Ammaiappar Padavedu

Ammaiappar, Padavedu

Saivite Temples, Thiruvannamalai District

God

Ammaiappar, facing east

Goddess

Abharnambikai, facing east

Other Deities

Kaliamman, Sankatahara Vinayaka, Muruga with consorts, Bhairava, Veerabadhra. Sanctum niches – Narthana Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, Chandikeswara, Vishnu Durga

Ammaiappar Padavedu is an ancient temple that was discovered buried. The cause was taken up by TVS Group who formed a trust and renovated this and several other temples in the area. Ammaiappar Padavedu is an east-facing temple with two separate entrances in the east, each facing the sanctums of the Lord and his consort. Only the one facing the Lord is kept open. The campus is large, clean, and beautifully maintained. The Goddess shrine is separate. Before the goddess shrine, there is an underground vault that had been used to store valuables and idols in the ancient days. This is now kept locked up. The main deity, Kaliamman, and Veerabadhra idols alone are old and the rest are new idols.

Holy Water (Theertham) – No information

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Ammaiappar Padavedu is a 12th Century CE temple that was buried in the earth over time and lost. It was discovered in recent times and the temple has been built up with part of the remains by TVS Group. Padavedu was the capital of the Sambuvarayar chieftains, who ruled in the 12th and 13th Centuries. The Sambuvarayars, who were first under the Cholas, subsequently came under the rule of Kempegowda. Hence, many of the original temples found in the area have Vijayanagar inscriptions, iconography, and style since they were built and renovated during the time of Venru Mann Konda Sambuvarayar (1322-1337 CE), his son Raja Narayana Sambuvarayar I (1337-1373 CE) and grandson Raja Narayana Sambuvarayar III (1356-1375 CE).

Legend

No information

Directions

Ammaiappar Padavedu is about 22 kilometers west of Aarani and can be reached from Polur, Vellore and Arcot also.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest for food would be Aarani or Polur.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples