Chennai and its environs was called Thondai Nadu as this place abounded in plants called Thondai. This area was ruled by Athonda Chakravarthy who lent his name to this place. There are many temples in Thondai Mandalam. Nayanmars and Saiva Siddanthars have sung in praise of the deities of the temples here.

There are many temples which are replete with spiritual and historical importance. One such temple is Dhandeeswarar temple in Velachery.

Presiding deity-Dhandeeswarar, Dhandeeswarathu Mahadevar in Linga form.

AMBAL- Karunambigai in a standing posture.

Let us read about the genesis of the temple

A demon Somugan was granted boons by the Lord. Drunk with power he tortured Devas and women. He became an autocrat and stopped any spiritual event from taking place. He went to Sathyaloka and confiscated the four Vedas from Brahma and hid it in the Padala loka,(nether world). There was a wide spread chaos in the world. The celestials complained to Mahvishnu who incarnated as Maccha Roopam and submerged in the deep sea. He fought with the demon Somuka and retrieved the Vedas from him.

Vedas Purify Themselves

The Vedas wanted to purify themselves as they were with the demon and they wanted to worship Shiva as they thought that it was the best of purification. Thus the Vedas took the form of human beings – veda men and stayed in a dense forest in the south near Thiruvanmiyur. They consecrated a Shivalingam and propitiated it. They also worshipped Marundeeshwarar at Thiruvanmiyur. Happy and content with the four Veda men, he wanted to give them darshan and bless them abundantly.

Vedaseereni

They wanted the place where they stayed to be called as Vedaseereni. They expressed their wish to the lord. He readily agreed and thus this place came to be called Veda seereni. Since they also worshipped Marundeeswarar at Thiruvanmiyur it came to be called Vedapuri.

The Vedas Regain In their original form

Vedas regained their original form and return to sathyaloka Since the Vedas stayed at this place it is called Vedaseereni and it came to be called as Velachery.

( To be contd. )