fame, and social status. Special pujas are performed on Fridays, dedicated to Venus.

Connected Temples:

It is customary for people visiting the nearby Kamakshi Amman Temple in Mangadu to also have darshan (view) at the Velleeswarar Temple and Vaikunda Perumal Temple. These three temples are interconnected with the history of Sri Kamakshi Amman.

Other Features:

The temple is surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens, providing a peaceful and serene atmosphere for devotees.
There are shrines for Navagrahas (nine planetary deities), Naalvar, Utsava Idols, Natarajar Saba, Bairavar, and Suryan within the temple complex.

Sacred Tree and Theertham:

The sacred tree (Sthala Viruksham) of the temple is the mango tree.
The temple’s sacred water tank (Theertham) is called Chakra Theertham.

The Velleeswarar Temple is a place of historical, mythological, and spiritual significance, offering devotees the opportunity to worship Lord Shiva in the form of Velleeswarar and seek blessings from Lord Sukra. It is also an important part of the Mangadu temple complex, closely related to the legend of Kamakshi Amman.