Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal

Saivite Temples, Thiruvannamalai District

God

Bakthavatsaleswarar, facing east

Goddess

Dharmasamvardhini, facing south

Other Deities

Ganesha, Naagar, Saneeswara, Manalkandeswarar, Aramvalartha Nayaki. Sanctum Niches of main deity and Manalkandeswarar – Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara

Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal is a large east facing temple with a large and spacious outer Prakaram. The second Prakaram is around the sanctums of the main deity and Goddess shrine. There is a second Sanctum in the southeast corner for Manalkandeswarar whose consort is Aramvalartha Nayaki. There are some idols carved and displayed along with Vinayaka near this shrine. The temple has a Nandavanam and lawns. In the eastern side is the Vahana Mantapa. A large temple car is present. Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal is located on the northern banks of the Cheyyar River.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Cheyyar River

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal is an ancient temple and has some inscriptions around the Manalkandeswarar Sanctum outer walls. The details of these are not known as of now.

Legend

No information

Directions

Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal is about 23 kilometers west of Cheyyar and 12 kilometers east of Arani. You have to take a deviation towards north at the fork in the Vandavasi to Arani Road to reach Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal. This temple actually comes in Vellore district, but for matters of convenience to the visitor we have included in Thiruvannamalai District.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest for food is Cheyyar or Aarani.

Saivite Temples

Bakthavatsaleswarar, Vaalapandal