Thiruevvul

Veeraraghava Swami Temple
Veeraraghava Swami Temple Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Other names	Thiruevvul
Proper name	Tirvallur
Geography
Coordinates	13°8′35″N 79°54′25″E / 13.14306°N 79.90694°E / 13.14306; 79.90694
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Tiruvallur
Location	Tamilnadu, India
Culture
Primary deity	Sri Veeraraghava Swami (Vaidhya Veera Raghava Swami)(Vishnu)
Consort	Kanakavalli Thayaar (Vasumathi)
Temple tank	Hritabhanasini Pushkarni
Shrine	Vijayakoti Vimanam
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture

Thiruevvul (or Veerarghavaswamy Temple) is a temple dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu, located in Thiruvallur, a town and headquarters in Tiruvallur district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is counted as one among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshipped as Veeraraghava Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Kamalavalli Thayar.

The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity and is believed to be initiated by the Pallavas of the late 8th century AD, with later contributions at different times from Thanjavur Nayaks. The temple has three inscriptions dating from the Chola period. The temple has a seven-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower) and enshrined within a granite wall. The complex contains all the shrines and the temple tank is located to the west of the temple.

Veerraghava Perumal is believed to have appeared to marry his consort Lakshmi in the place. The temple observes six daily rituals and three yearly festivals. The chariot festival and float festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai (March–April), is the most prominent festival of the temple. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Markandeya Purana details the history of the temple. A sage named Salihotra had his hermitage in this place. He used to grind rice for a living and offered half of the flour to the seekers and used to consume the rest himself. He was an ardent devotee of Vishnu. To test his devotion, Vishnu appeared as a guest to him one day. He requested Salihotra to offer him food, which the sage did. The guest felt hungry and requested the sage to offer more food. The sage offered the other half portion of the flour which he used to consume himself. The guest asked a place to rest and the sage readily offered his hermitage. On arriving at the hermitage, the guest revealed his true form and blessed the sage. As per another legend, Vishnu appeared in the place to marry Lakshmi, who was born as the daughter of Dilipa, the king of Dharmasenapura. He appeared in the place and married her. The place is also called Thiruevvul and Veshranniem.