Sri Vedapureeswarar Temple - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 3 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, Vedapureeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located in Pondicherry. Situated near Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, it is one of the top religious places to visit in Pondicherry.

Also known as Eswaran Dharmaraja Koil, Vedapureeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Here, Lord Shiva is commemorated as Vedapureeswarar, and his wife Goddess Parvati is worshiped as Tiripurasundari. At more than 230 years of age, the temple is about 230 years old and is one of the oldest temples in Pondicherry, which receives a heavy footfall of tourists throughout the year.

According to history, the original construction of the Vedapureeswarar temple was demolished during Governor Dupleix's rule in the year 1748. Dewan Kandappa Mudaliar, with the help of public contributions, reconstructed the temple in the year 1788. Dewan Kandappa Mudaliar, with the help of public contributions, reconstructed the temple in 1788. The presiding deity in the temple is believed to have been transferred from the Samba Easwaran street to the temple about 100 years ago.

Vedapureeswarar Temple was constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture and is surrounded by a granite wall. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram, the gateway tower rising to a height of 75 feet. The presiding deity Vedapureeswarar, in the form of Lingam, is housed in the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum is approached from the main entrance through the Flagstaff Hall, Maha Mandap, and Artha Mandap. An image of Nandi faces the main shrine in the Maha Mandap. There are shrines of Lord Ganesha, Lord Murugan, and Tiripurasundari within the complex. There are also shrines of Shani, Durga, Chandikeswara, Dakshninamurthy and Navagrahas. The rectangular temple tank is located inside the temple complex.

The temple has many festivals in its calendar, with the Brahmotsavam festival during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May - June), Annabishekam during Aipassi (October - November) and Mahasivarathri during Masi (February - March) being the most prominent.

Timings: 6 AM - 12.30 PM & 4.30 PM - 8.30 PM.

Entry: Free