Vedapureeswarar Temple, Puducherry – History

Vedapureeswarar Temple, Puducherry – History

Puducherry or Pondicherry was originally called Podouke (This was mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea). This old port town Podouke (Now it is called Arikamedu) is 4 Kms from the present Puducherry. As per investigation by Vimala Begley, this port city Podouke was at the peak between from the 2^nd century BCE to the 8^th century CE. This port city enjoyed extensive trade relations with Imperial Rome. François Martin the first Governor General of French India founded the modern Pondicherry, the future capital of French India in 1674.

The Varadaraja temple housed the images of the Vedapureeswarar Temple during the destruction by the French troops during 1748 during Governor Dupleix's rule. It is believed that the temple was totally destructed by the invading French troops and earlier by Muslim invaders. Dewan Kandappa Mudaliar, with the help of public contributions, reconstructed the temple in 1788.

The details of the demolition have been recorded in the diary of a chronicler of a period named Ananda Rangam Pillai. The presiding deity in the temple is believed to have been migrated from the Samba Easwaran street to the temple during the latter part of the 19^th century. The temple is maintained and administered by Sri Vedapureeswarar Sri Varadaraja Perumal Devastanam under the Department of Hindu religious institutions and Wakf of the Government of Puducherry.