Vedal, Chengalpattu

Vedal
Vedal
Village
	Shiva temple
	Vedal Location in Tamil Nadu, India Vedal Vedal (India)
	Coordinates: 12°18′03″N 79°57′40″E / 12.300853°N 79.961025°E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Chengalpattu
Area
• Total	13.4 km2 (5.2 sq mi)
Elevation	31 m (102 ft)
Population (2021)
• Total	2,472
• Density	184/km2 (478/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	603304

Vedal is a village in the Cheyyur taluk of the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India. In 2011, it had a population of 2,472: 1,221 male and 1,251 female.^[1]

History

Vedal was earlier known by the name Chola Kerala Chaturvedi Mangalam.^[2] The Vadavamuganeeswarar (or Vadavā-mukhāgnīśvara^[3]) temple, built in the Gajapristha style and dedicated to Shiva, is located here. According to INTACH, on stylistic basis, the temple can be dated to the late Pallava or early Chola period (8th-9th century).^[4] The Cholas converted several Gajapristha-style brick temples into stone temples, but the Vedal Shiva temple remained a brick temple. The main shrine is dedicated to Vadavamukhagneeswara (Shiva), also known as Vadavayilnayagar ("guardian of the northern entrance"). Another shrine, dedicated to his consort Vasanthanayaki, features two statues of the goddess.^[2]

The following Tamil-language inscriptions have been discovered at the temple, and refer to the place as Viḍāl:^[3]

A 994 CE inscription from the reign of Rajaraja I, records gifts of lands by a woman named Kulirkoyil, who also installed the image of the deity Uma-bhattalaraki at the temple.
A 1012 CE inscription from the reign of Rajendra I, beginning with the king's title Tirumanni valara
A 1032 CE inscription from the reign of Rajendra I records by Tuttan Viratungan; it refers to the place as Śōla-kērla-chaturvēdi-maṅgalam alias Vidal.
A 1043 CE inscription from the reign of Rajendra I an undertaking by the local assembly (maha-sabha) to provide food offerings and lamps to the deity Advallar with help of a donation from Malaiya-kulantakapperiyariaiyan
Two c. 11th century inscriptions, dated to the 16th regnal year of king Para-kesari-varman (a Chola title), record gifts of land by Arangan Namiyandani (or Namiyanandi)
Another 11th century inscription, records a land grant to support organization of festivals at Vidal
Three other 11th century inscriptions record the gift of a lamp, a land grant to maintain a lamp, and a gift of gold to maintain the lamp

In 2008,^[5] Vedal was selected as a location for one of the Ultra Mega Power Projects, but local residents raised ecological objections to the construction of a new coal power plant. Opponents pointed to the presence of several water retention basins that would be affected by pollution from the project, noting that Vedal's tank was over 1,000 years old.^[6]^[7] The project was suspended in December 2019, primarily over cost concerns. The government instructed the developers they may reapply for clearance, but that a new ecological impact study would be needed, along with opportunities for public comment.^[5]

Demographics

Population as of the 2011 census^[1]
Category	Population
Male	1,221
Female	1,251
Total	2,472

References

1 2 "Census of India: Kancheepuram District" (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu. p. 23. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
1 2 Padmapriya T S (23 June 2013). "The lost temple of a lonely divinity". The New Indian Express.
1 2 T. V. Mahalingam, ed. (1989). A Topographical list of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States. Vol. 3: Chingleput District. Indian Council of Historical Research. pp. 338–340.
↑ Sruthisagar Yamunan (14 December 2014). "Survey report puts Cheyyur project in trouble". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
1 2 Krishna Chaitanya, S. V. (18 December 2019). "Largest thermal plant proposed in TN among India's top 12 NPA". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
↑ N, Divya (12 September 2014). ""Ultra Mega Power" to destroy!". India Water Portal. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
↑ Jayaraman, Nityanand (21 December 2015). "As floodwaters recede, the mistakes of Chennai look set to be repeated in Cheyyur". Scroll.in. Retrieved 11 May 2026. The famous Vedal eri was built during the reign of King Raja Raja Chola in 10th century.

External links

[census-1] 1 2 "Census of India: Kancheepuram District" (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu. p. 23. Retrieved 5 May 2024.

[TSP_2013-2] 1 2 Padmapriya T S (23 June 2013). "The lost temple of a lonely divinity". The New Indian Express.

[TVM_1989-3] 1 2 T. V. Mahalingam, ed. (1989). A Topographical list of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States. Vol. 3: Chingleput District. Indian Council of Historical Research. pp. 338–340.

[4] Sruthisagar Yamunan (14 December 2014). "Survey report puts Cheyyur project in trouble". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 May 2026.

[TIE-5] 1 2 Krishna Chaitanya, S. V. (18 December 2019). "Largest thermal plant proposed in TN among India's top 12 NPA". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 11 May 2026.

[6] N, Divya (12 September 2014). ""Ultra Mega Power" to destroy!". India Water Portal. Retrieved 11 May 2026.

[7] Jayaraman, Nityanand (21 December 2015). "As floodwaters recede, the mistakes of Chennai look set to be repeated in Cheyyur". Scroll.in. Retrieved 11 May 2026. The famous Vedal eri was built during the reign of King Raja Raja Chola in 10th century.

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