Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

2271 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · India

Dandeeswarar Temple, Velachery

Velachery, Chennai, Tamil Nadu · 12.8461°, 80.0647°

Shiva as Dhandeeswarar, with KarunambikaPallavaDravidian
Sacred since
600 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
Pallava; repaired under the Cholas
Pallava

History & significance

A Shaiva temple in the Velachery suburb of Chennai, built in the Pallava period and repaired under the Cholas, with a five-tier vimana and separate shrines for several deities. It is run by the Tamil Nadu HR and CE Department.

Sthala katha — the legend

Temple lore says Yama installed the lingam here after Shiva kicked him, and on praying for pardon was given back his strength along with the staff, the dhandam, that names the shrine.

Open in Google Maps ↗Wikipedia ↗View on the atlas map

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Pallava