Margabandeeswarar at Viranchipuram

 The temple features:

This temple is located in viranchipuram 12 kms in the western direction from vellore in Tamil nadu.
The carpet area of the temple is 4,56,000 sqft with a tower in 7 stages and 152 ft in height on the eastern side entrance. The deity is called Marga-band-eeswarar and is in the east facing pose. It is said that it is self incarnated . The lord's consort Devi Malar- vizhi-amman has a separate sanctum. facing south. The temple tree is palm tree and the theertham is simma theertham.

The saints who sang hymns on the Lord:
Thiru-gnana-sambandhar , Thirunavu-karasu , Manikka-vasagar, and sundararLegend:
This is an ancient siva temple about 1300 years old. It is situated on the banks of the river palar in vellore district in Tamilnadu.

This is a fine structure with high walls and beautiful sculptures. This temple has 1008 'sivalingams' and there was an ancient stone device to read the time. It was designed like a clock.

Long time ago a siva devotee by name Dhanapalan was doing business in pepper an expensive spice of the south India . Once he was proceeding to kanchipuram with a big load of pepper bags. It was evening time and he reached Virinchi-puram with his bulluck cart with the heavy load.
Kanchipuram was a flourishing business center. In ancient days highway robbery was common and the merchant was very much worried whether he could reach kanchipuram safely with his cart and all his pepper bags. In his distress he prayed to lord siva of virinchi-puram to help him reach kanchipuram safely without falling prey in the hands of the highway robbers. With his worries he went to sleep.That night the merchant had a dream in which Lord Siva told him that the next day he would have a co-traveller who would go with him and leave him and his pepper bags safely in kanchipuram.

The merchant very happily woke up from his bed in the morning and was glad to see a traveller on a white horse and he went with the merchant as the guide. The merchant could reach kanchipuram safely and the man on the white horse disappeared . He was lord siva himself. The merchant with awe and gratitude fulfilled his earlier promise of offering ten bags of pepper to lord siva.

This legand is may be a simple event. But to people of faith this is an event full of divine meaning. The lord is our hope and support in the times of crisis and helplessness. The voyage of life is full of hurdles and risks. Without god's help we cannot travel and reach our destination.

Once a littile boy hailing from an ancient saivaite family had the blessings of lord siva and started to explain with authority the various scriptures relating to the worship of lord siva to the amazement of all elders and others. To honour the devotion and dedication of the little devotee the Siva linga bowed and received the floral worship of the boy. This historic event is remembered every year in this temple on the festival day.

People who have no issues after a considerable period of married life throng to this temple and offer floral worship to lord siva and in a year many of them are blessed with a child. Thus the temple is the last refuge for so many people who have no children or peace of mind. Lord Siva listens to their prayers and helps them, guide them and go with them in their voyage of life

Every siva temple has a philosophy behind it and a message to be conveyed to the people. Usually the name of the main deity itself will make this explicit to the devotees. It is said that our life is a voyage. It is also advised that the almighty god should be treated as our co-traveller. When god is our co-traveller in our voyage of life we are sure to reach the goal of the Lord's Eternal Bliss. Margabandhu means guide. God is our friend, philosopher and guide. Normally behind the history of every temple there is an event which conveys the message to the people.

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