Vedapureeswarar Temple, Thiruverkadu

Vedapureeswarar Temple, also called Eswaran Dharmaraja Koil, is a Shiva temple in Thiruverkadu, a municipality in Tiruvallur district about 27 km from Chennai. Shiva is worshipped as Vedapureeswarar in the form of a lingam, with Parvati as Balambigai, and the shrine is counted among the Paadal Petra Sthalams sung by Sambandar. Later works that mention it include the Thirumantiram of Tirumular, the Tiruppugazh of Arunagirinathar and the Tiruvacakam of Manikkavacakar.

According to legend, the sage Agastya missed the divine wedding at Kailash because of the crowd, prayed here, and was granted a vision of Shiva and Parvati in their marriage attire. The original complex is believed to predate the 7th century and to be Chola work; it was rebuilt in 1973. Its seven-tiered rajagopuram faces east, the tank lies outside the main entrance, and the sanctum holds the lingam alongside figures of the divine couple shown at their wedding. Balambigai has her own shrine, and the Navagraha is carved on a lotus pedestal.